Non-online activation version

Are you still considering a non-online activation version?

Yes, we are. But serial-only protected products (especially consumer product, like Universe Sandbox) are incredibly prone to piracy. We're trying devise a strategy that prevents piracy when a key is bought with a stolen credit card and shared on a pirate forum. Needless to say this is a tough nut to crack.

I want to use unique activation codes with my product, but don't want to require online activation (realizing that this opens me up to more potential piracy).

Or even the option of doing an online activation if you can, but allowing the software to register even if they block the outgoing internet or are on a non internet enabled computer.

Yes - this is doable. And we can implement it much faster than the serial-only protection. How does this method sound: TuboActivate generates a "request key-file" that the user can send in via email (or any other method) and they get in response the validated license file which can be imported with the click of a button.

These files would be less than 1Kb each, so they'll be easily transportable via email, USB thumb-drives, and ancient floppy disks (if floppies still exist).

Would this work for you?

Having the user send in a file sounds complicated and anything more complicated than a button click and you'll have people that just give up. That back and forth kinda sounds painful.

I'm thinking that a partial solution would be the best.

- When the user registers an message is attempted to be sent with what code was used, but either way the program will register. - If it becomes apparent that a code has entered the wild, a future update of the program could be released that would black list this code and deactivate (or feature limit) all that have used it and try to update.

Either way... If you could simply support a PayPal integrate-able system that doesn't require online activation, that would be awesome.

I'm quite certain I don't want to use anything more complicated than an offline activate-able key code despite its easiness to pirate.

Having the user send in a file sounds complicated and anything more complicated than a button click and you'll have people that just give up. That back and forth kinda sounds painful.

That's true.

I'm thinking that a partial solution would be the best.

- When the user registers an message is attempted to be sent with what code was used, but either way the program will register. - If it becomes apparent that a code has entered the wild, a future update of the program could be released that would black list this code and deactivate (or feature limit) all that have used it and try to update.

Either way... If you could simply support a PayPal integrate-able system that doesn't require online activation, that would be awesome.

I'm quite certain I don't want to use anything more complicated than an offline activate-able key code despite its easiness to pirate.

Ok, we'll do that. I'll push this up the list of priorities. We'll try to get this out by next Friday.