How to stop library mde being reused

[Jeff]

Hi

I have a library mde that is used with some customer databases and I found
out that another developer discovered it while doing some maintenance work
on an old database for the same customer and has copied it to use with her
databases. Naturally, I was not impressed and that story continues. It was
not the customers fault.

I assume she took a copy of the original code from the customers database
and is working out how to use the library mde from that. For this customer
the database is supplied with all source code and not compiled into an mde.

There are also a few other situations where I suspect the mde may be getting
reused without my permission.

Basically, the mde contains a whole bunch of functions I have developed over
the years and am using it more and more in systems developed for clients and
had not really worried about it being knocked off, so to speak, until now.

After this little incident I have given this some thought.

I want to allow some customers to reuse the library with databases they put
together, but stop this rip off happening again.

I have considered a few options, but am not really that happy with any at
this stage.

Any suggestions on a reasonably simple method of stopping, or at least
limiting, this from happening again would be appreciated.

Jeff

[Anthony England]

"Jeff" <je************ @asken.com.au> wrote in message
news:43******** *************** @per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au ...

Hi

I have a library mde that is used with some customer databases and I found
out that another developer discovered it while doing some maintenance work
on an old database for the same customer and has copied it to use with her
databases. Naturally, I was not impressed and that story continues. It was
not the customers fault.

I assume she took a copy of the original code from the customers database
and is working out how to use the library mde from that. For this customer
the database is supplied with all source code and not compiled into an
mde.

There are also a few other situations where I suspect the mde may be
getting reused without my permission.

Basically, the mde contains a whole bunch of functions I have developed
over the years and am using it more and more in systems developed for
clients and had not really worried about it being knocked off, so to
speak, until now.

After this little incident I have given this some thought.

I want to allow some customers to reuse the library with databases they
put together, but stop this rip off happening again.

I have considered a few options, but am not really that happy with any at
this stage.

Any suggestions on a reasonably simple method of stopping, or at least
limiting, this from happening again would be appreciated.

Jeff

I have always found that by writing code of a sufficiently poor standard has
been enough to deter any would-be thief. This seems to be a technique
widely used in the Access community.

[Jeff]

Interesting approach, but don't know that my clients would agree.

Jeff

"Anthony England" <ae******@oops. co.uk> wrote in message
news:do******** **@nwrdmz01.dmz .ncs.ea.ibs-infra.bt.com...

"Jeff" <je************ @asken.com.au> wrote in message
news:43******** *************** @per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au ...

Hi

I have a library mde that is used with some customer databases and I
found out that another developer discovered it while doing some
maintenance work on an old database for the same customer and has copied
it to use with her databases. Naturally, I was not impressed and that
story continues. It was not the customers fault.

I assume she took a copy of the original code from the customers database
and is working out how to use the library mde from that. For this
customer the database is supplied with all source code and not compiled
into an mde.

There are also a few other situations where I suspect the mde may be
getting reused without my permission.

Basically, the mde contains a whole bunch of functions I have developed
over the years and am using it more and more in systems developed for
clients and had not really worried about it being knocked off, so to
speak, until now.

After this little incident I have given this some thought.

I want to allow some customers to reuse the library with databases they
put together, but stop this rip off happening again.

I have considered a few options, but am not really that happy with any at
this stage.

Any suggestions on a reasonably simple method of stopping, or at least
limiting, this from happening again would be appreciated.

Jeff

I have always found that by writing code of a sufficiently poor standard
has been enough to deter any would-be thief. This seems to be a technique
widely used in the Access community.

[Lyle Fairfield]

I like to think that I write lots of creative, original code.

Sometimes I am angry because it seems that someone has taken my code.

But at night time I realize that it's my brothers' code, Dev's code,
Professor T M K Davidson's code, Terry's code, Getz's code, Dimitri's
code, Michka's code, David's code (even), Appleman's code, J A Green's
code, rkc's code, Danny's code and the code of a thousand others who
have challenged me, taught me, motivated me, shown me, stimulated me,
embarrassed me, attacked me and encouraged me.

And I realize that if they created it in me I cannot own it. I must let
it go.

But I can write better code, tomorrow. And this takes away my anger.
And I like to think it pleases them.


I have only one recourse; I create a better piece of code.

[Lyle Fairfield]

I hate Google after I find that what I wrote it not what my mind
thought!

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Wed, 21 Dec 2005 08:54:55 +1000, "Jeff"
<je************ @asken.com.au> wrote:

Perhaps I would in each function check the name of the domain the code
is running on. If you only run this MDE in a few locations, that might
be all that's needed. Domain names don't change all that often, but
when they do, be ready for a support call and a free upgrade.

Although I like Lyle's sentiment of being challenged to write a better
function tomorrow, I wouldn't give my library away either.

-Tom.

Hi

I have a library mde that is used with some customer databases and I found
out that another developer discovered it while doing some maintenance work
on an old database for the same customer and has copied it to use with her
databases. Naturally, I was not impressed and that story continues. It was
not the customers fault.

I assume she took a copy of the original code from the customers database
and is working out how to use the library mde from that. For this customer
the database is supplied with all source code and not compiled into an mde.

There are also a few other situations where I suspect the mde may be getting
reused without my permission.

Basically, the mde contains a whole bunch of functions I have developed over
the years and am using it more and more in systems developed for clients and
had not really worried about it being knocked off, so to speak, until now.

After this little incident I have given this some thought.

I want to allow some customers to reuse the library with databases they put
together, but stop this rip off happening again.

I have considered a few options, but am not really that happy with any at
this stage.

Any suggestions on a reasonably simple method of stopping, or at least
limiting, this from happening again would be appreciated.

Jeff

[Jeff]

I am sure that things (my code) will always get better, as it always has,
and that I have a lot of people to thank for advice, including yourself. But
there are also many years of my own experience and effort in the mix. I just
wish the person ripping off my code would pay the same piper.

An artist probably has their upbringing, their parents, their life's
experiences and much more to thank for their creations. But they still
charge and have the right to protect their creations.

If she walked up and asked for the money I am about to feed my family with,
she would not get it. But that is what she is taking.

If I had spent countless hours, and invested a lot of cash in, building a
house I would not let her live in it free of charge. But that is what went
into the library and now she has it, free of charge, and is in part making a
living from it.

She is local and my competition.

I can be very philosophical about this but the reality is that I earn a
living doing this and she is cashing in on my efforts, not hers. And I
believe that my family and needs take priority over hers. And besides, I
don't want to be benelovant about this.

If someone asks for my help, and she has on many occasions, I will help, but
not at any cost. There is a limit to my charity. She has exceed the limit.
And I would prefer that no one else has the opportunity to do the same.

She has take my assistance over the years, all without charge, and done
quite well. I am just a little pis... about this, and don't really want to
make it that easy for anyone else.

Jeff

"Lyle Fairfield" <ly***********@ aim.com> wrote in message
news:11******** **************@ f14g2000cwb.goo glegroups.com.. .

I like to think that I write lots of creative, original code.

Sometimes I am angry because it seems that someone has taken my code.

But at night time I realize that it's my brothers' code, Dev's code,
Professor T M K Davidson's code, Terry's code, Getz's code, Dimitri's
code, Michka's code, David's code (even), Appleman's code, J A Green's
code, rkc's code, Danny's code and the code of a thousand others who
have challenged me, taught me, motivated me, shown me, stimulated me,
embarrassed me, attacked me and encouraged me.

And I realize that if they created it in me I cannot own it. I must let
it go.

But I can write better code, tomorrow. And this takes away my anger.
And I like to think it pleases them.


I have only one recourse; I create a better piece of code.

[Keith Wilby]

"Jeff" <je************ @asken.com.au> wrote in message
news:43******** *************** @per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au ...

I want to allow some customers to reuse the library with databases they
put together, but stop this rip off happening again.

I have considered a few options, but am not really that happy with any at
this stage.

Is one of them user-level security? Sure it can be broken, but that would
cost your rival money.

Keith.
www.keithwilby.com

[Arno R]

"Jeff" <je************ @asken.com.au> schreef in bericht news:43******** *************** @per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au ...

Hi

I have a library mde that is used with some customer databases and I found
out that another developer discovered it while doing some maintenance work
on an old database for the same customer and has copied it to use with her
databases. Naturally, I was not impressed and that story continues. It was
not the customers fault.

I assume she took a copy of the original code from the customers database
and is working out how to use the library mde from that. For this customer
the database is supplied with all source code and not compiled into an mde.

There are also a few other situations where I suspect the mde may be getting
reused without my permission.

Basically, the mde contains a whole bunch of functions I have developed over
the years and am using it more and more in systems developed for clients and
had not really worried about it being knocked off, so to speak, until now.

After this little incident I have given this some thought.

I want to allow some customers to reuse the library with databases they put
together, but stop this rip off happening again.

I have considered a few options, but am not really that happy with any at
this stage.

Any suggestions on a reasonably simple method of stopping, or at least
limiting, this from happening again would be appreciated.

Jeff

Let your mainapp (or any app where you allow the use of this mde) create a file on startup and delete the file on close.
Let your library-code check for the existance of that file.
If the file does not exist ==>> do something really bad ... ;-)
Maybe the mainapp.ldb might even be a good choice. Access creates and deletes it for you automagically.. .

Let your mainapp (or any app ...) write to the registry. (Some setting whatever)
Let your library-code check for the existance of that setting.
If the setting does not exist ==>> do something really bad ... ;-)
On close of the mainapp delete the registrysetting .

Something like that will do I guess?

Arno R

[Jeff]

That may work if they only had an MDE front-end. But a lot of clients have
the uncompiled MDB file for the front-end. That would of course have the
code to so this and therefore easily duplicated.

That is the main problem. With a MDB front-end anything I add to it is open
to the world.

Jeff

"Arno R" <ar***********@ tiscali.nl> wrote in message
news:43******** *************** @text.nova.plan et.nl...

"Jeff" <je************ @asken.com.au> schreef in bericht
news:43******** *************** @per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au ...

Hi

I have a library mde that is used with some customer databases and I found
out that another developer discovered it while doing some maintenance work
on an old database for the same customer and has copied it to use with her
databases. Naturally, I was not impressed and that story continues. It was
not the customers fault.

I assume she took a copy of the original code from the customers database
and is working out how to use the library mde from that. For this customer
the database is supplied with all source code and not compiled into an
mde.

There are also a few other situations where I suspect the mde may be
getting
reused without my permission.

Basically, the mde contains a whole bunch of functions I have developed
over
the years and am using it more and more in systems developed for clients
and
had not really worried about it being knocked off, so to speak, until now.

After this little incident I have given this some thought.

I want to allow some customers to reuse the library with databases they
put
together, but stop this rip off happening again.

I have considered a few options, but am not really that happy with any at
this stage.

Any suggestions on a reasonably simple method of stopping, or at least
limiting, this from happening again would be appreciated.

Jeff

Let your mainapp (or any app where you allow the use of this mde) create a
file on startup and delete the file on close.
Let your library-code check for the existance of that file.
If the file does not exist ==>> do something really bad ... ;-)
Maybe the mainapp.ldb might even be a good choice. Access creates and
deletes it for you automagically.. .

Let your mainapp (or any app ...) write to the registry. (Some setting
whatever)
Let your library-code check for the existance of that setting.
If the setting does not exist ==>> do something really bad ... ;-)
On close of the mainapp delete the registrysetting .

Something like that will do I guess?

Arno R