Protect and License Max5 Apps
AppProtect can protect Max5 apps on Mac or Windows with a few button clicks. The Protected Application can either present an Enter Password or Enter Serial Number dialog on first launch.
The Enter Password dialog requires that a computer specific password be entered once to permanently activate the application on that computer. Files cannot be copied to run the application on another computer. The Enter Serial Number dialog accepts a Serial Number, then does an automated activation through the Safe Activation server.
The "AppProtect" video demonstration shows the simple protection process.
www.excelsoftware.com/videos.html
This is interesting - can you comment on whether the Max collective is "visible" within the protected app (both Mac and Win). Specifically, on Windows, does it wrap the .exe and all the associated support files including the support folder, .mxf, and .dll file, and bundle them into a single .exe? And on Mac, does it prevent the opening and visualization of the .mxf file within the application bundle?
The mxf collective is encrypted. For Mac, the entire app bundle is encrypted. This web page describes the Max5 protection/encryption tools. The "Protect Max5 Application" pdf provides all the details.
www.excelsoftware.com/max5.html
AppProtect 2 was recently announced with additional layers of protection. The new "Embed Data Files" checkbox in the Windows edition is especially useful for Max developers since your collective file, DLLs, etc. can now be "compiled" directly into the EXE.
www.excelsoftware.com/newsappprotect_200.html
The "Embed Data Files" features was also added to the latest QuickLicense update, so you can use it when creating protected try/buy apps from a Max application. The "Try Buy Protected App" video should be helpful:
www.excelsoftware.com/videos.html
Does this also work with Max applications that use Java jar files?
@excelsoftware I'd like to commend you for your work on this - it's definitely a needed product in the Max world!
That said, the one thing keeping me from considering it is the price. Even for a single user license, the cost to purchase dual-platform (Mac and Win) support for encrypting and licensing Max apps/executables puts it beyond the reach of many in the Max world interested in this stuff. I know you have to make a living, and it's not up to me to put a value on your product -- but at the same time I can't imagine that you wouldn't sell significantly more than what you're selling now if you dropped the price.
My $0.02!
Does this change do anything with the issues surrounding the use of a protected Max Standalone located in the Windows Program Files(x86) directory?
As I recall, launching a .exe coupled with a .mxfe (encrypted Collective), when both were located in Program Files on Windows Vista and/or Windows 7, did not work without some contortions. It's all well and good being able to launch the protected standalone when it's in a different folder, but people expect programs to be in the Program Files directory.
sounds like an important bug. i would be so angry if i payed and then notice
a bug like this.
anyway, i will only jump on board if you(excelsoftware) lower the price
at least 50%.
Whether it's a bug in AppProtect or a bug in Win7 is possibly debatable--there were apparently some changes in Windows regarding what can and cannot be done inside the Program Files directory, presumably to patch around security holes in the OS. There is apparently a workaround for Max standalones protected by AppProtect, but it's sufficiently convoluted that I wasn't able to implement it in the time available and had to shelve work on it.
If the software saves more than potential sales losses from piracy and *if* it works easily, then the price point is arguably justifiable. Please excuse the rhetorical question, but if you don't think piracy is going to lose you this kind of money, why worry about CP?
Most Max apps I've seen out there are sufficiently inexpensive, and I presume whose sales are sufficiently modest, to warrant a less expensive CP in my eyes. Furthermore I don't think Max app piracy is rampant either, so at least for me, this approach is just an additional layer of "insurance" above measures I already take.