How to implement licensing in php downloadable application

Question

If you want to implement licensing module in downloadable php application that need:

• to allow application to run only on specified domain(s)
• to be impossible to remove or go around
• to work without Zend Optimizer or Ioncube loader (i.e. without encoding whole application)

what you think is best way to do it? If encoder is needed, do you see solution that encoding is used only for licensing module related logic i.e. allowing application to be altered without compromising licensing?

Cheers

Answer 1

Anti-copy schemes just don't work. See numerous previous posts on this site & elsewhere.

You cannot stop people from copying your code.

You could, I supose obfuscate it, mkaing it very difficult for them to change. And, maybe buried in there (or as a necessary .exe, without whcih your code won't function0, you could 'phone home and gradually build a database of IP addresses that are using your code - although I am not sure what that would get you.

Give up on the idea, plan to erly on lawyers if necessary, and put your efforts into developing your product.

Answer 2

I have taken advantage of the latest version of PHP 5.6 which has some new features that can be leveraged in to a licensing and distribution trialware. You can now distribute password protected files and demo applications.

Since there are some best practices to doing this correctly. I am distributing a demonstration website application showing how to setup your apps so they can be launched and checked in real-time for licenses codes just like a desktop application. As a matter of fact the protection extends to the desktop. I am selling the initial code to developers via binpress.com at fhqk.binpress.com. The online demo is http://fhqk.com/informationtechnology/ssl (Simple Secure Licensing)