Obfuscation at source-code level more effective than obfuscators?

Question

Learning from my last question, most member names seem to get included in the Project Output.

Looking at some decompilers like 9rays, Salamander, Jungle, many obfuscating techniques seem to have been already defeated, there's this one particularly scary claim:

Automatically removes string encryptions injected by obfuscators ~ Salamander

So is manual, source-code level obfuscating more effective than post-compile / mid-compile lathered, 'superficial' obfuscation by well known (easily defeated??) obfuscating programs?

Answer 1

Obfuscating source-code is going to be self-defeating in terms of maintenance.

If your project is so 'secret', I guess you have two choices:

• Place the 'secret' proprietry code behind a service on a server that you control

• Code it in a language so not easy to decompile such as C/C++