What's the best approach to Protect Custom .NET Components with License? [closed]

Question

What's the best approach to Licensing Custom .NET Components or applications for selling ?

• Closed Source
• 2 licensing mode :
  • Trial limited features license (free)
  • Full featured

Answer 1

As for a "Closed Source" scenario consider using obfuscation. I've been using SmartAssembly and very satisfied with results.

As for licensing modes. You are speaking about .net components so the target audience are developers. I don't think they will deal with free limited trials. If you are going to sell something valuable to developer community get ready to see a "Full Featured" version on Rapidshare or torrents.

I would recommend concentrating on support and frequent updates/enhancements rather than protection. In most cases "business" buys support rather than binaries.

If you need some tool titles why don't you just google for that? ".net licensing" query will give you tones of links.

Hope that helps.