Database license?

[LightLY]

Dear Access Gurus,

I have spent hundreds of hours and painstakingly collected some
precious data into an Access database. I would like to distribute the
database around but wish to restrict its viewership.

Is it possible to get viewers to get "license" from me before they can
start using the database? Is there a technical solution to this
problem?

I have been cracking my head over this but stupid me is still not able
to come to any solution. Can someone drop some hints? Thank you very
much in advance.

 

[Tom van Stiphout]

On Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:32:08 -0800 (PST), LightLY

One option would be to apply Access Workgroup Security, but it can be
cracked.
Another one is to use strong encryption of some important columns of
data. Many argorithms are very strong and cannot be cracked if
properly implemented. Some are implemented natively in .NET; in our
company we wrote a .NET component to assist with encryption.
Another one is to distribute the database using SQL Server rather than
an MDB back-end, and take advantage of SQL Server's superior data
protection features.

-Tom.
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[Mark Andrews]

If you have a front-end or application interface over the tables you can
have code that looks for a certain license code in a table. I use
tblPreferences (a one row table with various settings). So when people want
to purchase they get a registration code which they type in and it updates
this table thus giving them full access to the product.

Not fullproof, if someone can get the right registration code entered they
unlock the application but good enough for most purposes.

HTH,
Mark Andrews
RPT Software
http://www.rptsoftware.com

 

[Gina Whipp]

Have a look at...

http://www.rogersaccesslibrary.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=79&KW=lock&PID=79#79

 

[Jerry Whittle]

The simplest would be to password protect the database. Then they would have
to license it before you give them the password. Of course once they have the
password, they could pass that around.

 

[Tom Wickerath]

Here's yet another possibility to consider...

http://www.sagekey.com/security.aspx


Tom Wickerath
Microsoft Access MVP
http://www.accessmvp.com/TWickerath/
__________________________________________

 

[LightLY]

Thank you all of you for your helpful replies. Let me study them.
Hopefully, I can come out with something.