Absolute Expiration Date

• This is a fixed date on with a program will expire.  It was decided at the time the program was copy protected, and has no relationship to when the program was first run.

Activation code

• The term activation code relates to the optional codes issued from the Nalpeiron Activation Server – these are the equivalent of License Codes (below) but only work when used in conjunction with the hosted service. An activation code has ‘Business Rules’ attached to it that allow for the control of licensing. In practice this means the number of times an End User can install the software based on a single License Code.

Authorization

• The term authorization and license can be used interchangeably.  They represent allowing a customer to use their copy of your software product.   Authorization may take the form of an unlocking code or a special copy protected floppy disk.  Authorization represents your control over how your product is used.  For example:  If your customer has a license to use your product

Backdating

• The practice of setting a computer’s date back, in an effort to continue using an evaluation copy of a program.

Business rules

• The business rule means the license terms for a specific License Code, usually this means the number of times an End User can install the software based on a single License Code. It could also relate to expiration dates and other license functions. These rules are only set in the Server Administration Control Panel.

Cracked/Hacked

• A term used where a ‘hacker’ has reverse engineered copy protection technology to render it useless.

Custom DLL

• This is the DLL created by the Custom DLL Creator program and always stored in the root folder of what ever drive is selected. 

Customer ID (also referred to as the CustomerNumber)

• This is the 2 – 4 digit number supplied to you by Technology Innovations International.  It will be the same for all products.

Concurrent network users

• The number of people on a network, using a specific program at a given time

Demo (Demo Period)

• The length of time a program may be run, before it must be purchased.  Demo versions of a program are preauthorized, and set to run for a specific number of days.  The customer can begin running the program immediately, without contacting you for an unlocking code or using a special floppy disk.  At the end of the demo period, the program shuts down and will no longer run.

Dongle

• A hardware key that plugs into the serial, USB or parallel port of a computer. The purpose of it is to ensure that only authorized users can copy or use certain software applications.

Dynamic Random Authentication

• This is an advanced technique used to verify the identity of an individual, a computer, or in this case, a copy protection file.  It is used by the military to identify participants in military communications, ultra secure computer networks.  The technique involves sending a random number to the person, computer, or program.  The person, computer, or program performs a mathematical function on the number, and returns the result.  Software at the senders end, compares the returned result with the expected result.   Windows Protection Plus uses the technique to verify that the filemgr.exe and custom DLL are genuine.  See Random Authentication Number.

Evaluation copy

• This is the same as a Demo program.   The copy protection limits how long or how many times the program may be run.

Expiration date

• This is the date on which a demo (or evaluation copy) of a program will cease to run.  It may be floating, that means the date is relative to the date the program was first run, or the date may be absolute.

Hacking

• The original term meant breaking into a program (taken from hacking your way through dense weeds and underbrush) to alter the way it works — usually to remove the copy protection.

Installation ID

• This is a unique number used to identify a computer, including servers.

Lease (Lease Period)

• This term comes from how a standard lease operates:  The customer makes payments at regular intervals, for use of the product.   Our lease functions enforce the terms of the lease or rental license.  The program will cease operating at regular intervals, so that the customer must obtain new unlocking codes to keep using the product.

License

• The copy protection form of license is to authorize use of your product according to the terms of that actual software license.  (See authorize.)

Options

• These are the various ways your product may be limited.  They may include the demo period for your product, the number of times it may be used, the absolute expiration date, or the maximum number of concurrent users.

Module flags

• These are binary flags that can be used to identify what parts of a program can be used.  The function CheckAuthorization makes use of these flags to specify how the product is licensed.

Product ID (also referred to as the ProductNumber)

• This is the 10 digit number supplied for each license that you purchase.  Each Product ID must be used for one product only.  Using a Product ID for more than one product will result in your customers being able to unlock one of your products, and being able to use everything with the same Product ID.

Proof of removal code

• This is a 15 digit code displayed to your customer when your program’s authorization has been removed from that computer.  It allows you to verify that the product was actually removed, the value of the usage counter, maximum number of concurrent network users, the duration of any lease period, and if the product was running in demo mode.

Random authentication value

• This is the 1 – 500 random number (actually in almost cases pseudorandom number) that is passed to CheckAuthorization function.  It is used as the encryption key for the return value.

Return codes

• This is the number returned by the different copy protection functions.   It represents any errors that occurred, such as the program being run on a computer other than that which was authorized.

Time bomb

• We use this term to mean a method of forcing a program to stop running on a specific date.

Trialware

• Nalpeiron allows you to offer trials or demo’s for End Users, the Custom DLL you set at ship time allows you to control how your application will be used according to the license settings that you configure, such as the trial limit (a specified number of days or a specified number of uses).

The trialware technology available in Nalpeiron should not be confused with freeware or shareware. Often freeware and shareware have limited functionality. For example, End Users sometimes cannot print anything from shareware or freeware, or a watermark might be added to every page. Such limitations are established to encourage prospective customers to purchase a fully functional version of a product; however, building such limitations into your product can be costly and waste valuable development time.

With trialware, the only limitation is the time limit or the limited number of uses. You enable a prospective customer to use the latest version of your product—with all of its features fully available—on a trial basis. After a predetermined trial limit has been reached, the trialware expires. 

Unlocking 

• When your software is first installed onto a user’s computer, it is locked.  It cannot be used.  Unlocking your product means, allowing your customer to run it.

Unlocking Key

• The code that your customer enters, which allows your program to be run according to the limitations your select.

Product Activation

• A process where an application makes an ‘invisible’ call to an internet server to authenticate and license a user. Usually anonymously. This follows the process below but the End User only has to enter the license code and the activation process creates and delivers the site code to the server and accepts an unlocking key without the input of the End User.

Protect-n-Forget (PnF)™

• Protect-n-Forget (PnF)™ technology means that the user can do what they like to their PC and it will not prevent the security from working – even replacing the motherboard or re-formatting and re-loading Windows.

SDK

• Software Developers Kit, a set of tools, APIs and software code to allow a developer to implement a solution within their own software.

Serial Numbers/ License Codes

• When you ship a protected program you will also include a unique number with it, like the codes that come with a Windows CD but better as Nalpeiron only uses Numeric codes that are much less likely to cause technical support issues.

Site Code

• These are codes that are usually generated when a protected program is first run that are to be used in tandem with a license code/ serial number from the vendor in order to ‘unlock’ a computer

Unlocking Keys

• Using a unique serial number and site code (above) allows the vendor to create a specific unlocking key, usually another string of numbers, that when entered into the vendors software will allow a protected program to run on a designated PC.

Wrapper/Instant Protection

• A software product that encapsulates another file providing a range of additional functions such as copy protection to the original file. A fast but weak type of copy protection.

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