Hello All,

I was using the VB.NET 2008 Professional version trial. Now it has expired and I'm not sure what to do. I had intended to purchase the VB.NET 2008 Pro license with the initial revenue from my premium level application licensing... but no longer.

A while after creating what I would call a 'corporate level' database (front end) application, I put it up on c-net. I believe that this was a terrible mistake. After working over two years on the program, designed to track customers for people or businesses along with endless customer notes for each record along with many other features, I tested the (he-double-hockey-sticks) out of it. Then distributed it locally for testing and when I was satisfied, I finally made it available on the Internet via my website with all of my other free tools and works.

Written inside was a very simple (keep honest people honest) style registration code. At the time I believed that neither I or the application would become well known enough to illicit the attention of hackers. I was wrong. About 6 months later I realized that I was seeing dozens of downloads a week, and lots of requests for technical support, but not even one attempt in those 6 months to register for a valid license key. It didn't take me long to find my program listing on all the popular hacker/torrent sites with a keygen for my app. The crack information was put up literally a week within setting up my listing on download dot com.

As a disabled person living off of an extremely limited income, my family has tried many things to supplement our income so that things aren't always so tight and frustrating. Having worked all that time by myself on a project and then loose everything because nobody wanted to support that effort, was devastating! I took not only that application of the web site, but all of them. Every last one. It seemed as though there is no point in even trying. To help people with freeware apps or to try and earn money with business style applications either!

Realizing that I am never going to keep up with hackers in my own back yard I have recently been looking into 3rd party Anti-Piracy applications/plugins. After I was done pouting and sulking, I was surprised to have found several. However, there are not nearly as many as I was hoping for and most are quite expensive. Many others seem questionable as to whether their goal would lead to success.

My question is: Have you heard of or do you use anti-piracy licensing technologies? And if so what do you use and what would you recommend. As already established, I don't have a lot of money but desperately need a solution if I am to ever change my mind and continue with my works or even create a new application that deserves the coveted title "Trial/Demo" some day.

I would love any and all thoughts and thank you for your time and help! Oh yes, and Happy Holidays!!

David