Dongles

[John E]

I originally posted this on the 'General Discussion->Project Planning' forum where it attracted zero response (in fact, like most of the other posts there !! )

I then tried to delete it and move it over here - but for some reason I'm not allowed to delete posts over there (I've never understood why I can sometimes delete my own posts and sometimes I can't - but I guess that's another issue).

Anyway, I've been asked to design some software whose usage would be controlled by dongles - i.e. the customer could install as many copies as he likes but if he's only got, say, 5 dongles, then he can only run 5 copies simultaneously.

Here's the problem.... what happens if, in a few months time, the customer rings up claiming to have lost one of the dongles? If I simply give him a new dongle (free or cheaply) then effectively, I've given away another license for my s/ware. If the customer is lying, he's now got 6 copies of the s/ware although he's only paid for 5.

One possible solution is to give the s/ware away for free - but charge full price for the dongles. But that then penalises a customer who genuinely loses a dongle.

Does anyone have any thoughts about this? Is there any kind of standard practice when selling "dongled" software and what do other companies do if a customer claims to have lost a dongle?

[Hobson]

the customer could install as many copies as he likes but if he's only got, say, 5 dongles, then he can only run 5 copies simultaneously

Thats good for user, so full charge for each dongle would be a good balance.

You can give software away for free and charge for dongles only. Remember that lost dongle does not disappear, someone still can find it and use it. Anyway, user should take care of the stuff he pays for.

Hob

[Ejaz]

I agree with Hobson, even if someone lost it, so what? Thats his fault, not yours, take example of any other thing that we use commonly, if I buy something and then loose it, will I get another one free, just because I wasn't careful at the first place and lost the original one?

Oh yeah, althernatively, you can give the insurance option to the customer, which covers lost, theft or any such event.

[MrBeans]

Oh yeah, althernatively, you can give the insurance option to the customer, which covers lost, theft or any such event.

Insurance for a software wow!!! never heard of that before, BTW other than theft I wonder how one can cause damage to a software.

[Shuja Ali]

Insurance for a software wow!!! never heard of that before, BTW other than theft I wonder how one can cause damage to a software.

Not for the Software, Ejaz was talking about Dongles (A physical thing, which can definetly be insured, like you insure your PCs)

I agree with Ejaz. :thumbsup:
Customers should be responsible for their own stuff. If they loose it, they hav to pay for it. Like we do it for any other stuff

[cilu]

Here's the problem.... what happens if, in a few months time, the customer rings up claiming to have lost one of the dongles? If I simply give him a new dongle (free or cheaply) then effectively, I've given away another license for my s/ware. If the customer is lying, he's now got 6 copies of the s/ware although he's only paid for 5.

If he/she lost it, it's not your problem. Wants another one? OK. Pays for it. That's what I think.

[John E]

Wow! - more responses in a couple of hours than I got in a whole week on the other board!!

I think there might be a problem of perception if a customer loses a dongle - the perception is that the dongle is basically just a key that unlocks the software but the software is the valuable bit. Let's say you lost the key to your car. You'd be a bit miffed to be told you had to buy a whole new car!!

The insurance angle is a good one though - and as Hobson pointed out, the fact that a dongle is currently lost doesn't prevent it from being found again. I might make it a condition of sale that they insure themselves against loss of the software and/or dongle - on the grounds that they can't be supplied separately. Whether they actually insure it or not is up to them of course, but I'll put it in the small print anyway...!

Thanks for all the suggestions....

[Shuja Ali]

Quote:
Originally Posted by vb_the_best
Here's the problem.... what happens if, in a few months time, the customer rings up claiming to have lost one of the dongles? If I simply give him a new dongle (free or cheaply) then effectively, I've given away another license for my s/ware. If the customer is lying, he's now got 6 copies of the s/ware although he's only paid for 5.



If he/she lost it, it's not your problem. Wants another one? OK. Pays for it. That's what I think.

I didn't write this, how come Cilu quoted me

[cilu]

I think there might be a problem of perception if a customer loses a dongle - the perception is that the dongle is basically just a key that unlocks the software but the software is the valuable bit. Let's say you lost the key to your car. You'd be a bit miffed to be told you had to buy a whole new car!!

Yes and no. Not sure the comparison is ok. The dongle is a hardware key that prevents an application to run without it. It's an ensurance for the software maker/seller than the software it sells is used only by a licenced user. The key of a car is not like that. It's the tool used to open/close or start the engine of a car, but not a mean to help the car manufacturer protect his investments. Any car owner is free to make any copies of the key (at least in this country ). So a car key and a dongle are not the same. And when you loose your car key and ask for a new one, I believe you pay for it.

[cilu]

I didn't write this, how come Cilu quoted me

I appologize. I don't know how it happened.

Anyway, relax, I didn't quote you saying bad things.

[Hobson]

Let's say you lost the key to your car. You'd be a bit miffed to be told you had to buy a whole new car!!

That is not correct point of view, you shold look at this like at printer and ink (bubble jet printers are quite cheap but ink is terribly expensive, and you cannot use a printer without ink, produced by the same manufacturer, of course!), or shaver and razor blades
With 'car ans keys' point of view you put yourself in nonconfortable situation.
Its called 'marketing'

Hob

[Shuja Ali]

I appologize. I don't know how it happened.

Anyway, relax, I didn't quote you saying bad things.

I knew that it was a mistake.. ..

//Chill