License manager for DLLs sold to developers, but free runtime libraries for users.

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I am developing a .NET SDK type of resource. Developers would use a DLL in their code, and they would have to pay for that. So some sort of license manager is needed. At the same time, they should be able to distribute their software freely, so runtime libraries of my DLL should work without a license. I'm very confused as to how this could be accomplished from Visual Studio or via code.
Can I see some C# code to implement a simple license manager that makes the source code run only if a license is found, but the compiled version can run from anywhere?

Posted 28-Jun-14 3:03am

Mihai Pruna

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Dave Kreskowiak · Answer 1 · 2014-06-28T04:04:00

Solution 1

Even the big vendors have given up on the licensing garbage. They just charge about $999 per developer and hand over the library. There's no license manager required and no changes to the code required to deploy to the clients.

Posted 28-Jun-14 4:04am

Dave Kreskowiak

Comments

Mihai Pruna 28-Jun-14 10:16am

but what is stopping those guys to simply give the libraries to whomever?
there has to be some way of keeping track of who is using your library for development purposes.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 28-Jun-14 20:45pm

Nothing. But why do you think that people's goal is to cheat? :-)
Here is my advise: stop even thinking about it. Are you sure your project is that valuable? If you go in for this license trash, you may loose a lot more than gain. Isn't that even obvious?
—SA

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 28-Jun-14 20:43pm

This is not always so, by far, but I like the answer, my 5.
—SA