Anne, Will makes some good suggestions. My suggestion -- and this may be a slightly more complicated solution than you asked for -- Drupal with the ECommerce project addition has a really nifty web-based interface for managing digital downloads (for pay or for free). <http://drupal.org/node/67682> ~jeff On 6/23/06, Will Loving <will at dedicationtechnologies.com> wrote: > > ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group, you must be counted to post . > ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area. > > > > > Hi Anne, > > I have a form to get to my download page and I've had a similar problem > with rogue online services like Softpedia that list the direct URL of the > download page. I actively use VersionTracker.com to list my software, but > these other services list you without your permission – mostly by copying > from VersionTracker as far as I can tell. They don't respond to my emails to > ask them not to do that and they regularly update their websites if I change > the download link. > > There are a couple of techniques that I've seen people use. The main one > is that the downloader fills out a form and is then sent an email with a > link to a dynamically created web page. The page has a unique onetime link > to the demo which I assume is being created on the fly, though I don't know > by what method. Does anyone have any clues on this? > > Another issue I've come up against is how much information to require from > downloaders before allowing them access to the demo page. For now I've > settled on just requiring an email but leaving the option to include full > address and comments. The people who are serious about the software fill out > all the information. The problem is that I don't have a way at the moment of > validating the email address. I'm considering generating an email to the > downloader with a link to the download page rather than just taking them > there. That way, if they enter a bogus email address (I'd say about 25% do) > they won't get the email with the link. There is still the problem that the > download page is readily accessible if someone knows the URL, but it's > probably a step in the right direction. > > Finally, I always include a hard-coded expiration date in my demos and > delete Master passwords before posting my demos. Both these things would > take an extremely determined hacker to change. > > Will > > Will Loving, President > Dedication Technologies, Inc. > > > > on 6/22/06 3:40 PM, Anne Campbell at acampbell at gmail.com wrote: > > ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group, you must be counted to post . > ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area. > > > ------------------------------ > Hi all, > > A client of mine offers some software that his site visitors can download > for free. Because of some piracy issues, he'd now like to require > registration before users can download it. I thought about using a form that > redirects to the download page, but I'm concerned that potential pirates > will just pass around the URL of the download page itself. > > Is there a simple but more secure solution? Could this be handled by > something like the PayPal shopping cart? I know that some shopping cart > systems allow for pay-for-download, but since the software is free, it seems > silly to pay for a robust shopping cart service. > > Please note that I'm just a Web designer, not a database programmer, so > simple solutions are the key! > > Thanks very much - > Anne > > > > > -- > > > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > DEDICATION TECHNOLOGIES, INC. > > - Developers of StudioSchool Pro - > > Professional FileMaker Pro Database Development > For Non-Profits, Business, and Education > ----------------------------------- > 7 Coach Lane Amherst, MA 01002-3304 USA > Tel:1 413 253-7223 (GMT –5) Fax:1 206 202-0476 > will at dedicationtechnologies.com > http://dedicationtechnologies.com http://studioschoolpro.com > -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net > Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net > > You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion list. > If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members > page on the Hidden Tech Web site. > http://www.hidden-tech.net/members > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.hidden-tech.net/pipermail/hidden-discuss/attachments/20060623/89044682/attachment-0006.html