Java Jive: "I Said a Sip, Not the Whole Cup!"
Some Java programmers feel strongly about applet theft...strongly enough to feverishly work to stop it.
It is also beyond the scope of this one column to go into
construction of the CGI script, applet to CGI communications, as
well as the theft protection itself on top of all that. Basically what
you do is to make your applet require a "key" which is computed
on the fly by both the applet and the CGI script. The key can be
encrypted using whatever method you choose, and that method
can be used by both applet and CGI script.
That way, if the server
that serves the applet doesn't also have the CGI script, then the
applet won't run. This key can be based on the client's IP, or you
can set it up so that both applet and CGI base the key on a text
file located on the same server. These are just examples, as I'm
sure many of you have other methods in mind.
Some Java programmers feel strongly about applet theft...strongly
enough to feverishly work to stop it. However, some feel that the
theft protection itself can be more of a hindrance than a help.
"I sure hope Java software distributors don't have to tramp along
the same stupid road to nowhere [as software companies who
previously implemented copy protection in their software], trying
to protect their ridiculously priced $799 programs, futilely
repeating history because they won't take a moment to understand
the common sense sociology behind software piracy..." said
Robert Lynch recently in the comp.lang.java.programmer
newsgroup. Robert feels that only when software companies
realized that they needed to provide valuable services (such as
printed manuals and good technical support along with a fair
price), did software piracy decrease. Unfortunately, software
piracy does still continue, far beyond the most common piracy-that
of two users exchanging their favorite software.
According to the
Business Software Alliance, $12.8 billion dollars are lost annually,
worldwide, because of piracy, and Java programs didn't even
enter into that figure. While some will still argue that Java applets
and applications are not software, per se, the majority of Java
programmers will tell you that their Java applets are not only
software, they can be very expensive pieces of software to
produce. Although talk of applet piracy is often brushed aside as
paranoid talk, the issue will have to come to the forefront of
discussion before the industry accepts Java as a viable
programming language, Web or no Web. In future columns, I
hope to touch upon subjects that will help you become a more
productive Java programmer. I'm asking for tips, methods,
routines, opinions, and news items to make this column exactly
what you need. You are the Java experts...so share some of that
knowledge with the rest of our readers. Send your input to
sclark@webdeveloper.com. Until next time...
Reprinted from Web Developer® magazine, Vol. 3 No.2 Mar/Apr 1997 (c) 1997 internet.com Corporation. All rights reserved.
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