Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
License for Excel Macro
I am an end user who has developed an Excel Macro which saves end
users a lot of data manipulation time. The company which supplies the raw data is not interested in supplying end users with a macro like the one I have developed because they don't want to be responsible for supporting it. There has been many other end users that are interested in acquiring my excel macro. At this point, I think it would be too difficult to charge other end users for this macro (lots of red tape), so I am debating providing it to them free of charge. If I do this, I would like to have some protection so that I can ensure that other end users or the company will not end up selling (thus making money) off the macro that I developed. Is there a way to get some type of legal license on a macro? I am thinking something like the license that freeware software comes with...basically saying you can't charge for it, can't modify it, etc? Is there a fee that I would have to pay to obtain a license for this? Anyone ever done anything like this? Thanks, Andrew V. Romero |
#2
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
License for Excel Macro
On Oct 12, 9:48 pm, "
wrote: I am an end user who has developed an Excel Macro which saves end users a lot of data manipulation time. The company which supplies the raw data is not interested in supplying end users with a macro like the one I have developed because they don't want to be responsible for supporting it. There has been many other end users that are interested in acquiring my excel macro. At this point, I think it would be too difficult to charge other end users for this macro (lots of red tape), so I am debating providing it to them free of charge. If I do this, I would like to have some protection so that I can ensure that other end users or the company will not end up selling (thus making money) off the macro that I developed. Is there a way to get some type of legal license on a macro? I am thinking something like the license that freeware software comes with...basically saying you can't charge for it, can't modify it, etc? Is there a fee that I would have to pay to obtain a license for this? Anyone ever done anything like this? Thanks, Andrew V. Romero Hello Andrew, You could copy a software agreement and apply it to your macro, but to truly protect your intellectual property rights, you should consult with an attorney. The reason being those contracts are basically "boiler plate" protections. Your rights and responsibilities are governed by the state in which you produce your software. So to cover your assets completely, you should seek legal counsel. There is no license required by Microsoft or any of their affiliates to distribute your macro because the end user has already signed a license agreement when the purchase Microsoft Office. Sincerely, Leith Ross |
#3
Posted to microsoft.public.excel.programming
|
|||
|
|||
License for Excel Macro
Convert your macro to an add-in, then include a command button in a workbook
that calls the add-in macro. Add a worksheet that includes the text of your "software agreement" and have an auto-open macro to activate that sheet and also display a vbYesNo message box; write the code whereby the user must agree or else the workbook closes. Protect the workbook and hide the applicable worksheet w/macro, so if the user bypasses the auto-open macro, they still cannot use the macro(s); if they click yes/agree, then have it unhide the applicable worksheet w/macro. It's not foolproof, but it does work for most end-users. And like Leith indicated, it may not hold up in court. "Leith Ross" wrote: On Oct 12, 9:48 pm, " wrote: I am an end user who has developed an Excel Macro which saves end users a lot of data manipulation time. The company which supplies the raw data is not interested in supplying end users with a macro like the one I have developed because they don't want to be responsible for supporting it. There has been many other end users that are interested in acquiring my excel macro. At this point, I think it would be too difficult to charge other end users for this macro (lots of red tape), so I am debating providing it to them free of charge. If I do this, I would like to have some protection so that I can ensure that other end users or the company will not end up selling (thus making money) off the macro that I developed. Is there a way to get some type of legal license on a macro? I am thinking something like the license that freeware software comes with...basically saying you can't charge for it, can't modify it, etc? Is there a fee that I would have to pay to obtain a license for this? Anyone ever done anything like this? Thanks, Andrew V. Romero Hello Andrew, You could copy a software agreement and apply it to your macro, but to truly protect your intellectual property rights, you should consult with an attorney. The reason being those contracts are basically "boiler plate" protections. Your rights and responsibilities are governed by the state in which you produce your software. So to cover your assets completely, you should seek legal counsel. There is no license required by Microsoft or any of their affiliates to distribute your macro because the end user has already signed a license agreement when the purchase Microsoft Office. Sincerely, Leith Ross |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
My end user license agreement pops up when i open excel. How do ? | Excel Discussion (Misc queries) | |||
Software License Management Template for Excel | New Users to Excel | |||
Pass Excel User License to Variable | Excel Programming | |||
Pass Excel User License to Variable | Excel Programming | |||
Excel license renewal? | Excel Discussion (Misc queries) |