"JE McGimpsey" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"Jon Peltier" wrote:

I haven't had this problem with clients. But I usually put a time bomb
into
the first project I do for someone, just to make sure they will pay to
use
the work I've provided. In my experience, even the most advanced of my
clients have no idea how to bypass VBA passwords, or even sheet
passwords,
and the simple code that makes up the time bomb is beyond them. I think I
could tell them that there's a complex protection scheme, and 99% would
never figure out that there isn't.

Dunno - you may be right. I'm probably jaded by how easy it is to find
info on bypassing VBA protection. I've got lots of clients that "just
want to peek under the hood".

Bill for a day or two of "repairs" and they'll learn their lesson.

I'm also jaded by the fact that the first commercial application I ever
produced, in 1979 on a CBM/PET, was pirated...

Ouch. I had a few clients hose me back when I was starting, one guy for a
couple grand, so I started inserting the time bomb. Since then I have had
nobody welsh on payment. But as I said in an earlier post, I think all I
have to do is say I have implemented a security feature, and they think
since I did it, it must be good. Ha!

Actually it did help one time. A client's Accts Payable department tried to
change our terms to net 90 days. The time bomb knocked off in 30, and the
techie called me. I gave him ten more days, but told him I hadn't been paid
yet. He was aghast, I got my check, and he got his fully operational and
unlimited program, all within that ten days.

Now I have my own commercial utilities on the market, and I haven't taken
any steps anywhere near as draconian as I've described. I guess I could if I
had to. But the utilities are pretty cheap, they're pretty decent, and they
fill a feature gap, so the barrier to purchase is low.

- Jon
-------
Jon Peltier, Microsoft Excel MVP
Peltier Technical Services, Inc.
http://PeltierTech.com/WordPress/
_______