Conclusion - choosing the best software copy protection solution.

Wise software publishers will realise that no one thing makes the perfect copy protection product.

• Buy on the basis of cost alone, and you will find yourself incurring heavy overheads when you try to solve future problems.
• Focus on ease of use, and you run the risk of inadequate protection from a generic product that suffers from widely-distributed exploits and software patches.
• Fail to check for reliability, and you may find your software erasing customer licenses, irrevocably damaging your image.

Adopting long-term thinking

The solution is to think holistically.

Think in the long term about the ongoing support issues that you will face as your product succeeds.

Consider the importance of the customer experience and the everyday tasks that your end users will be carrying out, and ask yourself whether your copy protection software will be able to survive the realities of your customer environment.

The PC is a battlefield—and unless your software comes well-protected, your revenue and your corporate image could be a casualty.

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