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On Sun, 18 Oct 1998 12:46:39 +0100, you wrote:
>Chris,
>Wasn't aware that the program contained any Aboriginal roots.
>What the heck is a Dongle?
Hi Ton,
It's a device placed on the parallel port of a computer with a micro
chip.
The software has built in code that looks for the device, either at
the start or at some other "critical" moment, and refuses to work if
it cannot read the "single". The printer is plugged into the single,
and the printer signal is passed through.
I've had bad experiences with a Tradestation single, and a
Perkin-Elmer single. In the case of Perkin Elmer (buying over
$100,000 worth equipment), I switched to no single software from
Hewlett Packard. So far we have spent over $500,000 in new equipment
from HP. There is nothing worse than a single failure at a critical
time.
It is my pleasure NOT to buy anything with a single. You will find
that most if not all dongled software sooner or later becomes poorly
supported, and disappears. The author feels he has the user captive,
and significant updates become more and more scarce. Then one day, a
single free "upstart" software company comes along and does the final
killing (ELLWAVE could have been the killer of GET, but GET should not
have any fear now).
The basic problem however, is that most dongled software sells to a
vertical market, and costs $50-75 more just for the device. I can
understand the rationale of the developer.
What the developer does not realize, is the learning curve of any
software is high. So even if the software is pirated, subsequent
"revisions" or new versions will be bought. The first pirated copy
serving as a "salesman's" commission, and a "hook" to get a buyer.
Naturally, support is important, which is the part missing in
"dongled" software.
-= Chris ß =-
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