This might be useful to some of you looking for a solution to the Trial/Pay-for dilemma;
I've just made available some code at http://www.andlicensing.com/ which will allow you to create a license file which is a set of encrypted properties on one machine (such as a web server), and decrypt it on an Android device. It's not an all-singing all-dancing licensing solution, but what it will do is allow you to write your apps in a way where they can ask the user for a license file, store the encrypted license, and then enable or disable functionality based whether the license exists and what properties it contains. Anyway, hope it's useful. Al. Ed Burnette wrote: > How about this idea: Call your program "Beta" for now and then in > February (or whenever) retire the Beta version and come out with a new > non-Beta version that has a charge. The only trick would be to prevent > people from auto-updating from Beta to the commercial version without > annoying them. > > IMHO Google did the developer community a disservice by not allowing > for paid apps from day one. A lot of the developer energy on iPhone > comes from dreams of "riches" made in the App Store. If at all > possible, please get paid apps in place by this December at the > latest. > > --Ed > "Hello, Android" - now in 7th beta > http://www.pragprog.com/titles/eband/hello-android > > On Oct 22, 4:25 pm, atrus123 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Another thing I was wondering if it would be possible to simply start >> charging for the app once that becomes an option. So we'd post our >> stuff now... free... and then go in and edit the price later on. It >> might be a good option; by then we'd have feedback, and any popularity >> might drive future revenue. >> >> I'd love to hear from a Google employee about how they expect this to >> work. >> >> On Oct 22, 4:07 pm, cyntacks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> >>> Hi Al, >>> >>> Great stuuf, to be honest I'm not as adept at licensing as I should >>> be, given my job description and all! But there is def. a need for >>> licensing of some sort. I'm really surprised we have to wait until Q1 >>> (which, as we all know could mean as late as March 31!). It just >>> really puts a damper on the whole thing and is going to create >>> headaches for most of us. >>> >>> Time-to-Market is huge in this industry, and those of us who worked >>> very long days for too long toiling in the dark will not be able to >>> benefit (read "$") from the vacuum created when the new store goes >>> live on Monday. Just a shame, that's all... But then again, I guess we >>> could use the opportunity to perfect our products, or create more >>> apps. >>> >>> Keep on coding, and def. let me know about the licensing idea, very >>> interested. >>> >>> Kevin >>> >>> On Oct 22, 3:57 pm, Al Sutton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Kevin, >>>> >>>> I think you'll end up with two apps initially. I'm looking at working on >>>> a licensing solution because there seems to be a need. Do you have any >>>> tips as to what you'd like to see? >>>> >>>> Al. >>>> >>>> cyntacks wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi Al, >>>>> >>>>> I guess that is the question. Does Android support this type of >>>>> transaction (i.e. "lite" version)? I don't recall seeing anything in >>>>> the API about this. Of course I can just disable parts of the app, but >>>>> how would the user "upgrade" to the full version? >>>>> >>>>> Am I making to much out of this, will it all make sense come Monday >>>>> morning? >>>>> >>>>> Kevin >>>>> >>>>> On Oct 22, 3:44 pm, Al Sutton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Can you not ship a cut down "lite" version with an option to pay for a >>>>>> fuller version? >>>>>> >>>>>> Al. >>>>>> >>>>>> atrus123 wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> I'm disappointed that we won't be able to charge until next quarter, >>>>>>> and it does put a slight dent in my plans. I guess I'll just sigh and >>>>>>> deploy. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Oct 22, 1:56 pm, cyntacks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Ok, so the Market Place will be live on Monday, AWESOME! AWESOME! >>>>>>>> AWESOME! >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> But here is a question for all you developers like us who are hoping >>>>>>>> to make some revenue off months of hard work. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Does the API currently support a way to make our applications "trial >>>>>>>> software"? That is, making them free until "March 1st" or some other >>>>>>>> date, at which time the user will have to pay? >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Obviously getting on the phone and receiving user reviews is extremely >>>>>>>> important, but giving away all of our hard work "just seems wrong". I >>>>>>>> have read that over 1 million people have pre-ordered the phone, that >>>>>>>> is a lot of free software giveaways.. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> What is everyone else doing? Waiting? Sayhing the heck with it and >>>>>>>> deploying? Just looking for some advice. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Kevin >>>>>>>> > > > -- Al Sutton W: www.alsutton.com B: alsutton.wordpress.com T: twitter.com/alsutton --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Android Developers" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/android-developers?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
