Frequently Asked Questions

How secure is CopyMinder?
We have been producing copy protection systems since 1989 and CopyMinder draws on this extensive knowledge and experience to provide the highest level of security possible. In the unlikely event that the system is cracked, CopyMinder is able to automatically update itself to minimize any security exposure.
What if a user does not have Internet access?
It is becoming increasingly rare for users not to have Internet access but there will always be some so we have taken steps to provide for them. Maximum flexibility and convenience for you and your customers is achieved if they do have Internet access. Access via an Internet browser on a different machine maintains some of the flexibility but is less convenient for the user. No Internet access at all loses flexibility and the system acts like a more conventional 'activation-based' system such as was provided by the earlier CopyControl UnLock-It system.
Can protection be moved from one machine to another?
Yes, unless you specify otherwise.
This is one of the big advantages of CopyMinder over other systems. It allows them to transfer your protected program to a second machine but will stop them using the first after a while. This flexibility is convenient for the customer. It also means that it can cope with hardware failures without you having to be involved (it may be 3:00 in the morning!).
The result: a happy customer, no hassle for you and your software is still secure.
Can CopyMinder protect my program?
Yes. You can protect virtually any program with CopyMinder. It is compatible with all the major programming languages including C/C++, VB, Delphi, Java, the .NET programming languages and many more. You can also protect Access databases, Excel spreadsheets (provided you use Macros), files produced using Filemaker, Director, AutoCAD, Authorware, 4D and RealBasic.
Do I need to change my source code?
Not normally. CopyMinder can create a protective shell around your program (Shell method) without you needing to change your code. In some circumstances it may be necessary to link a module that we supply into your program and call it from within your code (API method). This would involve some minor changes to your code but we supply sample code to make this extremely easy.
I would like to issue evaluation copies of my software so users can try it before buying.
Is this possible with CopyMinder?
Yes, you can specify how long or how many times your program can run before the evaluation terminates.  You can change these parameters via the web site for individual users should you wish to extend their trial period. No action is required by you for them to run the evaluation.  Evaluations can be converted to full systems by the click of a mouse.
Can CopyMinder be linked to an online payment system
Yes. You can totally automate the buying process by linking CopyMinder to an online payment system (details here). Furthermore, the flexibility of CopyMinder is such that you can stop the program running should you discover at a later date that the payment was not valid. You are in control.
Can CopyMinder get the user to provide Registration information?
Yes, you can specify what, if any, Registration information is optional or required before the program can run. This information is stored in the CopyMinder database for you and, optionally, the details can be emailed to you when they first register. You can also specify that their email address should be automatically validated before letting the program run.
Can users install onto a network?
Of course, if you want them to. You can also specify how many users can run your software at the same time. You can even allow a number of the network users to temporarily run a copy of your software on a laptop over the weekend.
What languages does CopyMinder support?
CopyMinder automatically detects the language of the user's machine and displays messages accordingly. At present the following languages are supported: Dutch, English, French, German, Spanish and Turkish. If a language is not currently supported, the messages are displayed in English.
Does CopyMinder include a customer database?
Yes, a full SQL database keeps track of each user. You can access the data for all users or for each user individually and get numerous reports on them. The data can also be exported so that you can import it into your own customer database if you wish.
Will my customers be concerned about privacy?
We strongly respect the rights of all users to privacy and have taken every step to reassure them that we are not sending any information about what is installed on their machine other than the protection details for the protected program. All information sent from their machine to our web site can be logged and examined by the user. A convenient link to our Privacy Policy is available to the users. Any Registration information they provide will not be used by Microcosm for any marketing purposes and will not be made available to anybody other than the Software Developer.
I will become dependent on your web site. What if it goes down?
Normally, it does not matter if our web site is out of commission for a short while. It will just let the program run and try later. However, there are some instances where we need to have access to our web site before letting the protected program run so we have set up two independent Internet servers on separate sites. If one is down, the other automatically takes over.
I will become dependent on Microcosm. What if they go out of business?
This is a potential problem with any product you purchase from outside your company. However, Microcosm has been trading since 1980 and is very unlikely to go out of business. In addition, we have taken steps to minimise any such risk. Firstly, we undertake to continue to run the web servers for as long as Microcosm exists. Secondly, we are making a small monthly charge for the service so that, should the unthinkable happen, this aspect of our business would be easily sold off and run by somebody else because it earns money for the very low cost of running the web servers. CopyMinder would not stop should Microcosm cease to be. Thirdly, we would offer all the Software Developers the option to automatically convert each end user to activation-based protection so that the Software Developers can support their customers themselves as they would have done with legacy protection systems. Finally, if all our servers are unreachable, the system automatically goes to a server of your choice so that you can take whatever steps you deem appropriate. Whatever happens, your customers can continue to use your software.
What happens to my customers if I go out of business?
Should you cease trading for any reason, we will not bring your users to an abrupt halt. We want to protect both your and your customers' interests.  If you know you are about to go out of business then we suggest that you 'unlock' their protection so that they can use your software unprotected.  If you do nothing or go out of business suddenly then we withdraw the service gradually, giving you time to make whatever arrangements you think necessary.  We initially just stop you protecting new products, then we stop new customers installing your programs and only remove protection from installed programs as a last resort.
Your prices seem very reasonable now. Will this always be the case?
Yes, we undertake never to charge you more than the price structure you start with (excluding any special offers and allowing for inflation).  If we offer extra facilities in the future then there may be an extra charge for this but they will always be optional.
Why do you charge a monthly fee?
You do not need to pay a monthly fee if you prefer not to. You can choose to pay an extra installation fee instead. Furthermore, we only charge a monthly fee if you are using the full internet service. Manually activated systems do not incur a monthly fee.
However, we do recommend that you choose the monthly fee mechanism. The main benefits to you of our charging on a monthly basis are:

• It gives us an incentive to continue providing the service indefinitely.
• CopyMinder makes it easier for you to maintain contact with your customer so that you can sell them upgrades or other products at a later date. This provides you with a future income stream that can be partially used to finance CopyMinder.
• The lack of hassle with the full CopyMinder service will save you much more (in terms of your time) than the cost of the monthly charges.
• The lack of hassle with the full CopyMinder service will make it more likely that your customer will buy from you in the future.
• CopyMinder can even be used to supply your program on a similar charging mechanism (or even rent it on a monthly basis) if you prefer.
We believe in as honest a pricing structure as possible so the prices reflect the costs to us.  The SDK charge reflects the development costs and any support costs necessary to get you started. The monthly charges again reflect the 'free' support costs and the cost of running our web servers.
Will we have to pay your monthly fee indefinitely because we will not know when our users will stop using our software?
After a while, users may stop using your software. If this is the case, the system will detect that they have stopped using it and we will stop charging you. You are only charged if the software is used within a particular month. Alternatively, you may decide that the software no longer needs to be protected so you could tell the system to remove protection. The monthly fee then stops. Hence you will only pay the monthly charge whilst you want the protection and the user is still using your software. If you are using activation-based protection, there is no monthly charge.
What support do you offer?
This is an area where our customers say we really out-shine our competitors. We realize that you need good, speedy support from us and we deliver. We offer free technical support via the Support icon on the Developer's Main Page.  During our normal business hours we try to respond to support emails within 30 minutes. For the first 30 days you are also entitled to free telephone technical support. After the first 30 days, you can receive free telephone support between the hours of 1600 and 1700 GMT.  Telephone technical support outside these hours is available at a cost.
It all sounds wonderful, but what if I want to stop using CopyMinder at some time in the future?
The system includes an exit strategy so that you can sensibly stop using CopyMinder without killing all your customers' installations. You can either convert all your users to activation-based protection and support them directly yourself or you can remove the protection system or you can disable their installed software and supply them with new software. If you switch them to activation-based protection then you no longer incur the monthly charge but the software is still protected.
Can I upgrade my old CopyControl system to CopyMinder?
CopyMinder includes all the facilities of CopyControl but is a totally new system. Existing CopyControl users qualify for a free CopyMinder SDK and will find it beneficial to switch to the new system.

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