Entering in license code in each of my 20+ client's sites?

Poster: mfindlay
Dated: Monday June 28 2004 - 17:08:20 BST

I am a web developer and have purchased the first Milonic menu in anticipation of purchasing 1 for each of my 20+ web clients' sites.

Do I understand correctly that I will need to update all 20+ client site's license code each time I update their menu code (both incremental releases and full releases)?

Isn't there some way I can define the license code in a separate file, and include it in a way that I don't need to go through the maintenance nightmare of copying and pasting 20+ license codes into Milonic each time a release comes out?

Many thanks!

Poster: Maz
Dated: Monday June 28 2004 - 19:06:23 BST

Although you can use includes, the only files you will be updating are the three reference, src, mm & dom (abbreviated).

menu_data.js is the only one you change and that stays the same.

By using the same path from root they will all be using the same 3 files
for example something like:
/js/menu/milonic_src.js

I'm not sure if that anwers all of your questions.

maz

Poster: John
Dated: Monday June 28 2004 - 22:21:06 BST

When you login to the main site to download the code, it comes pre-registered with your license number included in the code. Therefore, when you upload the new code the license number is included.

Poster: mfindlay
Dated: Monday June 28 2004 - 22:29:02 BST



Thanks John, but to be sure I understand correctly:

Once I have incorporated the menu into 20 different websites, registered to 20 different clients, I will need to download each incremental update 20 different times in order to ensure that the client license code is contained in the download? (I would be doing the downloading since I am responsible for maintaining the sites)

Please let me know if my understanding is correct or not.

Thanks again!
Mark

Poster: jptilkes
Dated: Monday June 28 2004 - 22:31:00 BST

I think his question is the same as one that I asked a while back (and never really got a good answer)

In my case...

I have 3 sites (soon to be 6) that all use the menu, I own licenses for every site (different license numbers)

Rather than duplicate code I have chosen to put the menu code in 1 directory on my server that all of my sites can access. There for, 1 set of code files, 6 sites.

Since the code only allows 1 license number in the file, it ends up that the same license number would have to display for each site. I have actually avoided putting newer versions of the menu live because I don't want to duplicate the files all over the place. (and have to update them in every place ever time a new version comes out)

No animosity here, just pointing out an issues that I have had.

Thanks

Poster: mfindlay
Dated: Monday June 28 2004 - 22:40:56 BST

I would offer this as a possible solution to Milonic:

Create a separate file to house the license and URL variable, then just have the .js file that currently defines the license code variable and URL variable include that file.

That way, the license file would only have to be defined once on the site, and thereafter, all incremental and major updates could be distributed to all of my 20+ sites without having to update any license numbers etc.

As wonderful as the Milonic menu is, I just don't feel like using it for my clients if it is going to represent the maintenance nightmare it appears it would.

I assume this is a relatively simple and yet just as secure fix to implement for Milonic and continues to ensure license compliance etc?

Many thanks!
Mark

Poster: Maz
Dated: Tuesday June 29 2004 - 5:03:20 BST

This is a question for Andy, from your perspective it makes sense to have a batch license or something along those lines.

Sorry I don't have an answer.

maz

Poster: mfindlay
Dated: Tuesday June 29 2004 - 5:47:22 BST

Thanks maz, will you pass it along? It would seem like it would be a worthy investment in time and would most certainly lead to web developers like myself purchasing large volumes

Poster: Andy
Dated: Tuesday June 29 2004 - 9:54:09 BST

Bulk licenses are normally handled with the World License.

If we give the users the option to change license details, this leaves the door open to abuse and I gaurantee that somebody somewhere will abuse it.

Cheers
Andy

Poster: John
Dated: Tuesday June 29 2004 - 15:25:36 BST


That is correct, Mark. I do that myself for the 4 or 5 sites I maintain.

Yes, it's a little extra work, but right now the only way Andy has of protecting his code from theft. Many long stories are behind this, but trust me, it has become necessary. Both the license number and the licensed URL are embedded in the code. Using the same copy of the _src.js file for multiple sites simply will not work.

Poster: mfindlay
Dated: Tuesday June 29 2004 - 16:59:52 BST



Thanks Andy,

But I would imagine the World license is more suited to someone who knows they have a very large number of sites already, or is paying from 1 account, etc. A web developer only knows of the clients he has at the moment, and passes those costs on to each new client as they use the menu.

I don't want to drag this out unnecessarily, and I don't presume to know the underlying milonic code structure, but I guess I just don't see how the following would be any different in terms of license adherence risk since each client would still need to have made an initial purchase of a site-specific license:

Establish a new file in the milonic system called milonic_license.js that contains just the license info. The client (or web developer such as myself) still has to buy that license file but only has to place that file on the client website 1 time.

Then milonic_src.js "includes" that file.

Thereafter, we ar free to post incremental updates of the main source files (milonic_src.js, mmenudom.js, mmenuns4.js, etc) without having to manually update the license code each time. It's quick and easy.

As I said, I don't wish to just be difficult, or post just for the sake of posting; but this is a significant enough maintenance issue that it would be nice to see a mechanism like this (or some other architecture that doesn't require so much manual intervention) to enhance the milonic system.

If I may wax soapbox for a moment, this would seem to me a classic case of the vendor losing sight of the fact that they are in business and that the client has an important business need that is being stone-walled.

Instead, as a customer, I would prefer a response such as "good point, I'm sure there's something we can do to make this work... etc".

With highest respect,
Mark