regnow/softwarepassport

[george]

I know there was some limited discussion about this before, but the info on the regnow website is a bit unclear, is it correct that RegNow gives its members free copies of SoftwarePassport? Is this the Basic or Pro version? What are the restrictions/limitations?

Thanks!

[revve]

I read somewhere that they give you the pro edition, but with a special system for generating keys that only their system can generate (basically, they lock you into their own solution, which I believe is enforced in their EULA as well).

[george]

I read somewhere that they give you the pro edition, but with a special system for generating keys that only their system can generate (basically, they lock you into their own solution, which I believe is enforced in their EULA as well).

Thanks! So you are saying the "key generator" feature inside the software is disabled, and i would only be able to distribute serial keys by having it generated by regnow via a customer order? I would need to use SoftwarePassport for both my trial version (to create a time limit), and for my full version (to create nameless serial keys (like cdkeys) )...

Does anyone have any more information (obviouslly, especially those who are actually using RegNow and have access to the free SoftwarePassport)?

Thanks!

[revve]

Sorry for being a bit vague in my last post. I don't use regnow for anything myself, I'm just repeating what I read on other forums. Hopefully somebody that uses regnow will respond with a more definate answer.

It pretty much looks like with the regnow edition, you can manually create keys using the armadillo/softwarepassport interface, you simply cannot use the DLL to automatically create keys in any way, like you can do with standard keys. I think except for this, you pretty much have the entire armadillo with the full feature set.

[george]

Thanks for the info. Anyone else have any more info? I emailed RegNow but of course I haven't received a response yet (if I will ever).

Thanks!

[Phil Steinmeyer]

I sent an e-mail to regnow about this about a week ago, and got this response from Jim Bakken there. Unless I misunderstood his answer or he's wrong, then no, it is not included.

>>My question<<
1) Is Software Passport included free if I use your service? Pro or Standard version? Is that version keyed in some way to only work with regnow, or can I also use it for private key generation (i.e. for beta testers, etc.)

>>His answer<<
Software Passport is a stand alone product that you can purchase at www.siliconrealms.com. It is integrated and will work with RegNow, however you can use it for private key generation as well.

[george]

I sent an e-mail to regnow about this about a week ago, and got this response from Jim Bakken there. Unless I misunderstood his answer or he's wrong, then no, it is not included.

>>My question<<
1) Is Software Passport included free if I use your service? Pro or Standard version? Is that version keyed in some way to only work with regnow, or can I also use it for private key generation (i.e. for beta testers, etc.)

>>His answer<<
Software Passport is a stand alone product that you can purchase at www.siliconrealms.com. It is integrated and will work with RegNow, however you can use it for private key generation as well.

wow ok there is some real confusion here... some people say it's free, others say not. see this post http://forums.indiegamer.com/showpost.php?p=54874&postcount=2 - Sybixsus is claiming it is free, and the RegNow website is alluding to it also...

As for your email from RegNow, he SHOULD be right, but I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't know what he's talking about, after all there have been lots of changes at RegNow/DR and it's a pretty big operation so... - i've witnessed this from my wireless company, they upgraded one of their plans to include more minutes but for the same price, when i called them to upgrade my plan, the customer service agent was unaware of the new plan, and i had to keep talking to them until they finally checked it out, and saw i was right...

OK RegNow users, can you please shed some light???

:confused:

Thanks!

[george]

no replies yet? please, surely there are many regnow users on this board whom can confirm the facts for us...

thanks!

[Diodor Bitan]

AFAIK (it's been a long time since I've been looking into the DR concept)

You get a free SoftwarePassport version that can wrap your application so that it works with the DR network. Then you upload that to RegNow and they distribute it for you, and the fee is 55% for each sale (it's an affiliation scheme).

This means the free SoftwarePassport you get is useless for your other sales and you must buy the registered SP if you want to use it there.

[Sybixsus]

I sent an e-mail to regnow about this about a week ago, and got this response from Jim Bakken there. Unless I misunderstood his answer or he's wrong, then no, it is not included.

Reading the answer you got, I can't say you misunderstood. Clearly Jim Bakken knows nothing about his own service though, because this is the second of the answers he gave you which are flat wrong.

I signed up with RegNow a few months ago and never bothered downloading my free copy of Software Passport (because I have a licensed copy of Pro already.) Very recently, I applied for a free key for it, and received it. I also received a download link for Software Passport. It's definitely included for free.

Like Diodor says, it's just limited to generating keys for the Digital River Network, so you can't use it in conjunction with Plimus or BMT ( at least not until DR eats them up too ;o) )

[Diodor Bitan]

Like Diodor says, it's just limited to generating keys for the Digital River Network, so you can't use it in conjunction with Plimus or BMT ( at least not until DR eats them up too ;o) )

Not even in conjunction with Regnow usual sales (non affiliated or through the regular style affiliation system).

[george]

OK just to clarify things...

1) You get a free copy
2) It is compatible only with RegNow-generated serial keys
3) You must setup a special commission rate/account to sell your product using this free copy of SP

OK #2 is fine, because I don't mind using RegNow only (for now at least), and this limitation is understandable and expected.

But #3 is pretty lame, are you guys SURE this is true? So they are kind of creating a new brance of the RegNow service, sort of like the Download.com/Protexis thing (secured software distribution and sales)?

The reason is because I am debating whether to spend the $150-$300 to buy SP or to simply sign up for RegNow and get it for free (beacuse I don't have much money to spare right now).

Thanks!

[Diodor Bitan]

OK just to clarify things...

1) You get a free copy
2) It is compatible only with RegNow-generated serial keys
3) You must setup a special commission rate/account to sell your product using this free copy of SP

OK #2 is fine, because I don't mind using RegNow only (for now at least), and this limitation is understandable and expected.

But #3 is pretty lame, are you guys SURE this is true? So they are kind of creating a new brance of the RegNow service, sort of like the Download.com/Protexis thing (secured software distribution and sales)?

The reason is because I am debating whether to spend the $150-$300 to buy SP or to simply sign up for RegNow and get it for free (beacuse I don't have much money to spare right now).

Thanks!

All I can say is I was sure enough to buy my own Softwarepassport copy (it was called Armadillo at the time), months after the DR Network was launched. The DR Network Softwarepassport is exclusively used for their (IMHO minor) distribution channel. You aren't supposed to use it anywhere else.

I would be very surprised if any of this has changed.

[stanchat]

I use the free copy and it only works within their network. If you try to buy from outside their network it will say that it is a TEST ORDER

Here is the link to one of my wrapped games to see how it works

Download Game (http://drh.digitalriver.com/servlet/DownloadServlet?productID=35822900&locale=en_US&affiliateID=drntest&productVersion=1)

Install and Click the Buy Now button. I have tried to change the affiliateID in the URL to my own affiliateID click the Buy Button but it just ignores it.

It only can be used on their system and also it does not have the 60 minutes option available.

[george]

screw that :D forget regnow! ok well on a related note, i found a promising alternative to SP (and the others) called SerialShield, check out the thread here http://forums.indiegamer.com/showthread.php?p=57789#post57789

Thanks everyone for all your help

[stanchat]

To be honest I think Armadillo Pro is overpriced at $299. I do wish the e-commerce companies offered it for free granted you use their payment system.

An alternate solution for me would be if some of the Video Game Marketing compaines around here would offer it as a service for say $29.00 per wrapped up executable. That is you send them your exe and they create a wrapped up exe per your specs. I do not know what the license requirements are for doing this with Armadillo would be though.

This would work for me on two levels. First you get any knowledge the Video Game Marketing company has gained for trial marketing and designing effective nag sxcreens. Second it saves you some time.


Just my thoughts..

[terin]

Hey Stan,

I'd love to offer a service like that but I have no knowledge of the programming wrapping an EXE would require, not to mention the time it would take. At the price of 29.00 it would have to be CERTAIN to take me less than 1 hr of work to boot.

If this is even allowed via the Armadillo lisence (which I am pretty sure it isn't) sounds more like a service that would cost at least 75-100 dollars, if not more. It isn't just the time it takes us (and the money from not having to purchase it), it is also the time you save... so point stands though: I don't know of anyone who does marketing and has the skills / time to do that let alone if it is a violation of their TOS.

-Joe

[stanchat]

Hey Stan,

I'd love to offer a service like that but I have no knowledge of the programming wrapping an EXE would require, not to mention the time it would take. At the price of 29.00 it would have to be CERTAIN to take me less than 1 hr of work to boot.
-Joe

When I was thinking about this I guess in a sense you could use it as part of your press-release service. More and more VG marketers are getting away from submitting software to download sites because it is a time consuming process. To replace this I was suggesting offering the Trial EXE as an additional incentive. More and more Indie's are requesting the need for a professionally made Trial EXE with timed options. I have used the trial and the FREE version of Softwarepassport and it should take less then an hour to make a good Trial EXE. In terms of license I wonder if it is any different then using PromoSoft or Shareware Tracker to submit for other people.

If the $29.00 is off base, I think adding it as an incentive to the normal press-release might make an attractive incentive for many Indie users.

You can download a trial copy of SoftwarePassport (http://www.digitalriver.com/v2.0-img/operations/srealms/site/spassport01.html) and play with it yourself.