I just purchased the full version of swordfish. I like the compiler but I think the dongle security measure is L A M E!! I feel like I have gone back in time to the days of floppies. When you had to have the disk in to run the program. Super LAME!!
I won't will be recommending this compiler, because of the dongle. Seriously, did they have to go through all this trouble to protect an obscure compiler?
Lame Dongle
Moderators: David Barker, Jerry Messina
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Jon Chandler
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I hate copy protection schemes. On the other hand, I realize that sales of Swordfish are necessary to further its development and support. If there is no income from sales, David has no incentive to do any more.
I use an awesome shareware program for digitizing auto. I paid the support fee and have gotten a lot of use from the program. Unfortunately, too many people were happy to use it for free. The developer finally had enough and pulled all his software from the web. Now, you can't even find a link to help files, add-ons or the forum that addressed common problems and advanced techniques.
With a program that supports a relatively small group of users, piracy can be the death of it. IF Swordfish didn't use a protection scheme, it would be all over the web and development would cease.
Jon
I use an awesome shareware program for digitizing auto. I paid the support fee and have gotten a lot of use from the program. Unfortunately, too many people were happy to use it for free. The developer finally had enough and pulled all his software from the web. Now, you can't even find a link to help files, add-ons or the forum that addressed common problems and advanced techniques.
With a program that supports a relatively small group of users, piracy can be the death of it. IF Swordfish didn't use a protection scheme, it would be all over the web and development would cease.
Jon
Sure security dongles take a little getting use to if you work in a multi PC environment, though a small price to pay for what is arguably the best compiler on the market. Don't forget, a dual license is $199 (comes with 2 security dongles) - still cheaper then single licenses from most other competitors.
Kudos to David for implementing the hardware protection as it looks to have put a serious curve on piracy.
Kudos to David for implementing the hardware protection as it looks to have put a serious curve on piracy.
digital-diy.com - Hobby microcontroller projects and tutorials. Assembly, PICBasic and C examples.
Australian distributor for the Swordfish Compiler
Australian distributor for the Swordfish Compiler
I'll "second" all that.
Whilst breaking/copying/cloning anything isn't impossible it makes it trickier.
I fully support the author(s) getting the income deserved for all the hard work, sweat and tears that go into a product.
Perhaps we are all getting a bit 'spoilt' by all the freebies (good and bad) kicking around.
Anyway, even with all my inexperience, I think the SF compiler and it's overall concept is the best I've ever used. I've used several, none are 100% perfect, but SF has a structure that I really like now.
(I think a few more example in the Help would be useful... that's my only gripe).
So, no, I am not going to criticise a dongle.
Give it a chance king snake, you've only been using it for 5 minutes. It sounds like you're not happy and determined to have a pop
Whilst breaking/copying/cloning anything isn't impossible it makes it trickier.
I fully support the author(s) getting the income deserved for all the hard work, sweat and tears that go into a product.
Perhaps we are all getting a bit 'spoilt' by all the freebies (good and bad) kicking around.
Anyway, even with all my inexperience, I think the SF compiler and it's overall concept is the best I've ever used. I've used several, none are 100% perfect, but SF has a structure that I really like now.
(I think a few more example in the Help would be useful... that's my only gripe).
So, no, I am not going to criticise a dongle.
Give it a chance king snake, you've only been using it for 5 minutes. It sounds like you're not happy and determined to have a pop
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king snake
- Posts: 8
- Joined: Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:12 pm
Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the program and like using it very much. I have written over 10,000 lines with the SE version and liked it so much I decided to buy the full version.
I have no problem with the designer to get paid for his work. I just wish another security method would have been used.
BTW: I'm not a script kiddie, just a university student annoyed with the dongle.
I have no problem with the designer to get paid for his work. I just wish another security method would have been used.
BTW: I'm not a script kiddie, just a university student annoyed with the dongle.
If it didn't work i could see reason.
But the fact it is dongle protected is a bonus to my eyes , you can install on any machines you like and switch between just by moving the dongle.
All other methods exclusively tie to serials of HD/CPU nic mac addresses ect so only work on one machine.
You simply will not find a PC without plenty of USB ports these days so again where is the issue.
Each root controller can support 255 devices , most PC's have at least 4 root controllers that's a theoretical 1020 ports. Put the SF installer on a pen drive and a pickit2 and you can literally carry your dev environment on a keyring anywhere in the world.
I see no negatives.
But the fact it is dongle protected is a bonus to my eyes , you can install on any machines you like and switch between just by moving the dongle.
All other methods exclusively tie to serials of HD/CPU nic mac addresses ect so only work on one machine.
You simply will not find a PC without plenty of USB ports these days so again where is the issue.
Each root controller can support 255 devices , most PC's have at least 4 root controllers that's a theoretical 1020 ports. Put the SF installer on a pen drive and a pickit2 and you can literally carry your dev environment on a keyring anywhere in the world.
I see no negatives.
If you can read this you are too close
I personally don't find the dongle that much of an inconvenience. I have a dongle on my work machine and a dongle that I keep with my laptop that I take home as a disaster backup. The 2 license version is still cheaper than many competing products.
Davids investment in SF should be protected, and although the dongle is not a perfect solution, I find it tends to be a better method of protection than some of the more insidious copy protection methods out there (*cough starforce*), which throw wobblers about useful software that may have nefarious uses such as demon tools and decompliers, and muck around with drivers. It's my computer dammit and I choose what to run, not you!
I am pleased that there is a small barrier to entry too, as some other compilers forums seem to be swamped with morons who have downloaded cracked copies and are just asking the same moronic questions each time.
The demo version seems to be a nice enough little incentive for people who are actually interested in the environment to learn and perhaps to progress.
edit: Plus what Raistlin said above about installing on multiple machines and not locked to a NIC or other item.
Nathan
Davids investment in SF should be protected, and although the dongle is not a perfect solution, I find it tends to be a better method of protection than some of the more insidious copy protection methods out there (*cough starforce*), which throw wobblers about useful software that may have nefarious uses such as demon tools and decompliers, and muck around with drivers. It's my computer dammit and I choose what to run, not you!
I am pleased that there is a small barrier to entry too, as some other compilers forums seem to be swamped with morons who have downloaded cracked copies and are just asking the same moronic questions each time.
The demo version seems to be a nice enough little incentive for people who are actually interested in the environment to learn and perhaps to progress.
edit: Plus what Raistlin said above about installing on multiple machines and not locked to a NIC or other item.
Nathan
Stealing Code Bad.
So Dongle Good.
Can I simplify this for anyone who didn't understand the statements above?
I have a couple copies of SF now, and since we buy the dual-dongle version, we always have a spare. SF is installed on numerous machines that we use depending on where we are and what we're doing, so we just plug in the dongle and go!
Once you get used to it, it's fine. Seems like any software over $10,000 a seat has a dongle anyway. Feel privileged to use one
.
73's,
de Tom
So Dongle Good.
Can I simplify this for anyone who didn't understand the statements above?
I have a couple copies of SF now, and since we buy the dual-dongle version, we always have a spare. SF is installed on numerous machines that we use depending on where we are and what we're doing, so we just plug in the dongle and go!
Once you get used to it, it's fine. Seems like any software over $10,000 a seat has a dongle anyway. Feel privileged to use one
.73's,
de Tom
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free_electron
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2009 8:31 am
- Location: San Jose CA
doesnt bother
that dongle doesn't bother me. sits in the back of the machine together with some other dongles.
Besides that empty dongle also costs like 20$ ...
I simply bought the 2 dongle version. It's only 199 dollar for something i will use frequently.
Compared to some of other tools i use daily that is nothing....
Besides that empty dongle also costs like 20$ ...
I simply bought the 2 dongle version. It's only 199 dollar for something i will use frequently.
Compared to some of other tools i use daily that is nothing....