Are the programmer�s comments stripped out when the project is compiled?

[FartNocker]

I am almost ready to distribute my program and I am looking for final thoughts as this is my first to release.

 

**Are the programmer�s comments stripped out when the project is compiled?

 

**Should I use the Dotfuscator on it?

 

**Currently the �ProgramFileName.config� file is copied to the users machine, is this normal?

 

**My shareware program is partially disabled, but enabled fully when the user enters a serial number which is compared to the same number hard coded into the program. Is this a bad way to protect it? Or is there a better way. I can get the processor serial number but the user would have to relay this to me and I would in turn have to send him a key, which would work out a formula based on the two numbers. What do you guys suggest? I don�t want to get into a big debate over �It will be hacked anyway if someone wants it bad enough� type of thing. Like

this thread did...

But I would like to encourage some users to pay for it. 10% registration would be nice for me.

 

Any other suggestions would be appreciated by me and many others that read this thread.

 

Best Regards,

Mark

[PlausiblyDamp]

Comment's are stripped out on any kind of build. If you do a build in Release mode then debug info is also stripped and the compiler will perform optimisations on the produced code as well.

 

As for the Dotfuscator I personally don't see a lot of benefit - is your code (or most peoples code even) that special and fantastic somebody will want to decompile it?

 

It is normal for the config file to be deployed as well - this allows for some control over the execution of the program depending on what values you are storing in there.

 

Rather than storing the serial number in the app you may want to store a hash of the number and when the user enters the serial to unlock it hash that and compare hashes. (Have a look under System.Security.Cryptography for classes to do the Hash - MD5 or one of the SHA classes should be suitable).

Edited February 26, 2007 by PlausiblyDamp

[FartNocker]

It�s good that the comments are removed�

 

I thought that the Dotfuscator actually reduced the size of the program as a benefit. Not to mention that it kept the source files from being revealed.

 

About the .config file� I didn�t create, it VS did. See it below�

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
<appSettings>	 
	<!--   User application and configured property settings go here.-->
	<!--   Example: <add key="settingName" value="settingValue"/> -->
	<add key="LinkLabel1.CausesValidation" value="True" />
	<add key="MenuItem8.Visible" value="True" />
	<add key="MenuItem4.Visible" value="True" />
	<add key="MenuItem3.Enabled" value="True" />
	<add key="MenuItem3.Text" value="&Exit" />
	<add key="MenuItem3.Visible" value="True" />
</appSettings>
</configuration>

although, I might have put in the part about �jitDebugging="true"� but I can�t remember.

Do these menu keys really need to be there? Should I remove the �jitDebugging="true" before deployment?

 

Now about the serial number and the Dotfuscator. I am not really as worried about the decompilation of the program as I am the serial number being visible. I think that I read where the pro version of Dotfuscator was needed to hide/encrypt text strings. So the version that came with .NET 2003 won�t benefit me in that regard.

 

Thanks for the tip about Hash. I have never heard of it but I will look it up.

 

One thing that I did think about doing was to break the hard coded serial number up into chunks and spread them out within the program. Then during the registration process, the program could look up all the pieces and put them together again. Sort of a (humpty dumpty) type of thing. LOL

 

 

Hope to hear more input on this subject from others as well

 

Thanks for your suggestions and thoughts PlausiblyDamp

 

Mark

 

===============

 

Also, does anyone have a good list of freeware/shareware sites where I can place my program up for download.

 

The ones I know about are, HotFiles.com & DownLoad.com

 

Mark

Edited January 16, 2004 by FartNocker

[FartNocker]

This is the dead zone