Thread: Convert VBA to DLL

I'd be interested in both of your assessments. I've never heard anything great about similar programs.

I saw one interesting program to scrample formulas and only unscrambles them using an XLL. No protection was offered to opening files or vba and the price tag was pretty high for just scrambling formulas. I have yet to take a look at a working copy of LockXLS because their demo files are not locked and so I might be missing something.

RS, I don't disagree that I don't mingle regularly with developers, but from what I have seen, read, etc. intellectual property is the true value behind any new innovation. I guess most developers work for companies that then use or sell their products and so they are paid upfront, but it's the companies that then have everything to lose if they can't sell the product because there are knock-off versions floating around for free or little cost. This is the same problem in many industries (e.g. cinema, computer software and hardware, etc.). All I'm saying is that it surprises me that not more is done to secure individual works from theft, tampering, etc. in light of the fact that some are being sold for good profit.

Maybe I am wrong, and I will be the first to admit it, but the whole argument of moving ahead without securing what has already been accomplished doesn't sound very logical to me.

My 5cents.

abousetta

If you think about it logically, most Excel add-ins that would be sold are probably being used in corporate environments, and most corporate IT departments will not allow unlicensed products (due to the penalties they can incur). Additionally, the majority of other users I suspect will not install illicit copies of such programs, not least for fear of viruses/trojans and the like being buried within them. Also, you won't get any support if you have problems with it. For those, and probably other, reasons a fair number of developers don't feel the need to bother with protection - and clearly it's not hurting them too badly, or they would do something about it!

Fair enough. I guess in the vba world, IP theft is not that big of a problem as compared with more sophisticated products (like operating systems, advanced software, etc.). I work in academic research and in this field IP theft is too common and so trade secrets, experiemental designs, etc. are closely guarded until published, patents approved, or other means of protection is provided. Even if someone was to find a way into another person's files, steal their work, and plagarise it as their own, it is very difficult to prove foul play; much less get any credit back. Maybe that's why I am so keen on making sure everything is as secure as can be.