Sell definitions

[jesper (Jesper Wallgren)]

My office sell grasshopper definitions to clients. At the moment we deliver a file and that’s it.

This means that the client pay a large amount to get the definition developed and then they do what ever they want with it. Now clients asks for subscriptions instead, meaning a smaller amount for the development and then a monthly payment for support and so on.

Is there a way to “protect” your definitions for a business model like this?

[AndersDeleuran]

@jesper

Is there a way to “protect” your definitions for a business model like this?

The consensus on this seem to land on selecting and issuing an appropriate license.

There are a few discussions here on Discourse regarding measures to protect Grasshopper code/defintitions, but there’s really very little one can do that a “hacker” won’t be able to get around. I my experience, the “best” approach to obfuscate code is to compile IronPython (i.e. GHPython), as this will decompile to complete gibberish. But again, I’m sure there are ways of making sense of this too.

[jesper (Jesper Wallgren)]

Thanks for the answer! We’re going to take a look at IronPython.

I think after a certain point where it become as hard to “hack” as to write the definition it doesn’t make sense to make it more secure anyhow.

[AndersDeleuran]

This thread covers some of the thoughts/options regarding code encryption:

How to encrypt my code?

Hello! I have been developing a plug-in for Rhino for the past 3 months or so in python script. After I finish it, I want to publish on a forum, but I don’t want other people to see my code. Is there any way to encrypt the code so that no one can see what I’ve coded? Thank you

I believe the new GHPython compile options implement the same .NET functionality that I linked to back then. So that might be a place to start.

Edit: And in turn, this thread:

Convert ghpython script to grasshopper component

IronPython assemblies are not that easy to decompile AFAIK. They rely on their reference runtime. They are binary files. That would be a great question for a new thread. There has been some discussion about this on the GH forum. Right now, the whole Rhino uses 2.7. Like many (most?) enterprises.

[DavidRutten]

The only way you can take control of something like this is by making a plug-in which (a) performs some crucial role in your file and (b) checks for valid licenses.

But even then an experienced programmer with dubious ethics can find ways to get around that.

I suspect the best return on investment \left(\frac{\text{income}}{\text{effort}}\right) is just having your customers sign a license agreement.

[jesper (Jesper Wallgren)]

Thanks David!

I think I will go for IronPython or even just a password protected cluster + some kind of signed agreement.

So far, I think the best protection has been making a great job and clients life easier. Then most of them are happy to pay.

[emilpoulsen]

Hi Jesper,
We’re working on a system/prototype that might be able to address this. It’s in pretty early stage, but shoot me an email at EPoulsen at ThorntonTomasetti dot com and we can tell you more about it.

Cheers