Hey all...
I've been looking around for, and cannot seem to find, a simple PHP or Perl based application with a MySQL backend for handling online registration.

Has anyone ran into such a package, 'specially something Open Source (I'm planning on doing some integration between it and my forums system I've got)?

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Edit: OK, I realized after hitting submit, that was a bit vague.

What I'm looking for is something to handle activation of registered software. Right now, I use RegSoft for customer purchases, and they email me with new purchases. From there, I'd like to be able to send the user a registration key, and they type it in, and it submits to the online database. There, it can accept or decline the registration key for various reasons (IE - someone else registered with that key, for instance). Later, if they have lost thier software due to reformatting the machine, etc., it would also be convenient for them to be able to log in, snag thier registration key, and redownload thier software.

Hopefully that's a little less vague ;-)

I would custom script this myself. You arnt going to find a system to meet your needs. There are lots of php tutorials on database interaction, and I dont think this one sounds to hard to impliment.

Implementing the PHP scripts and database schema really isn't too much of a problem - was just wonderin' if there was somethin' pre-developed. If it's done and debugged, and all I gotta do is adopt some stuff here and there to make it work, then it's a shorter dev time and possibly more stable right off the bat :-)

Originally posted by Nick Bischoff
I would custom script this myself. You arnt going to find a system to meet your needs. There are lots of php tutorials on database interaction, and I dont think this one sounds to hard to impliment.

sure, but it will be even easier to convert/tweak an existing one to our needs.

I'm looking for one too, even if its just for learning from.

How do you plan to verify if the person using the code is the proper person?

If it is simply by Name + Key, that would defeat the purpose of an online reg system.
If after registering the game, the code was deactivated so no one else could use it, how would they reactivate it if they had to reinstall their OS?

Alex

Originally posted by Sirrus
How do you plan to verify if the person using the code is the proper person?

If it is simply by Name + Key, that would defeat the purpose of an online reg system.
If after registering the game, the code was deactivated so no one else could use it, how would they reactivate it if they had to reinstall their OS?

Alex

what about using email?
people rarly change email addresses, so you say that the key can only be sent to that email address.

Using email to retrieve a new code if something happens to their computer?
What would prevent them from requesting a new code for every one of their friends?

After a code is used, it has to be disabled so no one can use it (the whole point of online reg systems). So then they can get back into their account and request a new code (pretending their box crashed) and do this countless times.

Perhaps a better (but more complex) solution would be to work the code in with hardwired codes that are specific to one computer.

Hmmm...

Alex

Originally posted by Sirrus

Perhaps a better (but more complex) solution would be to work the code in with hardwired codes that are specific to one computer.


Pffff, how Microsoft. :) I would avoid this as it will mean additional work for yourself in the way of managing users who change hardware etc.

Personally, I have 3 hard drives that have all changed in the last 2 years, what I am getting at is that hardware is very dynamic (especially these days) and you might be setting yourself up for more trouble that its worth.

Originally posted by Sirrus
Using email to retrieve a new code if something happens to their computer?

if something happends to their computer, they wont try to install the game unless it is fixed, wont they?

Originally posted by Sirrus
What would prevent them from requesting a new code for every one of their friends?

After a code is used, it has to be disabled so no one can use it (the whole point of online reg systems). So then they can get back into their account and request a new code (pretending their box crashed) and do this countless times.

1. this prevents mass copying of code, since one person may copy it to a number of people, but those who get the game from others, need to get in tuch with the original man, which will become really tierd from the efforts of spreading the game.
2. Once the code is requested, it will be noted in the database that the user got a code in the certain date. Then you can prevent him from getting a new on after less than a month/2 or limit his request for 5 new codes.