Introducing InterLok Pro, Powerful New Toolset for Creating Trialware and
Locked Applications
Next-Generation System from PACE Anti-Piracy Provides “Registration
Insurance” for Internet Distribution of Software
SAN JOSE, CA — PACE Anti-Piracy, the leading developer of software
authorization and protection systems for MacOS, is now shipping InterLok
Professional Version, the comprehensive toolset for the creation and remote
unlocking of trialware and protected software. InterLok Pro completes the
transition of PACE’s products to the company’s fourth-generation
technology, and joins InterLok Standard Version, the one-step turnkey
trialware creation toolkit introduced in January of this year. The two
products are fully technology-compatible, and all features of InterLok
Standard Version are supported in InterLok Pro, along with an impressive
list of more sophisticated capabilities, making InterLok Pro a complete
software authorization, protection, and anti-piracy solution.
“InterLok Pro rounds out the top of PACE’s product line, and makes it
possible for Macintosh developers to provide their customers with more
flexibility and choices, while gaining greater control of the marketing of
their products with secure Internet distribution and remote feature
control,” said Allen Cronce, President of PACE Anti-Piracy. “Developers now
have a single-system source for a wide range of software authorization
options, from turnkey creation of trialware, to programming of feature
control and custom protection, to creation of key diskettes.”
InterLok Usage Scenarios
* Trialware: With a single click, a developer applies InterLok’s
“trialware envelope” to an application, and can immediately post the
product on the Internet. Prospective buyers download the package and can
evaluate it for the amount of time or number of launches the developer has
specified. When the product is purchased, the developer uses InterLok to
provide a key that removes the demonstration limitations and optionally
locks the product to a specific machine.
* Web site integration: A developer uses InterLok to incorporate a
registration dialog with a button that, when clicked, launches the
customer’s web browser and takes them to the developer’s web site to
complete an electronic purchase and/or registration. Once complete, other
tools in the InterLok package can be used to integrate InterLok components
with web pages that can automatically dispense unlocking keys to authorized
customers.
* Remote Feature Control: A product with various sets of features or
modules can be configured with InterLok to allow those features to be sold
separately and remotely enabled or disabled. For example, an accounting
program might include accounts receivable, payroll, and inventory
components. Using InterLok Pro’s encrypted, key-controlled token storage
mechanism, a customer can be issued a simple key that will activate
newly-purchased components in the software they have already installed and
are using.
* Database Locking. Software developers are not the only ones who can
benefit from InterLok Pro. Researchers who spend considerable time and
money preparing a database containing specialized or proprietary
information can encrypt and bind the database to a specific copy of the
database engine. This allows database distribution to be completely
controlled, and prevents anyone with just a standard copy of the database
“runtime” system from accessing and using the data.
Advantages of the InterLok System
The InterLok system offers the highest level of security for the
authorization and protection of software products, while also providing the
most user-friendly system. Because the security mechanisms are
software-based, users of InterLok-secured software don’t have to wrestle
with hardware keys or “dongles”; a developer can achieve the same
“hardware-protected” type of security by means of an InterLok “key
diskette” that is easy for users to understand and use. InterLok
incorporates unique characteristics of the user’s system in the creation of
an “electronic fingerprint” that can be utilized as the software lockpoint.
And because software developers have different requirements for the
authorization and protection of their products, PACE has designed the
InterLok system to cover a broad spectrum of capabilities and options.
Using the InterLok system, a developer can configure a software package to
be unlocked with a serial number, a machine-unique “challenge-response”
password, a key diskette, or any combination of these. Demonstration
versions can be created from full-featured applications, with the
demonstration limited by time, number of program launches, and/or the
disabling of selected features. At the end of the demonstration cycle,
InterLok can be configured to prevent the application from running and
display a developer-defined message, or to transition the application to
“nagware” that reminds the user that the software needs to be authorized.
When the customer is ready to purchase, the demo version can be authorized
remotely with a software key. In addition, selected features can be
unlocked using different keys, so that a developer can sell progressive
feature enhancements as the user requires them without requiring the
installation of new software.
The InterLok system also creates new opportunities for participants in
electronic software distribution (ESD) channels. Because InterLok can
create full-featured, time-limited demos that can be remotely unlocked, and
can apply these locking features to finished applications in a turnkey
fashion (i.e. without programming), it enables secure electronic software
delivery at any level within the distribution chain. In this way, a
software developer can give a distribution partner more latitude in the
promotion and delivery of software products.
The InterLok system replaces the previous-generation PACE III/MacEncrypt
product family, and is based on a sophisticated suite of software
authorization, protection, and anti-piracy technologies built up over more
than twelve years of proven operation. PACE Anti-Piracy is the technology
leader in software protection and authorization systems for Macintosh.
Product Pricing and Availability
The InterLok Software Authorization System is available immediately.
Customers purchase an annual license, with pricing based on which InterLok
toolset is licensed (Standard or Professional) and the number of copies of
software locked. The InterLok Standard annual license fee ranges from
US$499 for 3,000 copies (about 17 cents per copy) up to US$2,799 for 60,000
copies (less than 5 cents per copy). InterLok Pro annual license fee
starts at US$899 for 3,000 copies (about 30 cents per copy) up to US$5,499
for 60,000 copies (about 9 cents per copy). Larger volume licenses can be
tailored to a customer’s requirements. Evaluation kits are available, at
US$99 for InterLok Standard Version, and US$149 for InterLok Pro. Either
evaluation kit purchase price is applicable to the first order.
Complete information about the InterLok Software Authorization System can
be found on PACE’s web site (http://www.paceap.com).
PACE products can be ordered online from our web page, via e-mail at
InterLok@paceap.com, via phone at 408-297-7444, or via fax at 408-297-7441.
PACE Anti-Piracy creates systems and tools for computer software protection
and authorization. The company’s headquarters are at 1082 Glen Echo Ave.,
San Jose, California 95125. PACE’s home page on the World Wide Web is at:
(http://www.paceap.com)
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1997 PACE Anti-Piracy. InterLok and MacEncrypt are trademarks of PACE
Anti-Piracy. Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks, and MacOS is a
trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. All other brand names mentioned are
registered trademarks or trademarks of their respective holders, and are
hereby acknowledged.
Contact:
Allen Cronce
PACE Anti-Piracy
408-297-7444
e-mail: InterLok@paceap.com