License explanation

Contents

• The bottom line: example scenarios
• How the license file works
• The basic license terms

The bottom line: example scenarios

Our components can be used in a lot of different ways. Use the examples below to help determine the license you need for your particular application.

• Organizations creating their own web or intranet sites
  You will simply need a license for every processor in the server, plus a license for your test server if you have one. If you have a single-processor production server and a single-processor test server, for instance, you can get the 2-processor license.

• Companies developing commercial Windows software
  You will need to license every processor on which the software is developed using the components. If you have 2 developers working on single-processor workstations, you can get the 2-processor license. You can distribute the components royalty-free with your software provided that you use the runtime key and not the license file itself--you cannot distribute the license file.

• Web hosting companies or ISPs providing the components for customer use
  The license normally prohibits placing a license file on a shared server or network where unlicensed parties can use it. If you want to install the components on your servers for use by your customers, you have three options:

1. Purchase an enterprise license. This allows use on an unlimited number of servers by an unlimited number of customers.
2. Have each customer purchase their own license
3. Purchase a license for each customer on their behalf

• Web design firms creating sites for customers
  This situation works much the same as creating your own web site (see above), except you must do one of the following:

1. Purchase the license on behalf of the customer
2. Get the customer to purchase the license

• Company developing internal Windows software
  You can simply license the development processors (as with commercial Windows software above) and create runtime versions of your software for royalty-free distribution to your employees. You must not place the license file on the network or a shared server in such a way that unlicensed processors can use it.

How the license file works

When you purchase a license for a component, you receive a license file (with a ".lic" extension) that you should place in the same directory as the component. The license file works as most license files do--it disables the evaluation expiration and unlocks the component for design time use. You can then use the component for developing Windows software, web sites, or whatever you can think of.

If you want to distribute the components with your own software, you can ask the component--in the presence of the license file--for a special key, which you then embed into your program. The key enables runtime use of the components without the license file. (This is the standard IClassFactory2 licensing mechanism. Some tools, such as Visual Basic, handle this mechanism automatically.)

The license file also acts as a supplement to the license agreement, specifying the name of the licensee, the number of licensed processors, and so on. You can see this information by viewing the license file in a text editor or word processor. The licensing properties of the components will also return this information in the presence of a license file.

The basic license terms

Here are the terms of the license in broad strokes:

• Licenses allow you to execute the components with the license file on a certain number of processors.

• Generally, the license is given only to you and is not transferable to another party. If you wish to allow your customers to use the components while they are installed on your server, you can purchase a site or enterprise license that permits you to do so. If you want to pass the license on to someone else, please contact Hexillion.

• You can make copies of the license file up to the licensed number of processors, plus one for backup. You may never distribute your license file, however, and you must not place it on a shared server or network in such a way that it allows unlicensed use.

• You can distribute the components with your software royalty-free as long as you use the runtime key and do not provide a way for your customers to use the components for further software development (by making wrapper components, for example).

With these basics in mind, please read the license agreement itself before purchasing a license.

Do you still have questions about licensing? Do you have a need that is not covered? If so, please contact us.