---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Florida SunFlash Elan License Manager (TM) Release 1.4 SunFLASH Vol 32 #4 August 1991 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a non-Sun announcement from marcia@elan.com (Marcia Alarcon). This month I will be posting 10 or 11 third party articles as separate articles instead of a couple of third party articles with multiple announcements (digests). I would like to hear if (a) you think that Sun-related articles are of value and (b) if they are better included as separate articles or digests. -johnj ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Elan License Manager (TM) Release 1.4 for UNIX(TM) Software Licensing Mountain View, California -- July 24, 1991--Elan Computer Group, one of the pioneers in floating license software for UNIX-based software, has announced the availability of a new release of their Elan License Manager. Release 1.4 offers additional functionality important to customers, including shorter key lengths, (as short as 11 characters), easier installation, and the ability to nodelock certain licenses to individual CPUs. In addition, there are several new features that are sure to make supporting this licensing program easier for individual developers. "As a new user of Elan License Manager 1.4, our decision to go with the product was based, in part, by the new features, such as the shorter key lengths and the elimination of characters easily confused with each other, such as the number `1' and the lower case `l'," said Ms. Marilyn Cramer, Workstation Manager at Mapping Information Systems Corporation, of Troy, New York. Elan License Manager provides UNIX software developers with a mechanism for safeguarding their software from piracy. In addition, Elan License Manager implements a floating license manager to greatly simplify the purchase and sales of software licenses to end users on networks. The mechanisms of Elan License Manager protection are unique, and distinct from MS-DOS(TM) forms of copy protection. The copy protection Elan has developed, which Elan has named CopyGuard(TM) is implemented via a license manager on the network, and authorizes and validates license tokens. Once installed, the manager is completely transparent to the end user. The user need not enter any codes or insert special media copies to execute the application. The software is simply executed, and the manager takes care of validation. The Elan License Manager offers advantages for users and developers. The end user need only purchase licenses for the number of simultaneous users of an application, while developers are now guaranteed a fair return on their development and engineering costs. Both parties are thus relieved from complicated license agreements and subsequent auditing requirements. The concept of a floating license has become a major new development in the area of software sales. Customers purchase tokens or licenses for their network. A license is required for each invocation of a selected application and the license manager validates, issues and then returns the license tokens when the user is finished. Since these licenses are available to anyone on the network, and not fixed to particular workstations, the term floating license was coined. Binaries for all SUN platforms, as well as 40 other systems runing UNIX or VMS are available. Source code can also be purchased. To find out more about the Elan License Manager, contact Elan Computer Group, Inc. 888 Villa, 3rd Floor, Mountain View, CA 94041. Telephone 415-964-2200, FAX 415-964-8588. Media Contact: Tom Pencek, Director of Sales and Marketing ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ For information send mail to info-sunflash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Subscription requests should be sent to sunflash-request@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. Archives are on solar.nova.edu and paris.cs.miami.edu. All prices, availability, and other statements relating to Sun or third party products are valid in the U.S. only. Please contact your local Sales Representative for details of pricing and product availability in your region. Descriptions of, or references to products or publications within SunFlash does not imply an endorsement of that product or publication by Sun Microsystems. John McLaughlin, SunFlash editor, flash@sunvice.East.Sun.COM. (305) 776-7770.