Pandora's Box

We are a company that uses old software to run hardware we sell, written by a programmer that is now dead. It is unfeasible at this time to commission entirely new software to be written to run our hardware. We need to continue selling this software to our clients but require a means to prevent them from illegally copying the software once they have it. Our idea is a software archiving/compression package that will archive our software's installtion files and ONLY RUN THE SETUP program from within this compression program after the insertion of an activation code given by us. This code should work only once per installation and change each time the program is run. In other words, the client must be able to install our software but NOT HAVE ACCESS to the actual installation files. This will prevent illegal copying and installation of our software without an activation code. We do not have access to the source files for our software as the programmer took them to the grave with him and we need a short term solution while we commission new software to be written. Perhaps something like a Winzip program where the files run only from within the archive and cannot actually be uncompressed to allow for copying of these files. We will also require a program that will decode and provide the "Activation codes" according to reference codes provided by the "installer" software so that we can enter these reference codes on our side and be able to provide customers with activation codes. Any help will be appreciated. ## Deliverables 1) Complete and fully-functional working program(s) in executable form as well as complete source code of all work done. 2) Deliverables must be in ready-to-run condition, as follows (depending on the nature of the deliverables): a) For web sites or other server-side deliverables intended to only ever exist in one place in the Buyer's environment--Deliverables must be installed by the Seller in ready-to-run condition in the Buyer's environment. b) For all others including desktop software or software the buyer intends to distribute: A software installation package that will install the software in ready-to-run condition on the platform(s) specified in this bid request. 3) All deliverables will be considered "work made for hire" under U.S. Copyright law. Buyer will receive exclusive and complete copyrights to all work purchased. (No GPL, GNU, 3rd party components, etc. unless all copyright ramifications are explained AND AGREED TO by the buyer on the site per the coder's Seller Legal Agreement). ## Platform Windows 98/2000/XP (Vista if possible)