PHP Code Security / Keeping your code safe

[outline]

I am currently distributing common PHP files on the sites I build and would like to keep these files proprietary and more importantly, maintain their integrity for maintanance reasons.

The PHP Compiler is not out yet, so I can't compile them.[nbsp][nbsp]Does anyone know of any other solutions I might be able to do in order to keep my code safe & proprietary?

This is not a problem for those clients which I host their sites for, but it is a problem for clients who want to use their own server and I have to send the physical files to them.

Any help greatly appreciated, as always!

Thanks,
Paul
[This message has been edited by outline (edited 10-17-00@11:06 am)]

[Hunkorama417]

Have you heard what PHP Compiler will cost? $6,000.
------------------
Andrew
www.digi-FX.net (http://www.digi-FX.net)

[outline]

I have not heard any prices for Zend's Encoder.. Are there other PHP Code Compilers being developed??

[Stephen]

you can always write a code obfuscator.

this is a program that reads in all files within a distribution and then writes them all back out with the variables assigned random strings of letters. you distribute the gibberish version and keep the master files safely on your own disk.

the cons to doing this are the following:

(1) obfuscators are hard to write. you really have to fine-tune the program for each distribution (or distributable program).

(2) no-one likes receiving obfuscated code, because it looks like garbage and can't be modified (no wait, maybe that's a pro ;)[nbsp][nbsp])

the pros are:

(1) you have total control over what aspects of the program can be modified with ease (you can allow some parts to be "in the clear" to facilitate local maintenance).

(2) if you invest $50,000 of effort into the development of a distribution then you get to protect that work to some extent. for instance, how many variants of the UBB are there on the market now? plenty enough to give you pause when developing a commercial distribution of that size with accessible source code.

for your case, where you don't want people playing with the code, an obfuscator would be a good option. not as simple or as effective as a piece of compiled code, but it does the job. i use one i wrote myself for my perl-based Customer Review Manager and i sleep a lot better at night because of it!

------------------
Stephen Carter, Random Mouse Software
Putting Customer Reviews On Your Site
U R L:[nbsp][nbsp]www.randommouse.com (http://www.randommouse.com)