DBUG> hardware lock

[pellett <pellett@atlantic.net>]

I had a brainstorm and wanted to document it.  It is to provide a PC card
based hardware lock for laptop users.  There are more and more of us using
DataCAD.

My brainstorm is to provide such a PC card with "keys", insurable serial
numbered chips into the PC card (or parallel dongle).  I can see a PC card
that has several or a dozen mini slots for these keys.  I can see the
feature eventually incorporated into laptops directly.  Each "key need not
be bigger then a penny.

Software developers such as DataCAD would find great utility in this and
the penny sized chip could have quite a bit of info on it.

So how about it?  Of you DataCAD users with broken bolted parallel port
dongles sticking out of the back of your laptop, who wants a PC card
dongle?  Crypto-BOX for one makes one.

I did a bit of a search and found that single dongles can serve unlimited
software venders via serial number, but I found no reference to this idea
of a single dongle that can accept multiple hard "keys" for different
software venders.

I know this is a bit off topic, but the dang dongle kept dangling from my
mind. Well, back to bed.  If anyone has any thoughts on this, I would
appreciate them.  I'll be sending this missive to some of the dang dongle
manufacturers.  Maybe I will get rich.  If I do, I will send Evan some
royalty...in reverse...and a big thanks to a bunch of DataCAD donglers.


"Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be"
						Abraham Lincoln

Michael Pellett, Architect
5111 NW 4th Place
Gainesville, FL 32607
pellett@atlantic.net
(352)336-6908
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