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How can I keep my web site code from being copied?

OtherBigE (TechnicalUser)
20 Oct 03 14:35
I'd like to know how I can keep my web site code from being copied.  I'm using Dreamweaver MX on Mac OS 10.2.
sleipnir214 (Programmer)
20 Oct 03 15:46
What do you mean by "web site code"?  And from whom are you trying to keep it from being copied?

HTML, for example, by its nature cannot be protected.

Want the best answers?  Ask the best questions: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
TANSTAAFL!!

OtherBigE (TechnicalUser)
20 Oct 03 16:12
I have been to other sites where when viewing the source it was dimmed so that you could view it, but not copy it.  You couldn't even print it.
sleipnir214 (Programmer)
20 Oct 03 16:24
What URL?

Want the best answers?  Ask the best questions: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
TANSTAAFL!!

OtherBigE (TechnicalUser)
20 Oct 03 16:44
Well, I can't remember where the site is I'm talking about, but here's one where you can't even view to code.

http://www.outdoorsuperstore.com/

That might even be better.  You see, I have an online store as well, and I'm not comfortable with people looking at my code.
sleipnir214 (Programmer)
20 Oct 03 16:52
I don't understand.  I'm looking at the source of the page right now.

Want the best answers?  Ask the best questions: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
TANSTAAFL!!

sleipnir214 (Programmer)
20 Oct 03 17:34
I've seen some sites which attempt to play games with client-side VBScript to keep people from viewing HTML code.

But in every case, if you point a non-client-side-VBScript-supporting web browser, such as Mozilla, Opera, etc., or a telnet client at the problem, you can get the source.

Want the best answers?  Ask the best questions: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
TANSTAAFL!!

sleipnir214 (Programmer)
20 Oct 03 17:36
The site you've given as an example, however, doesn't even play the VBScript games.  I pointed my browser at the site and viewed the source.

Want the best answers?  Ask the best questions: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
TANSTAAFL!!

OtherBigE (TechnicalUser)
20 Oct 03 17:36
Wow, I'm looking at it now too.  I promise you, it was dimmed earlier.  Hmmm, could it have been because I didn't let it load completely?  So, that was a bad example, sorry.  I'll keep looking for that site I was talking about earlier.  When I find it, I'll post the URL.  I hope I'm not loosing my mind!
sleipnir214 (Programmer)
20 Oct 03 17:42
Like I said, if the site is HTML, you can't protect it.

I suppose that if your page is nothing more than a reference to a Java applet that itself downloads and displays the page, you could probably do it.  But make sure that the applet and the server are communicating by a secure channel, and make sure the encryption key can't be stripped out of your applet.

Want the best answers?  Ask the best questions: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
TANSTAAFL!!

OtherBigE (TechnicalUser)
20 Oct 03 20:05
Okay, thanks for taking the time to explain this to me.  I just won't be able to do what I was hoping I could do.
khanza (TechnicalUser)
18 Nov 03 18:29
html is impossible to block people from copying.... However, the java applet would work or if you did your whole site in flash MOST people would have trouble getting it.

-=Alex=-

OtherBigE (TechnicalUser)
19 Nov 03 7:56
Hey, thanks Alex.  I'll look into which of the two is for me.
byam (Programmer)
19 Nov 03 20:42
Keeping in mind that there are decompilers available that can decompile java class or Flash files.  So people can always get your source code from Applet or Flash file if they really wanted to.  You can only make it harder, but you cannot 100% stop people from getting your souce on a web page.
Marcs41 (IS/IT--Management)
20 Nov 03 0:33
That is not entirely correct byam.
Thake this server for instance, running on ColdFusion.
The source you see is a generated HTML, not the real one.
Anyone copying that source will bring him/her nothing as the functionality is serverbased.

Marc
If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all. Please specify details.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!

byam (Programmer)
20 Nov 03 1:27
Sorry for the confusion. Of course server code is not accessable to site visitor, what I meant is any client side source code, i.e. Applet, Flash, HTML, are fully expose to visitor.
bluedragon2 (IS/IT--Management)
20 Nov 03 16:01
Creating your pages from a perl script is also a good way.  People can see the html format, but not how it was created...

Blue

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

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