Is there a way to obfuscate my ruby source code. I have come across
ZenObfuscate which at > about $2500. Does anyone know of any other options to
protect ruby source code when it is > distributed to clients?
This question comes up a lot. Can you make it a web-based application so that
the code is never distributed? IMO, that's the only real way to deal with this.
There really is no 100% way in which to obfuscate code. You can raise the bar of
course, but if a determined client who is technically minded gets the code, they
can undo any obfuscation you've done. Personally, I think it's a bad idea and if
you're having to ask the question, then something is fundamentally wrong with
your business model.
Agree completely on the point about not being able to obfuscate code 100%.
Hosting software yourself solves a lot of interesting problems (including
some OSS licensing issues) but opens a different set of potential problems:
1) some clients are not comfortable unless they host private data
themselves; 2) some clients have legal constraints requiring them to host
themselves; 3) you might become a target for government action if you're
hosting any kind of data on behalf of a client.
I think it's too broad to say that there are fundamental problems with *any*
business model that benefits from code obfuscation, but it's definitely true
that software in Ruby is going to be wide open and easily visible to users,
compared to some other languages. And that will be a disadvantage for some
people.
ยทยทยท
On 11/17/06, Brad Tilley <rtilley@vt.edu> wrote:
> Hiren Bridgmohun wrote:
> Is there a way to obfuscate my ruby source code. I have come across
ZenObfuscate which at > about $2500. Does anyone know of any other options
to
protect ruby source code when it is > distributed to clients?
This question comes up a lot. Can you make it a web-based application so
that
the code is never distributed? IMO, that's the only real way to deal with
this.
There really is no 100% way in which to obfuscate code. You can raise the
bar of
course, but if a determined client who is technically minded gets the
code, they
can undo any obfuscation you've done. Personally, I think it's a bad idea
and if
you're having to ask the question, then something is fundamentally wrong
with
your business model.
Quoting Francis Cianfrocca <garbagecat10@gmail.com>:
Agree completely on the point about not being able to obfuscate code 100%.
Hosting software yourself solves a lot of interesting problems (including
some OSS licensing issues) but opens a different set of potential problems:
1) some clients are not comfortable unless they host private data
themselves; 2) some clients have legal constraints requiring them to host
themselves; 3) you might become a target for government action if you're
hosting any kind of data on behalf of a client.
Would it be possible to host the app remotely and then store user specific data
locally on the clients' computers? No need to obfuscate user data, right?
I think it's too broad to say that there are fundamental problems with *any*
business model that benefits from code obfuscation...
You're right. I was grasping there. I really meant to say that perhaps he should
step back and ask why he's having to ask this question.