hide python code !

[Fuzzyman]

Tim Chase wrote:
> >> can we hide a python code ?
> >> if i want to write a commercial software can i hide my source code from
> >> users access ?
> >> we can conver it to pyc but this file can decompiled ... so ...!!
> >
> > All of these make it hard enough to deter most people who will ever
> > want to abuse your source code. Until you have *lots* of users this is
> > probably enough.
> >
> > I never understand the knee-jerk reaction on this mailing list to
> > answer people who ask this question by telling them they don't really
> > want to do it...
>
> I think the reaction is based mostly in reality...an honest
> answer:  If you give people the program, then you also give them
> the ability to reverse engineer it.  It's as simple as that.
> [snip..]

But until your number of users gets beyond quite a high level, it's
just extremely likely that any of your individual users will have that
sort of ability - or anyone else will have the motivation to do it.

What you can do with Python is almost certainly *good enough* for most
people who ask this question - and that fact never seems to be included
in the 'reality' propogated by the knee jerk reactionists... :-p


Fuzzyman
http://www.voidspace.org.uk/python/index.shtml