Programming

And how well did that work?

Hi guys.
Thanks everyone for the answers.
The idea is to not allow ppl see the code itself but allow them to use script.
I've found shc but didn't use it yet. Furthemore I red that its possible to decompile scripts ))
So, there no way to keep the CODE not visible to others?

If someone is interested enough it is impossible to keep the instructions contained in code that they are running locally from them in any language.

The degree of difficulty in decompiling a C++ program is obviously greater than that of decompiling a shell script, (no smart remarks about Perl please), but ultimately the user has to be able to read the file they are executing.

It is possible to respond to authenticate a remote request and execute it thus denying the user access to the executable they are running (though to be pedantic it it the application server that runs the code in this instance).

How could a computer possibly run anything without decoding it?

How could you possibly decode it without giving the computer(and anyone who cares to watch) clear instructions on how to do so?

We get these threads all too often. It frequently takes pages of hilarious rube goldberg machine proposals for people to realize the futility.

This is the reason one should only use free software, so my
computing is not being controlled by somebody else and
I become dependent on it.

shc encrypts the shell commands and arguments so that you cannot use the strings command to see what the script is doing.

If you use a disassembler and spend many hours you can resurrect the shell script.
However, I have never seen a shell script so incredibly new and wonderful that would necessitate that effort. If you know what files a script messes with, and you can view an input file and an output file (for example) you can build your own without going through all the troubles of disassembling code.

The people who would feel the need to steal the code can't really program to start with. And if someone stole your whole app and marketed it as if they owned it, he/she could never support it.

@Achenle

It worked for simple scripts. I had trouble getting it to compile and run correctly on Solaris. More of a toy than a tool IMO. I cannot think of a valid application for it offhand.

And it is not C++, just C, so you need a C compiler, gcc, not g++.