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Distributing Compiled Versions of Perl

Date: 2002/06/03 13:07

Q:
Hi Peter,

A question about distributing perl code.

A team I work on has developed a web application and is open to
distributing it - however, we're not at the stage where we want to make it
open source.

Can we distribute compiled perl code (making the code not viewable)?

What would be the practicalities of doing this?

Thanks,

*NAME-DELETED*
A:
You can develop a filter module and distribute the application with the
compiled version of Perl where the input filter module is linked into the
interpreter. This way Perl reads the input through the filter module and
this way you can encrypt your source.

This is the way for example for NetShopper. They write their application
in Perl and deliver it encoded.

The need for this was one of the reasons why I developed ScriptBasic to be
able to save the intemediate code and Python is also capable.

Generally there is no way to protect your inttelectual property when using
Perl by "brute force".

regards,
Peter

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