Protecting intellectual property

[Alex Matulich <alex@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I need suggestions on how to distribute a trading strategy in such a
way that restricts its use to specific customers. Multiple platforms
are targeted, not just TradeStation.

I think Mark Jurik manages this for JMA and other products, but I
don't know what's involved.  He is able to sell his tools for a
variety of platforms too.  I'm wondering how that's done in a way
that prevents software maintenance from becoming a nightmare from
having to support all those platforms.

Until now, most of my work has been open-source, and even for
things I charge a small price, I don't make any effort to enforce
distribution rights.  Now, however, I am in a situation with a
business partner who absolutely needs his intellectual property
protected.  So we need high security on a trading strategy we want
to send out, and I want to get it right the first time.

I know the best way to protect high-value algorithms while letting
others benefit is to distribute a newsletter or market signals,
keeping any code out of the hands of customers.  That's not
practical here; we want to let customers have the software but
protect it so that it can't be shared.

Suggestions?

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