How to add a password to a digital product?

[cybermono]

Quick question - how does one go about adding a password to a downloadable digital product? - a key for a software package is what I have in mind?

[Basara]

Hello.

Are you talking about licenses?

[cybermono]

I guess so - just a license key entered into an install/setup program (nothing fancy).  A different license key for each software package....something like Abantecart keeping a list of valid license keys and randomly putting them on the product download page.

[jaja]

Turn existing products into license products https://marketplace.abantecart.com/licensing

[cybermono]

Appreciate he reply jaja but I was looking for a no-cost open source solution....I am kind if a big fan of open source!

[llegrand]

So that is why you sell something that you want to limit with a license  -  cause you're a big fan of open source?!?!?! Interesting reasoning.   
You do realize open source does not always mean it is free -  just that you have access to the code and can alter. 

In reality  there is a "cost" to everything -  you spend time and energy learning how to do something often at the expense of tending to your business  or you spend a few bucks to save time and get your solution up and going.  Just my take on reality after 5 decades in this business. But there is some well-learned wisdom in my statement.


Cheers

[cybermono]

Hi  llegrand - appreciate your views...of course you do not know the background of the software I want to license limit and why.  Boils down to 2 things, 1) it was built with commercial software (due to the originating customer requirements) that costs me a substantial amount per year to have paid support/updates for and 2) It is a niche product that fits medium/larger organisations and they are sometimes - in my experience - quite reluctant to take on open source (or open source derived software). 

As for open source being free, well it often is but with the option to donate if one likes the product...something I am quite likely to do for Abatecart as it one of the better open source stores, in my opinion.

Returning to subject

I would have thought a password option for a digital download would have been a core requirement and not something which needed an add-on ....

[llegrand]

yep,  the details do alter the perceptions 

But as to your last observation -  even the Marketplace extensions only require an account and to be logged into the account (there's your password)
for downloading the extensions.  Same thing can be done in regular products on core software.