Optimiser Digital Management :: Frequently Asked Questions

Optimiser FAQ

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Frequently Asked Questions

  1. What is Optimiser?
  2. What is DM?
  3. What is digital IP?
  4. What does Optimiser do?
  5. Are Optimiser's DM services secure?
  6. Is there a data privacy issue with Optimiser's DM services?
  7. What credit cards do you accept?
  8. Is Optimiser's DM service "Spyware"?
  9. What are the benefits to a developer, publisher or vendor?
  10. What are the benefits to a vendor's customer or the end-user?
  11. Who can use Optimiser's DM services?
  12. I am a software vendor/developer/publisher: How do I enable my software for management by Optimiser's DM system?
  13. I am a software vendor/developer/publisher: How can I Digitally Manage my existing customers and users?
  14. I am a software end-user: How do I use Optimiser's DM system with the software I use?
  15. I am a content vendor/developer/publisher: How do I enable my content for management by Optimiser's DM system?
  16. I am a content end-user: How do I use Optimiser's DM system with the content I use?
  17. Do end-users have to be connected to the Internet to use Optimiser's DM system?
  18. Why do I need Optimiser? Why don't I write my own DM or licensing system?
  19. How good is Optimiser's system and approach to Digital Management?
  20. How much does it cost to use Optimiser's DM system?
  21. Do you offer enterprise services and consulting?

What is Optimiser?

Optimiser is a Digital Management Services Provider.

What is DM?

Digital Management is the monitoring, measuring and controlling of digital IP (Intellectual Property), products and services.

What is digital IP?

Digital Intellectual Property is digital product, and can be software, content or data. It can be any digital file, whether an email, an MP3, a DVD or a document. It is any electronic file where the owner has rights over how it can or should be used. In other words, digital assets.

What does Optimiser do?

Optimiser provides a point-of-use DM (Digital Management) service. Optimiser provides technology, data and Internet infrastructure to allow developers, publishers and vendors to control and track how their software and content is used. It is a secure, digital sales channel. Similarly, the ODM service puts reporting in the hands of users by providing purchase, usage and cost allocation data to a vendor's customer.

Are Optimiser's DM services secure?

Yes. All our DM communications are 256-bit, SSL-tunnelled. This is more secure than Internet Explorer currently handles, so we recommend you use Firefox. Also many banks only support 128-bit, so we are more secure than most Internet banking applications. Embedding our APIs in your software also enables various security techniques for managing unauthorised use and minimising revenue leakage. British Telecom says our approach is "unique and original".

Is there a data privacy issue with Optimiser's DM services?

No. An important feature of the service is that both vendors and their customers - the end-users - agree to terms of sale and use through Optimiser's dynamic contracting system. Both parties "sign-off" and agree to these terms for software or content to be used. Both parties receive data on usage for reporting on sales, if a vendor, and purchases, if a vendor's customer.

What credit cards do you accept?

All major cards - Amex, Visa, Mastercard, Diners' and JCB.

Is Optimiser's DM service "Spyware"?

No. Optimiser only tracks the distribution and use of products or services that have been registered on the Optimiser DM system by a vendor. Optimiser's DM system allows both vendors and users to agree on terms for sale and use of each product or service. Optimiser's DM system does not collect data or report anything on anyone's computer except for that agreed by both parties for the successful delivery of Optimised software or content. In fact, the Optimiser DM service is not, and will never be, available to Spyware vendors.

What are the benefits to a developer, publisher or vendor?

They can see how, when and where their software or content is, and has been, used, and by whom - in other words, business metrics. The vendor has legal, real-time control over software and content as it is used, even after it has been deployed. Credit card prepaid access to software and content can easily be set up and/or Optimiser's data engine can be integrated with the vendor's own sales accounting and billing systems.

What are the benefits to a vendor's customer or the end-user?

End-users can see what software and content they have used and when. End-users know they have received and are using legal software or content. End-users can gather information on how they use software and content, to support their own management, purchasing and sales decisions.

Who can use Optimiser's DM services?

Any vendor that has:

  1. a registered account/Namespace on Optimiser's system, and
  2. prepared its software or content for use on Optimiser's DM system.

Likewise, any user that has;

  1. a registered account/Namespace on Optimiser's system, and
  2. is a customer of a vendor that uses Optimiser's DM service.

I am a software vendor/developer/publisher: How do I enable my software for management by Optimiser's DM system?

Download a CD image of the Optimiser Digital Management Enablement Toolkit - or SDK - from here and then integrate the DM API codes with your software. This will only take a few hours. Optimiser can help you with coding and comprehensive Digital Management advice. You will also need a Namepace, see above.

I am a software vendor/developer/publisher: How can I Digitally Manage my existing customers and users?

Simple. Once you have ODM-enabled your software with our Toolkit/SDK you issue an ODM-enabled patch/update. Every user that installs the new executable will then be Digitally Managed.

I am a software end-user: How do I use Optimiser's DM system with the software I use?

You need to register for an account/Namespace on the ODM system via our signup page here or request that Optimiser set you up a Namespace via email namespace-request@optimiser.com. Once you have a Namespace, you can browse all the vendors' Product Catalogues and purchase software usage online.

I am a content vendor/developer/publisher: How do I enable my content for management by Optimiser's DM system?

You will need to contact Optimiser so we can help you prepare the secure content format that is best for your business, sales model and previous technology investments. We have a SecurePDF solution already available.

I am a content end-user: How do I use Optimiser's DM system with the content I use?

You need to register for an account/Namespace on the ODM system via our signup page here or request that Optimiser set you up a Namespace via email namespace-request@optimiser.com. Once you have a Namespace, you can browse all the vendors' Product Catalogues and purchase content online.

Do end-users have to be connected to the Internet to use Optimiser's DM system?

Only the first access to a piece of software or content requires an Internet connection. Connectivity requirements for control and tracking are set according to desire and preference.

Why do I need Optimiser? Why don't I write my own DM or software licensing system?

You can - and many have. We can also show you to pages on the Web that give step-by-step instructions on how to compromise conventional key-based systems very easily! Optimiser is a specialist Digital Management solution developer. This is all we do. Our system does not rely solely on key-based encryption techniques. We can't tell you everything about that which is under the hood, but British Telecom has assessed our DM platform and stated that it is "unique and original". That means that you won't be able to find anything like this in the market at the moment.

How good is Optimiser's system and approach to Digital Management?

We have been developing our DM engine and service since 1996, entering commercial operation in 2002. It is now in its fifth generation - dubbed Generation III (go figure!) - and it is mature and robust. PricewaterhouseCoopers have approved it for internal and external use and British Telecom has stated that there is nothing quite like it anywhere in the world.

How much does it cost to use Optimiser's DM system?

Vendors need to sign up for an annual Vendor Digital Management Services Agreement with Optimiser.

Do you offer enterprise services and consulting?

Yes. Optimiser's dedicated Digital Management practice and consulting arm is called OZone. We offer a comprehensive range of strategic and functional consulting services to help intellectual property owners formulate and implement Digital Management initiatives for long-term growth.