Update: 22^nd May 2008 - Please if you have any
.Net reactor related queries, post them to this google
group, rather then emailing me directly, as you're more likely
to get a response.  Cheers!



If you recall in the last Architecture Chat (#21)
Gareth of Slyce Software
mentioned the demise of .Net Reactor, a German code
obfuscation product that many users swear by.. but over the past 2
or so months it went completely dark as the company ceased
responding to any correspondence, or making releases - where as
prior they were almost phenomenally fast to get back to queries,
and we releasing every couple of weeks.



Well I got an interesting email from a .Net Reactor user who has
been suffering the same issues, not having a response out the
company in the last couple of months but he did advise that
releases are starting to flow out the company again, with 3 new
versions released in December... so things could be looking up,
even if the wall of silence continues.



Apparently it got so bad that even some add-on vendors have
withdrawn in-prorgess products due to a lack of communication with
Eziriz - what I find interesting here is how quickly all the good
work you can do building up a community around a product for
developers can unwind - and demonstrates how important a visible
"heartbeat" for a product is to keeping trust in your project - be
it through regular releases, actively participating in forums and
mailing lists or at the very least publishing the odd bit of news
on your site.



Fingers crossed the company starts answering peoples emails again
at any rate - it'd be a shame to see a popular product's community
turn their back on it just because their worried it's going to
dissappear completely.



Right, so yes, there is a point to this post - assuming the worst
and .Net Reactor is winding down, can anyone else recommend an
obfuscation/licensing products in the sub 300 US$ range that works
well?



Edit:



Shortly after posting this I was notified that Apparently
everything is good once more in .Net Reactor land with the lead
developer having been taken away from development due to other life
issues taking over in the later part of last year, but he's back
and developing/communicating once more so it should be "business as
usual".



I look forward to seeing what cool things Eziriz get up to in
2008!



Edit (Again):



And shortly after that I also got an email, so everything is
definitely fine once more with .Net Reactor:

Dear Mr. Henderson, I am sorry for the problems you had with my
product support. Gareth Hayter referred me to your blog. Please
be sure, .NET Reactor product development/support is firing on
all cylinders again.



Best regards,



Denis Mierzwiak, Chief Technical Officer.