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BillWoodruff wrote: the document can be time-limited, and will self-destruct as in 'c. after a certain date.
The problem with self-destruction is: How would you trigger it if there is no access to the server that is in charge of the kill switch? One could steal a document and try to hack it on an network-isolated device. There's also no easy way to prevent an attacker from creating copies or backups of the document (provided that "the document" is a physical file stored in a file system) and restore it if the original has been destructed.
Because of this, I think a better approach would be to get away from the idea to have a physical copy of the document present on the client. I mean, if an internet or local network connection for authentication etc. is required to access it in any event, why store the document on the client in the first place?
IMO a protected document has to live on the server exclusively, and the client (the reader) downloads only the parts it wants to access on demand, storing that information in encrypted form in memory rather than on disk. The private key could be the hardware hash of the client device, although that might not be the safest approach because someone with physical access to the device could steal that information and build a specialized virtual machine that impersonates the client. Any edits are sent back to the server and stored there. No need for self-destruction as the local information will be lost when the reader is closed or after a timeout (zeroing the memory) or when the device is powered off.
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Quote: all of the above must not "feel oppressive" to the end-user.
You should be alright as long as they're dead or in a coma but then I'm not sure what the point of them having the document would be!
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You're basically talking about Digital Rights Management for documents.
And given that people with lots of money spend a lot of it on getting very clever people implementing this for their games, movies, and music - only for even cleverer people with no money to circumvent it the same day and publish it to torrent sites - I can't help thinking we're all on a loser here! 
Except of course for the very clever people who somehow remain employed to try again...and again...
I would agree though. I suspect we need to redesign the internet from scratch, involving individual identity and security systems as its core components, and hopefully dumping HTML for good at the same time. That way, you could start tieing documents of all types to users and get some real protection going.
But...nobody would use it because it would be too secure... 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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OriginalGriff wrote: nobody would use it because it would be too secure...
Not 'too secure', but dangerous.
Imagine I had access to the authentication-server for 'the internet'; we would never run out of IPv4 addresses.
Baking DRM into the internet would also not help; if the document is visible, it can be captured.
Meaning you now have two problems, while starting with one 
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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An ebook library that I once used required this[^]. Some of the features you require are supported, like allowing only a particular user to access the document and setting a time limit. I have no idea how the documents themselves are created, though. Probably some Adobe product.
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From my limited experience as a user Amazon eBooks have most of what you want.
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Hi Bill
I read your request with great interest and I have been associated with an application available in Australia which addresses the central issue: locked documents. This application focusses on version control and revision control: locking the Word document at full revision, with Word-functionality markup revealing the changes between revisions.
Since it is improbable that one can break the security (requires world-PCs for 10 x exp 26 seconds), and the content is locked, so self-destruct was not included in the system specification. Management of documents at word-by-word level is central to this application - and is different from Documentum, LiveLink, Hummingbird, etc. in this regard.
Your requirements are broader than this application: brought on by the advance in mobile computing. I have passed your requirements to the developer for his comments.
Should you be further interested, please reply.
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Is that too much to ask ?
TL;DR - Yes
Long version - I have worked extensively with Digital Rights Management systems including Microsoft's own AD-RMS (which is a classic MS software - Overly Complex Architecture but Pretty Neat Features). Parts of what you are asking for is practical at all or impossible to implement. There are lots of factors when it comes down to protecting a document. Offline scenarios are real pain in the neck. Identifying the document/user/device/location is one of the challenges as well. There are many issues you see when you start a feasibility analysis on a requested feature and you have a bunch of them.
In any of the cases, you need to bring your expectations down.
Also, take a look at this : http://www.worldox.com
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You could probably leverage it as a Kindle Book.
Kindle Readers Everywhere, simply make the user buy it 
It is pretty limiting...
Not sure about the timing feature, but you could do it as a lease, and yank it back (no self-destruct, just that they lose the ability to open it)
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Hi all, I'm trying to read an article on here and there's an ad for Azure on the right hand side of the screen which is obscuring what I'm trying to read - is there a way to get rid of it ?
We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP
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You probably want to mention if you are a mobile device and you definitely want to mention which browser (including version) you are using.
If you, by chance, are using mobile, I suggest you select the choice, "deliver desktop site" or whatever that choice is. I know on Android Chrome CP looks all kind of crazy and is all zoomed in.
Good luck.
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I'm on a laptop running Win 7 using Firefox
Thanks
We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP
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Right-click on the ad > Inspect Element.
There will be an highlighted line. Right-click > Delete Node.
Your ad should be gone. If not, repeat those steps for all elements blocking your view.
Cheers.
"It's hard to beat someone who never quits".
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Ta very much I'll give it a go
We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP
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Works thanks
We can’t stop here, this is bat country - Hunter S Thompson RIP
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No problemo, sir.
"It's hard to beat someone who never quits".
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So the other week I redesigned an ASP.net page to new customer specifications. Simple info submission page really. But now it needs to have all the bells and whistles. Mobile friendly, placeholders, tool tips, allow file uploads, give how many available characters remain in each field, etc. This doesn't sound bad but the page is in an old site using a mix of classic ASP and ASP.Net. Old versions of AJAX, master pages with update panels within update panels that contain the page which has another update panel and so on. Real rat's nest of code that needs to be cleaned and updated. I'm not allowed to clean it because someone else is supposed to be doing that (for the past few years, zero progress, beside the point).
Initial release, I forgot to do a check to make sure people had JavaScript enabled and some minor errors occur happen. My mistake, fixed within an hour and have it check to make sure they have JavaScript, and if not don't let them use the form and tell them that they need JS enabled.
This weekend someone tries to use it. They don't have JavaScript enabled and can't figure out how to turn it on. So per customer instructions, they can't submit. Customer is unhappy.
Now I get to spend my morning trying to tell them that either the page can have all the fancy new features OR functionality that works for everyone including those not using current technology. This isn't a customer I can go to and tell them they get one or the other.
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RJOberg wrote: This isn't a customer I can go to and tell them they get one or the other.
The alternative is harder; change the technology to make it possible.
I suggest you give the customer the choice, that is what he/she is paying for.
Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Could you provide them an option; how about a link at the bottom to the old form, the one not requiring JavaScript? You know, a 'click this button if you're computer illiterate' sort of thing?
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That might work, if no JavaScript go with the previous method - click to send an email. So it is a bit of an upgrade. 
Like I said, old site, and desperate need of an update.
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Why isn't your project manager handling this? If you are the developer, you should not be dealing with the client directly, I would think. 
Edit: whenever I hear the term "redesigned", I run for the hills, screaming in fear.This sounds like a project that more than one person should be working on, and a clear and present design doc should be drafted up for it, prior to development.
Has any thought been given to future scenarios. This is something that should have been discussed in week one business requirements gathering with the client and your business team.
Do you have a business team, project manager, Software Services Director, ....?
-- good luck.
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For this project I am the BA, PM, and Dev all at once. Normally that isn't a problem since I do all three individually for various projects. It is when you lump them all together that it gets a bit more frustrating. Plus this client is unique in their demands.
This is a project that more than one person should be working on, a brand new replacement system is being designed. Really the work that I'm doing is a temporary stop gap to keep them happy. I'm curious why a content management system for a pretty straightforward site is taking more than three years to do.
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RJOberg wrote: is taking more than three years to do
IMHO, few projects should take a year to do, let alone 3. I think you are in the right, to be curious here. 
Unless, you have a 3-5 year contract with scheduled implementation roll outs, i.e. Agile environment.
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The matador's wandering out of the ring - he must be crazy (3,6)
Special Bank Holiday, not approved for use in USA, Bonus Clue (that you can answer without it leading to duty tomorrow)
He's late, but still gets everything wrapped up (5)
Edit: no takers for the bonus clue? How about if I say Maxx correctly identified the use of late to mean departed this mortal coil but chose the wrong item for the wrapping?
modified 31-Aug-15 11:14am.
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The freebie - SACKS
PooperPig - Coming Soon
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