Would it possible to have a form when you start a program that asks a username and password. Then the information sent to a server analised and compared to a database for approval to then show another form which then lets you use the program?
so basically you start xyz.exe
then your asked for : user / pass --> TCP/IP to private server --> interfaces with Mysql database --> finds the user / pass submitted --> then unlocks the program to let you use it.

I think the idea is feasble but would it possible to have this work with a MYSQL db? or maybe should it just wok with a text file.

What do you guys think?

It is possible to do what you are talking about but i am not sure though with a mysql database i would use SQL-Server if you can. I have heard of people using mysql but have also heard it is very difficult to get it to work right. Again these are things that i have heard not actually done. Hope that helps.

Also i wouldnt use a text document for security reasons. It is also considered bad practice to store information like that in a text document.

Sounds pretty logical! Well it is cuz i have web space and i have access to MYSQL and Postgre but i dont know much about postgre. Makes also sense to not store user/ pass in text doc. I was simply giving examplejust to make things clear.

But hey thanks for the reply! Hoopefully someone that has already done this can point me in the right direction also!