Firms claim key to Paradise

Six software publishers and resellers will use a turnkey system from CyberSource to sell and distribute software via the Internet, the company announced today.

Programmer's Paradise, a computer reseller for software developers, is already selling software from its site using CyberSource's Internet Commerce Services (ICS) back-end technologies. Scheduled to turn on their sites by year's end are software vendors Borland International, Eudora, and Rational Software, plus resellers Cyberian Outpost and Surplus Direct.

CyberSource claims to be the first vendor offering a turnkey menu of services for Web storefronts to sell software from their sites. Its announcement comes the same day as the Software Publishers Association's issuance of recommendations on electronic software distribution. CyberSource has worked with the SPA, Microsoft, and others to develop standards for distributing software via the Net.

CyberSource's modular ICS system processes credit card transactions, checks transactions to reduce fraud, distributes software electronically, tracks software licenses, registers buyers' marketing data, and generates real-time sales reports. The service's menu of options also includes export controls, personalized buyer's software to discourage piracy, and customer support requests.

The CyberSource system uses "electronic licensing certificates," which are used to unlock encrypted "containers" transmitted via the Net. CyberSource integrates Portland Software's Ziplock technology as its secure container.

CyberSource also operates its own online software store called software.net.