Hello,

I'm the second site administrator of a relatively big site. The "first" site administrator is the site founder, and isn't active anymore but comes online each 2 weeks.

Now, there's this person that offered a huge sum of money for it but I want to continue my project and I assume the site founder will accept the huge sum for the whole domain + database.

Now, that person wouldn't store the database on my site but will probably incorporate it into his one (because he is competition).

Now I'm wondering, Is it possible to encrypt the database or put something in it so It can only be used by the site that I priorly specified in the .sql file ?

It's MySQL & vBulletin 3.7.0.

All The Best,
- Jeroen1337

If your competitor has bought the product and the database then surely it's his - why are you even thinking of stopping him access the data by encrypting it?

If the site founder owns the domain name and the software license (vBulletin) it is his to do with what ever he wants.

Unless you have legal proof of a partnership, you are just an employee/volunteer (paid/not) and don't have any rights to the name, content, software, or data that make up the site.

If you are not the owner (or part owner) of the data, it is not your's to be thinking of "protecting" and if it is sold, it would no longer even belong to the site founder.

Well that's the thing;

- The vBulletin license is a permanent one and is payed by me.
- The dedicated server is mine (he never donated anything).

That's why I'm asking.

Then why not work out a cost for using the vBulletin license and a reasonable charge for using the server - a quick Google produced anything from $85 - $300 purchase price for vBulletin and $20 - $30 per month for using the server. Assuming a years usage I'm sure you could ask the seller for $500 - $700 to cover the costs you mentioned. Or were you considering something higher?

Way too low. He is willing to offer 10grand and I'm not getting a cent from it. And the money that he can get out of the database is way more than 10grand + It's all MY work.

So that's why I'm asking for encryption by domain name or something.

Up to now you haven't mentioned any work - how much work was involved?
Were you working for him, working as a partner or doing things as a favour?
And why is your price so much different to his offer?

I don't mean to be rude, but why does it matter for you as an individual ? It doesn't !

So... how ?

You're asking us to help you do something that at least appears to me to be unethical, and possibly illegal. I'd say that the people here are going a long way out of their way to give you a chance to explain how this might be ethically justifiable.

The discussion definitely does matter to me.

-PatP

Well, It's my database and the domain owner isn't even registered on the site !

Also, it is my dedicated server so everything (including the database) is mine...

If it is yours, they can't sell it out from under you. You don't need to protect anything.

-PatP

I am still underaged so a lawsuit wouldn't be an option...

Sounds messy .. If it is your box then disconnect the cables, re-route somewhere else and start again.. Protect it properly this time..

Ok, here's what I understand it to be (my US law knowledge is limited).
1) You are NOT the domain owner, this belongs to the site founder, and thus he is at liberty to sell/lease as he sees appropriate.
2) YOU CANNOT be sued (as you're underaged), however you CAN file a lawsuit against any aggressors (this is where my limited US law knowledge may be at fault) but you may need someone to represent you.
3) The content of the website is yours (i.e. the machine it's hosted on, the implementation of the site code, & the vbulletin license).

Now, the things to determine are, what is being sold? The domain name? The site content? Assuming that you pay for the license, and have been responsible for the majority of the work (something that may have to be determined), then I would guess the "copyright" of the site belongs to yourself.

Also, the fact that you own/pay for the server and maintain it might give you the edge in the ownership war.

I'm assuming as the technical person you can limit access to the server code, and control at a root level? Thus your code (forum) is safe so long as you don't allow access to anyone else. If you do I suggest removing access until your situation is resolved, as you are protecting your personal work essentially (copyright).

At the end of the day if it's just the domain name that is being bought there's nothing you can do about it (as you don't have ownership of the domain), however if you own all the work (code) involved in the site then I suggest you protect it at a root level (by denying access) and resolve the situation.

persoanlly I'd send a registered letter to the domain owner and the potential vendors and remind them that they are free to buy the domain name (you dont' own it, but thats all they are buying/selling), and advise them that you own the rights to the db & applications software and you want some value form the deal. whether you own the rights to the postings is a moot point, depends on what you set out when users join.. they could be argued as open comment and non copyright.

the db, the server is yours and unless you are paid they won't get that.

or
more sneakily register a new domain (as similar as possible, or fucntionall as close a possible) right now, transfer the vbulletin / server to that domain. sahdow the new content on the old domain, wait till the deal is done, then deny any / all access to the shadow content. make sure your new server makes lots of references to the old site name, to encourage the previous users to migrate to your site. open sales negotiations with the new old domain owners, or their competitors.