At 4:02 AM 11/3/3, Howard wrote:
> I have not seen evidence that MM are losing significant income
> from duplication. I seriously doubt if any more than a handful
> of people are using copied DW in a professional manner.

I have. For instance, one out of every six activation requests is for a
known-to-be-bad serial number. For instance, the most frequent number
submitted for Contribute was an example serial used in the documentation
which happened to turn up high in a Google search for "macromedia
contribute serial number".

While most responses from people using it have been neutral, the positive
customer response has actually outweighed the negative, with people saying
they can now easily refuse requests from acquaintances for their serial
numbers, or IT groups saying that internal software management is much
stronger. Your mileage may vary, but that's the aggregate response.


> ...legitimate users will be seriously pissed off....

If you see an actual problem arise when serial numbers are authenticated,
then we need to fix it, thanks. The goal is to have no adverse effect on
legitimate users... that's the only way it will work.



At 10:51 AM 11/3/3, websitesny@optonline.net wrote:
> I wasn't aware of the fact that if my computer crashes
> and I have to reinstall all my software I have to call
> up someone to get permission to install the $400 software
> that I purchased from them because this is the 3rd time
> I'm installing it!

In fact, that's not a fact. ;-)

Reinstalling the software wouldn't usually require re-authentication of the
serial number. You'd need to do so if you replaced or reformatted your main
drive in the process, but authenticating the serial number would be a
trivial time cost compared to reinstalling the operating systems, the
applications, and the preferences and other settings. More info:
http://www.macromedia.com/software/activation/faq/#itemE-8


> I should be able to to reinstall my $400 software
> purchase on my computer all day long if I want to.

Agreed. It's just checking that the particular serial number has been used
a normal amount of times that can't be done all day long, without someone
wondering what's going on with that serial number.

(When you install the software, it runs for 30 days in evaluation mode, and
a valid and unique serial number is needed to enable use past that point.)


> Macromedia is hurting the honest people here who
> follow the law. I am not going to buy MX2004 and I
> hope Macromedia finds another way to protect their
> software and take this activation away.

If you find an actual problem in this serial-checking implementation then
we need to fix it pronto, thanks in advance.



At 11:00 AM 11/3/3, Greg Smith wrote:
> Second that. Screw Macromedia if they think this is an acceptable
> option. I haven't bought it yet and certainly won't.

If you could tell the activation group precisely what you find
objectionable then that would be quite useful, thanks:
http://www.macromedia.com/software/activation/ (click "feedback")


jd





John Dowdell, Macromedia Developer Support, San Francisco
(Best to reply on-list, to avoid my mighty spam filters!)
Technotes: http://www.macromedia.com/support/search/
Column: http://www.macromedia.com/desdev/jd_forum/
Technical daily diary: http://www.macromedia.com/go/blog_jd



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