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Activation comes to Adobe

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Faust:

quote:Yeah. If you actually buy the software the activation isn't really an inconvenience at all. It only takes a few seconds to activate software.
--- End quote ---


Thats one aspect of copy prevention, but what about Morrowinds CD "protections" which make the official version run slower than the cracked version?  How about how some people can't play DVD's on their TV through their computers DVD drive - because someone decided "TV out" graphics cards were enabling too much "piracy" and that they should disable DVD playback when the TV out port is enabled?  (What if they only have a tiny laptop screen?  Shoudln't they be able to play their DVD's on their TV if they want to?)  What about CD's that break peoples CD drives and cant be played in your car player?  What about my Kitty CD that needs me to install some crap video player to play their proprietary format music videos - when nowhere on the CD case does it indicate to me that for some reason Artemis Records dislike .avi, .mpg, .mpeg etc?  (And no it wasn't quicktime either.)  What about someones "non piratable" formats that require me to use their program when I dont want to use that program?  What happens when a program I need to watch a lot of videos I legally obtained (yep it is quick time now) isn't even released on my choice of platform?

This *WOULD* be moot to me as I wont buy crap like that if I know about it - but how am I meant to avoid destroying my CD drive when the "protected" CDs arent even labelled to indicate they are designed to damage my PC?  i listen to most of my music either at my PC or from my portable player.  (My other CD player is crap.)

A lot of these "protections" *DO* hurt the customer, and more to the point it is a violation of peoples deserved freedoms to have them ring some massive company and ask permission to use their software.

What about the CNet reviewer who had Microsoft Office "lock" itself on him half way across the atlantic on a 747 because he had just changed his hardware configuration?  How is he supposed to finish his article with a word processing package he bought at full retail price when it wont work for him?  What about the various reports of people having to go through hours of crap from Microsoft tech support because they changed their hardware configuration and the person on the other end of the line doesn't believe them?  What about the company where every single Windows PC "unactivated" itself due to a Microsoft programmers error?

TB:
Doesn't Adobe's new activation procedure and EULA also put restrictions on the no. of installations u can do with each CD??? I sure as hell wouldn't want to end up with a $700+ coaster after having to reinstall their software after some miscellaneous screwups.

Sure, corporations should be able to protect their software, but this shouldn't be done at the cost of the rights of the user.

xyle_one:

quote:Originally posted by TB:
Doesn't Adobe's new activation procedure and EULA also put restrictions on the no. of installations u can do with each CD??? I sure as hell wouldn't want to end up with a $700+ coaster after having to reinstall their software after some miscellaneous screwups.

Sure, corporations should be able to protect their software, but this shouldn't be done at the cost of the rights of the user.
--- End quote ---

Uh, when you buy photoshop, you are only buying one license. It has always been like that. If you don't like it, use opensource or free software.

TB:
What I was referring to was limiting the number of re-installations which can be done with a single copy. I dont have any serious objections to limiting the # of machines you can install to....however if you have to waste a precious re-installation because your OS goes on the fritz...well that just plain sucks.

Not that it really affects me a great deal (I have no need for Adobe's products, except acrobat reader), however things could get out of hand if more companies adopt this kind of business model.

Faust:
Yeah, you have a license to run it on one computer, doesn't mean they should stop you from reinstalling it on that computer if you want to.  Actually I think they put a little "activation" code on the area of your hard drive that isn't wiped in a format - same as Windows.  It would be tied to specific hardware though so if you change your PC enough you still get fucked.  Dear God even a format doesn't clear them out.  :-D

 
quote:except acrobat reader
--- End quote ---


xpdf?  :-D

edit: but yeah like Ecsyle said if you don't like companies doing this to you don't buy into their products.  At least Photoshop doesn't try and force me to buy it by encouraging it's users to save into a proprieatry format.

[ October 03, 2003: Message edited by: Faust ]

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