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You shouldn't have any problem. You get two activations so the first is on your present computer and the second is on the new machine. Now if you suddenly decide six months down the line that you want an even better computer or win a "top of the line" Alienware rig you will have to call an 800 "doesn't cost you a dime" number and explain this to someone at Microsft.

Usually this is not problem and they will reset your activation. If however you have called them once a week for the past 30 days requesting a new activation then you might get a different reception. It's really not that big a deal if you are on the up and up.

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That would be a reasonable hypothesis, if in fact the sim actually did do that...

...however, it doesn't ever "phone home" except when you explicitly ask it to, during the "activation" process... 

Bear with me....

Hello, I'm a new software company, Skligsoft. I just spent thousands of dollars that I borrowed from the bank (since I'm poor) to hire a couple programmers and come out with this snazzy little Widget program. This program is my (my, in this case, means the company) intellectual property. I own it, I do not have to sell it. however, I need to make money off of it in order to pay back my loan, and hopefully make some capital. Now, I know that there are 10,000 people who are willing to pay me for this program. In which case, I'll sell the rights to use my intellectual property for $20. But, because I know that 1,000 of those customers will just borrow the copy from his buddy, I need to come up with a way to make that not happen. To do this, I'll require an agreement between me (the company) and the purchaser that states he can only have this software installed on one computer at a time. In order to make sure they realize that I am not selling the software, but the right to use it, I will include in the agreement that he must activate the program through my online resource, which keeps track of each license sold by serial number. If a license is tracked to be installed and it red flags abnormal, I'll require a phone call with a reasonable explination as to why there was such a change, in order to make it more difficult for a would be pirate to steal my property. I could set the program up as a one time download that cannot be saved, installed only once, and require repurchase if it is to be downloaded again, but that would not be very kind. This will also keep somebody from just handing out copies of this program to others for free.


This is something I never understood. We are not buying software here. We are buying the privilage to use somebodies product, regardless of the stipulations. If you don't like the stipulations, you don't buy the product. Kind of like flying an airplane. If you don't agree with the regulations (weather it be FAA or other), don't bother trying to fly anything, go boating instead. Then again, you have regulations on boating also... By saying it is illegal to do what MS is doing, you are also (quite truthfully and correct) saying that government is also illegal.

Regardless, think from a software company's point of veiw. how else would you do it, and do you really expect it to work? I don't see a problem with it. If I did, I wouldn't buy the program.

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All software comes with a EULA (End Users License Agreement) Most time it will display when you are starting the install process and can usually be found in the programs folders. This is the long "legal" mumbojmbo that most people just overlook and click the "I accept" button. It is here that it will state exactly what you can and can not do with the software your installing. All software has one.

FYI this is also where you will find whether or not the software your installing may also contain other third party software, most times, spyware/adware, toolbars etc.. So it is important you read these and not just accept them.

I can't count the number of times that someone contacted me asking why their homepage had been changed or something only to find that some program was installed "without" their knowledge, but then to find that they installed it themselves but unknowingly due to the fact they didn't read the EULA

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The software co's and their lawyers will have you beleive that you can use their software with their gracious permission and that you have only bought the licence. However, at least under European law one owns the programme in the same sense as one owns a music single. European law will only go with the Eula if copyright is infringed. Thus "Sorry you can only have two goes at installing" cannot be enforced here. dictating hopw when and where one can use the software, how often one can upgrade etc., is seen as monopolistic behaviour!!
Vololiberista

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Sorry when its stated you haven't looked, one is to assume you didn't know what the EULA is

The last software packages I purchased simply had a box that once you opened it, had a CD case in it.  There wasn't a EULA anywhere.  If it's in the README, I never select the readme and I'm not taking my time out to read their crap.  Once I buy it, it's mine.

Actually, I have no problem with the Activation, the problem I have is with the 2x max and not placing that on the box.  I have a friend who purchased X, opened the box and then asked me about the strange activation involved.  It wasn't until this time that I explained to him what the situation was and he would have prefered not to have the software, but "YOU CAN'T RETURN SOFTWARE".  You can return ANYTHING else in he US, but not game software that plays great when you try the demo then is crap when you lay out the $50.  This has happened to us at least 3 times and I'm sick of it.  The demos played fine, then when we bought the game, the software was crap.  It's a scam that should be stopped.  If they would simply mark the license requirements on the box, then each person could decide on their own if they want it.  All Microsoft had to do was put a note on the bottom front of the box that said that this product requires activation and may only be activated twice.  They don't because they know they would loose sales, they are hoping you buy it and find out after you've lost your funds and can't get it back.

This sucks.

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What the heck does that actually mean?

best,

......john