software

[Joe Bemier]

How about this...

I d/l and purchase a prog called Downloader Pro. I get the Key and everything is fine. About a year later I feel my H/D is fried and replace it. I re-install winXP, etc, etc. When I go to install D/L'er Pro I enter the same key and get a message that says....."That Key is over a year old..blah..blah...blah....you need to purchase an upgrade" So, if like you guys say, they are not grabbing my IP add, then they must be laying in some cookie or something....?? Or maybe they just log the time and date that I entered the key the first time and then they have it for Ref.

Anyway, beyond the whole business about how they track users, what do you guys think about the fact that I can no longer use that program...that I paid for.

J

[bridgerfafc]

sounds like the date the key was generated was coded into the key.

I'd never do business again with a company that put a timeout on a paid for software. there are several decent free download managers- check them out...

[CW]

Same as a book.

[Enoch Root]

The license might state all kinds of things, but the law says "right of first sale" applies, and reselling it after purchase is Fair Use.

er (been busy.. :)

[Enoch Root]

Actually, that just sounds like a nag screen, not like it's preventing him from using it.

er

[Bob Martin]

I'm on high-speed broadband and my ipaddr has only changed once in the last four years and that was because of a major hardware upgrade at the ISP.

Which is why I will not run MS software. I run OS/2 and Linux and if I can't get free (in terms of licence, not cost) software to do what I want then I either write my own or go without.

[J. Clarke]

First, with most ISPs, you pay a premium for a "static" IP address.

Next, MS tells you what they do in order to tell on what machine you have installed their software.

Basically product activation sends them a long number and they send back a long number and you're done. If you want to be paranoid you can write down the number that would be sent, call them from a pay phone, write down the number they give you, and type it into the machine and it will activate with no internet connection at all. You won't even talk to a human unless you've activated the same copy several times in a row.

[dadiOH]

I see no hint of fact there, merely naivete (AKA "lameness" :)

Personally, I wouldn't have laid out *any* money for a program that does what can be done with Windows and a freebie like IrfanView. Since you did, I would...

(from

) "4. I have lost my hard drive/had to reinstall Windows. How do I get your programs running again? Download a new copy of each program from the downloads page and install them on your PC. You will need to enter your registration details again and these can be found in the registration email you received when you purchased the program. If you are unable to find your registration details email [e-mail]. Please include as much information as possible about your purchase to help us identify your order quickly. We regret we cannot re-issue registration codes if you are unable to provide adequate proof of purchase."

You aren't going to be able to d/l the latest and greatest without additional cost but you can get your version...

what one can learn by browsing, verdad?

[Joe Bemier]

No, whats amazing is that you probably think you are right.

And, yeah sure - all the best S/W is Freeware.

[Joe Bemier]

Thanks, John. It appears I've had the same IP add for some time. But maybe not. I've renovated an old farmhouse and one of the features I wanted was to have Broadband in every room. So, the second floor has an area where there are a bunch of routers, etc.

We have three machines in the house and the ip adds are identical except for the last 3 digits....mine is xx1-- my wifes is xx2 and the spare machine is xx3. But maybe these are not real IP add's - maybe just something from the router. I see it by entering ipconfig in DOS and get back a bunch of info.

[jtpr]

Joe,

As mentioned, your IP has nothing to do with any of this. There are other methods to ID your system. But none of them have anything to do with your example. All they do is have an algorithm whereby they compare a key number to the system date and refuse to install if older then xx/xx/xxxx. Chances are if you changed the date on the system (in the BIOS) you might have been able to install it again, then change it back.

In any event, companies that do this suck.

-jtpr.

Hey, if I move and plug my table saw into a new house, think it will work? Hmmmmm....

[Joe Bemier]

Thanks for the info-

Agreed!

[dadiOH]

What, you still can't get it reinstalled?

[Puckdropper]

Joe Bemier wrote in news: [e-mail]:

It's pretty sad when that piece of free software actually works better than the professional version that does the same thing. It's especially true for software that has to watch carefully for lawyers such as video editing.

Puckdropper

[Puckdropper]

Joe Bemier wrote in news: [e-mail]:

With a setup like that, your router is getting a "real-world" IP address from the ISP and assigning each computer its own IP address. In fact, if you go to

it will tell you your "real-world" IP address.

Some firewalls work the same way.

Puckdropper

[Puckdropper]

"jtpr" wrote in news:1153251629.319749.229570 @i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

*snip*

Not this house. If you turn it on when the air conditioner comes on, you'll probably kill the main breaker!

Puckdropper

[Joe Bemier]

Hey, Thanks - helpful. As to Firewall...I have Zone Alarm and maybe that also plays into the mix.