PM license issue - very bad sales politics

[olidie]

Kirk, just to get you right. If my computer completely breaks down with no possibitly left to deactivate the installed PM and I am forced to get a new machine I have to have a free slot to use PM on the new machine again and if not I have to deactivate another existing instance? I interpret that in a way that with the dying computer one PM slot dies? Isn't there a possibility to contact support to get lets say all slots deactivated in order to activate all used (and new) installations?

The possibility to deactivate an installation within the programme itself is a pretty good solution. Still my absolutely prefered version would be to being able to do this within my customer account on the companies website. I know of at least one other photo software that handles all activations in the customer menue online. This allows one to deactivate an installation even if there's no more direct access to it.

[Kirk Baker]

Oliver,

Kirk, just to get you right. If my computer completely breaks down with no possibitly left to deactivate the installed PM and I am forced to get a new machine I have to have a free slot to use PM on the new machine again and if not I have to deactivate another existing instance? I interpret that in a way that with the dying computer one PM slot dies? Isn't there a possibility to contact support to get lets say all slots deactivated in order to activate all used (and new) installations?

If your computer completely dies and reinstalling the OS is just not possible, then yes you would contact our sales folks, explain the situation to them and they will help you out.

The possibility to deactivate an installation within the programme itself is a pretty good solution. Still my absolutely prefered version would be to being able to do this within my customer account on the companies website. I know of at least one other photo software that handles all activations in the customer menue online. This allows one to deactivate an installation even if there's no more direct access to it.

You can log on to your customer account and see how many slots you have left on your license.  I don't think we would ever make it so the end user can 'clear activations' without access to their computers.  That would open up the system to potential abuse.  What does this company you mentioned do to keep people from being dishonest? (I'm not trying to imply in any way that you're dishonest.  Honest.)

Our friendly staff is willing and able to accommodate most issues regarding licensing.  All one needs to do is email them or call them on the phone and explain one's situation to them.

-Kirk

[olidie]

Thanks Kirk. I have to be honest that I don't immediately see a way to abuse this online system. Once I activate a certain installation I am down one from the number of allowed installations. If I deactivate one that installation simply doesn't work anymore. Maybe I am just too far away from this mechanisms to understand potential to misuse.

Neverthess I know that I can rely on camera bits staff to help me out once I got into trouble like a dead machine and need a slot freed :-)

Oliver

[Kirk Baker]

Oliver,

Thanks Kirk. I have to be honest that I don't immediately see a way to abuse this online system. Once I activate a certain installation I am down one from the number of allowed installations. If I deactivate one that installation simply doesn't work anymore. Maybe I am just too far away from this mechanisms to understand potential to misuse.

The only way I can think of that your installation doesn't work anymore is because your application checks in with their licensing system each time it launches to check to see if it is allowed to run.  PM never "phones home" once it is activated and many people count on that or they wouldn't be able to use PM out in the field where they don't have an internet connection.

You can't have a system that deactivates online and also does not require the installed instance to check to see if it is allowed to run.  (At least one that can't be abused.)

-Kirk

[Brendan]

Kirk,

in short, that are the facts:

- I payed money for the Software to use it on three installations
- at the moment I cant use the third installation on my notebook, which is very important and makes me displeased!
- jamie didnt answer my email
- I bought a lot of software (e.g. PTgui, Kolor Panotour, Lightroom, some from breezesys...), but NO ONE (!!!) else uses a user-unfriendly activation system like this


-Brendan

It is not going to happen.  The system works fine for thousands of people who use Photo Mechanic.  If you were to get your old system able to boot again, you should be able to activate it which won't count against your count of available slots and then you can deactivate it, thus freeing up a slot for use on your new system.  The registration system is no longer tied to a specific boot drive so the loss of a drive and its subsequent replacement should not be an issue any longer.  If you want to move to an entirely new computer, and you do not have any free slots in your license, you must deactivate one of your existing instances.

[Kirk Baker]

Oskar,

- jamie didnt answer my email

Why are you sending email directly to anyone at the company?  Use sales@camerabits.com to contact about this matter.

I do not handle licensing.  It is not my job to do so.

-Kirk

[Brendan]

Oh, sorry!
I just replied to a similar email thread in the past. thats why.

[Brendan]

only in protected mode I can log in
Maybe there is a trick to copy the activation ( registry / file?) to the running windows instance?

[Kirk Baker]

Oskar,

only in protected mode I can log in
Maybe there is a trick to copy the activation ( registry / file?) to the running windows instance?

No, it would not work.  One cannot copy the file to a different computer and have it work.

In this protected mode, you cannot fire up Photo Mechanic and deactivate it?

-Kirk

[olidie]

The only way I can think of that your installation doesn't work anymore is because your application checks in with their licensing system each time it launches to check to see if it is allowed to run.  PM never "phones home" once it is activated and many people count on that or they wouldn't be able to use PM out in the field where they don't have an internet connection.

You've got a good point here. I did not think about the obligatory phoning home in this online activation system. It is definitely appreciated from my side that PM does not do that after activated. Thanks, Kirk for explaining.

Oliver

[Luiz Muzzi]

The only way I can think of that your installation doesn't work anymore is because your application checks in with their licensing system each time it launches to check to see if it is allowed to run.  PM never "phones home" once it is activated and many people count on that or they wouldn't be able to use PM out in the field where they don't have an internet connection.

You've got a good point here. I did not think about the obligatory phoning home in this online activation system. It is definitely appreciated from my side that PM does not do that after activated. Thanks, Kirk for explaining.

Oliver

Hi,
I also like the fact that it is possible to use PM without an internet connection (in the field).
Regards,

-Luiz Muzzi