OT: Software Licensing

[Charles Martin]

> From: david <davidwb at spymac.com>
>
> Well, I labeled this offtopic but it isn't entirely. I've come across a
> situation that has me ticked off and started me thinking...
>
> Monday I installed Canvas 9 on a client's computer and realized it now 
> uses
> a form of serial number activation system similar to Microsoft's. Once
> installed on a computer, that serial number is no longer any good.

I think you'll find this statement to be untrue. If you try installing 
Canvas on a computer that is not connected to the net or to a network, 
I believe it will install just fine.

>  Now I've
> been a Canvas user myself since version 3 so I wondered how Deneba 
> (now ACD
> Systems) was going to deal with notebook/desktop owners.
>
I'm a little confused by your mention of a client's computer in your 
story. Are you telling us that you installed YOUR copy of Canvas on a 
client's computer, or THEIR copy? If you installed YOUR copy of Canvas 
on a client's computer, I don't think you have much to complain about, 
as that's clearly piracy. If you're telling us you installed THEIR copy 
of Canvas on their laptop, and now they want to use it on their desktop 
and believe that they cannot, please see above for a "workaround."

> I've owned PowerBooks since the day Apple released the PB 140 and most
> software vendors quickly adapted their licenses allowing notebook 
> owners to
> install the software on both a desktop and a notebook.

A quick review of my software licenses shows that this is not really 
the case. *Apple* has often allowed users to copy their software on one 
desktop and one laptop, but this has changed with the release of OS X 
(or possibly earlier), and in any event they appear to be the 
enlightened exception rather than the rule. I looked at my software 
licenses for my full suite of graphic-design software (all the usual 
Adobe, Quark and Apple suspects) and could not find even ONE license 
that allowed me to install the same software on more than one computer. 
I didn't look but I believe my FONT software allows me to keep a set on 
one desktop and one laptop, but that's about it.

> I emailed the company explaining that I have Canvas installed on my 
> iBook
> and desktop and generally start work on a document on my iBook and 
> complete
> the job on my desktop before printing. I wanted to know if the company 
> had
> taken notebook owners into consideration when they created this 
> activation
> scheme and if so, what it was. I didn't receive a direct answer. 
> Instead, I
> was told that by having Canvas 8 installed on two computers, I was in
> violation of the license. Get it off one of the computers. As I said, 
> no
> direct answer, but an answer anyway.

Actually, I'd call that a pretty direct answer. It's just that the 
answer wasn't the one you wanted to hear.

Keep in mind that I'm NOT arguing with you; I think ACD Systems (and 
the others who don't allow this) are FOOLS not to modify their software 
licenses to cover (1) desktop and and (1) laptop. But legally, they are 
perfectly within their rights to do so.

>  ACD Systems expects me to buy two
> copies of Canvas 9 for both computers even though I only use one 
> Canvas at a
> time.
>
Yes, that's ridiculous. At the very least they should offer a 
"non-business use" site license or "household" license.

> I don't think so. In fact, I'm not going to update to Canvas 9 at all 
> and
> I'm now looking for a replacement. I intend to find a competitor's 
> product
> (if possible) especially if the competitor understands that notebook 
> users
> have special needs. Then I intend to inform ACD that a formerly happy
> customer has been lost. And why that customer was lost.

Which is EXACTLY the right thing to do.

> Thus far vendors are so intent on catching pirates that they don't
> see how many multiple computer homes there are.

These sorts of protection schemes always hurt the HONEST customer far 
more than the DIShonest pirate. See the RIAA and MPAA for a primer on 
how NOT to protect a copyrighted product.

> If we don't start speaking up now, the
> cost of computer ownership is going to get much higher.

I've found that Mac-ONLY developers tend to take a much more "relaxed 
and groovy" approach. Hopefully ACD will learn from your letter (and 
any others they get) and re-think this approach.

In the meantime, reward vendors who have CLEAR, CONCISE and REASONABLE 
software EULAs whenever possible, and let vendors who DON'T have this 
know that you're not going to purchase from them (and why). That's 
really all we can do.

_Chas_
"We don't want to be like Windows. We want to do everything better. We 
are intent on creating the greatest computers and the best computing 
experience in the world. And we are the only ones who can say that with 
a straight face." -- Greg Joswiak, Apple VP of hardware product 
marketing