OT: Buying used software?

smashguy37 wrote on 9/13/2009, 10:05 AM
I have no problem buying things online and meeting up in person but lately I've been teaching myself After Effects and I'd like to buy it, but don't want to spend tons and tons of money buying the whole CS suite. There are some local ads selling them used, pretty cheap and I've been in contact with one guy, but I'm too skeptical about it all.

After doing some reading online, it seems there too much activation/license transferring going on for me to feel comfortable buying a disk and serial from some guy and hoping it works. He says it's never been registered but ehhh.

What is your take on it? Torrents aren't my thing and I'd like to support the software, I just don't have 2-3k kicking around to buy it new.

Comments

TheHappyFriar wrote on 9/13/2009, 10:32 AM
well, buying used doesn't help the company any $$, many people in the industry see it as the equivalent to legit pirating. ;)

anyway...

Sony does it a nice way with someone requiring to contact sony to let them know & do the "paper work", if it's been registered. I've never had an issue buying anything used myself, but I never bought AE, or something that expensive.
Coursedesign wrote on 9/13/2009, 10:36 AM
Don't buy disks and serials from locals unless you know them.

Instead: buy an old version, say AE4, bundled with a CS4 upgrade, both with the full box. You don't need to install the old version even.

I paid abt $450 for AE Pro this way, and Adobe confirmed this was all OK.
smashguy37 wrote on 9/13/2009, 10:49 AM
True that as far as supporting Adobe. I meant more it's better than pirating the software flat out. At least this way I would actually purchase upgrades in the future.

Isn't AE4 the newest one (or is that just CS4?)? Where could I buy stuff like that -- especially in Canada? I already own Photoshop 7 (not much difference to me personally from CS3 that I use at work) but don't really need everything -- Premiere, Flash, etc, Illustrator would be cool though.
srode wrote on 9/13/2009, 11:18 AM
I bought Particle Illusion used off Ebay - the previous owner transferred the license to me through Wondertouch with a couple emails. At less than half price it was a good deal and all went well. I wouldn't have any problems buying used software as long as the license can be transferred.
Coursedesign wrote on 9/13/2009, 12:18 PM
Yes, I used eBay also.

Today there is for example this AE CS3 Pro full version for $589.00 Buy ItNow + $25.00 Express Mail to Canada. Not an upgrade, not Academic (watch out for that unless you qualify).

AE CS4 (not the same thing as the Version 4 from many many years ago), there's a $445.00 Full Windows version also, ships to Canada, but it doesn't say explicitly that it isn't an Academic version, so you'd need to verify this.

After Effects imho had the greatest improvement of all the Creative Suite 4 components, but CS3 is so eminently usable that I am not upgrading my CS3 and intend to wait for CS5.

(I'm in very good company when it comes to bypassing the CS4 suite, Adobe has offered very substantial discounts through industry groups, but few users are biting.)

eBay Basic Rules:
1. Don't buy something expensive from anyone with a feedback rating of less than 10, unless you can verify the details outside eBay.
2. Always ask the seller a question through the eBay messaging system. Ask about shipping, some detail on the box, etc., anything reasonable. If they don't answer, don't bid.
3. Do not pay outside eBay's payment systems, other than from a verifiably legitimate substantial business outfit and using a credit card.
4. Read the fine print in the offer. Is everything OK? Is any important information left out?
Sierra Nomad Photography wrote on 9/13/2009, 1:57 PM
I don't mind buying used software. It doesn't bother me not to be supporting the company anymore than it doesn't bother me to buy a used car and not be directly supporting the company.

But my concern with software is that I don't want to be supporting a thief. So before I buy software through eBay or through an individual I do my best to ascertain that the owner came by the product legitimately.

Often on eBay you will find a company selling software at half price or less than what you pay for it anywhere else. Often, what they are selling is brand new, unopened, never registered. This raises questions: where are they getting multiple copies, then able to sell them so far below the going price?

When I was looking for V8 on eBay, I asked a seller whether he would transfer registration to the buyer. He had no idea what I was talking about, and he didn't offer an explanation like "I got this from my brother and he wanted me to sell it for him." Of course, it is possible that he did come by it some other way, but without his explaining this it put doubt in my mind

I love to save $, but not enough to support thieves.
Coursedesign wrote on 9/13/2009, 2:09 PM
It is key to check the seller, as I stated above, but there are many ways they legitimately get even unopened products at a low price. One individual stated it was a present where he already had it in a Suite package, could be.

The After Effects I got was an unsellable old Version 4 sealed box from a local retailer's inventory, combined with a fresh Adobe sealed box upgrade to the latest version, which at the time cost the seller abt $200. The total was about half of a new $1,000 AE Professional, and totally legit per Adobe.