There IS a registration problem!!!!

RonC wrote on 11/18/2001, 6:45 PM
Well Bill is right! Here is what happend to me...

I have had VF2 installed since it came out. I decided to add linux to
my computer so I backed up all my data, then proceded to repartition
my disk. After I did a fresh install of win98 I proceded to install VF2 with
VF2.0a build 69. Of course I still have my original serial number when I
purchased the 2.0 upgrade. Now I know yo have several ways of
registering but I had done it online in the past so that is what I tried
first. The main app register process always goes smoothly. But when I
tried to register the MPEG plugin, the online register window said
something like - "License is an activation code". So zero mpeg function.

I then tried to use the "install on other computer" process. I uninstalled
VF2 and begain again. This process gives you a webpage yo save on
the disk. It contains info you filled out plus your machine number and
the serial number / activation code. Again, the process for getting the
main app working goes fine. But try the MPEG option thourgh this process
and the web page complains about having either an incorrect computer
serial number or incorrect activation code. It does not tell you which one.

Here is some observations I have seen over this process...

1. Three numbers are involved. 1) Your original serial number. 2) Your
computer code. 3) A NEW activation code for the application recieved
after you get to the web site during the reg. process. There may
be a fourth number, I don't know cause I could not get that far.

2. The web page generated for the application reg. has the full computer
code like this XXXXXX-XX. However the web page generated for the
MPEG application only has XXXXX- as the page. It seems to be missing
the final two letters. It does not matter if you modify it with the missing
letters, the MPEG reg. process does not work. I also noticed thate the
email you recieve with you new activation code and registry stuff lists the
computer code as XXXXXXX, no dash in the code.

I will call SF tomarrow to try to get this straightend out but this has
made me think of something that bothers me a bit. What if SF went
out of business? The minute we get a new computer or upgrade, we would
be hosed! We have to rely on SF being in business to beable to continue
to use our software. This could be an big issue!

Ron

Comments

goldenimage wrote on 11/18/2001, 8:30 PM
The same thing happened to me! I can not unlock the mpeg plug-in!
wvg wrote on 11/18/2001, 9:57 PM
Beyond a software company going out of business, what if they are just bought out or merged into another company or for whatever reason stop supporting a application? In theory that would mean you could never upgrade hardware or do routine things like repartation your drive or install an updated OS or replace a hard drive without fear of losing access to applications you paid for. How nuts is that?

Perhaps it is time for Congress to enact some serious consumer protection laws like they did with the automotive industry with regards to this kind of nonsense and also "lemon" laws for software that simply flat out don't do half of what it claims.

The fact is software companies in general get away with bloody murder. They are accountable to nobody if their application don't work as advertised. If much of the entire software industry starts moving towards these half ass activation schemes I think they are going to see a huge customer backlash.

As it stands now the activation nonsense is too extreme. Its like taking your car in for service and they demand you prove you're the owner before doing any work. I don't like being considered a crook, and to be blunt that's how some software companies are starting to treat their customers.
RonC wrote on 11/19/2001, 9:27 AM
Well it appears that any upgrade of your computer system can cause
this kind of problem. I had a fresh install. Why would the system barf
on that? Hmm...
Chienworks wrote on 11/19/2001, 12:54 PM
Considering the state of software piracy we've been seeing, i can't
really fault any software company for having the sort of activation
scheme that Sonic Foundry uses. I've seen a lot worse with even
cheaper software we use here at work. One company requires us to call
their tech support number each time we install one of their quarterly
updates! For those of you considering Windows XP, keep in mind that
Microsoft's new registration and activation policy makes SF's look like
a warm fuzzy hug. Reportedly, Microsoft requires you to purchase a new
XP license if you upgrade your processor or hard drive.

For my own experience, i've reformatted & reinstalled, upgraded to a new
PC, and reformatted and reinstalled again. All of the SF licenses i have
registered on the first try each time using the original serial numbers
without a hitch. (OK, maybe i just got lucky ...)

The ideal solution to guard against a software company going out of
business would be for them to develop permanent unlock patches, and
store these in escrow with a trusted, neutral 3rd party. In the case of
the software company disappearing, being bought out, or otherwise
discontinuing support for registrations, these patches would be made
available to registered users for a very minimal fee. This would protect
users who depend on the software to run their business, and instill good
will between the users and the software company.
wvg wrote on 11/19/2001, 3:43 PM
Chienworks said: "For my own experience, i've reformatted & reinstalled, upgraded to a new PC, and reformatted and reinstalled again. All of the SF licenses i have registered on the first try each time using the original serial numbers without a hitch. (OK, maybe i just got lucky ...)"

That flys in the face of what Sonic Foundry's own support people say. They claim that their activation scheme is based on a computer ID number. A NEW computer ID gets generated every time you reformat a drive. A NEW one gets generated if you install on a different machine,etc..

My experience and what Ron experienced is very similar. In fact his experience with the missing numbers right of the dash in the computer ID was the same as mine. Sometimes Video Factory generated a full number including two digits to the right of the dash. Other times it did not. When I upgraded to XP from WIN98 my computer ID changed. Nothing else on the machine was touched. Trying to use the "old" activation codes failed.

Its not that I disbelieve your experince or that many people have no problems. For sure, something is wrong with the activation scheme. That's now beyond any doubt especially if some people are able to transfer Video Factory from one machine to another, which is what you are claiming, right? If so, then the activation schme is not only clumsy and problem prone it makes it totally useless.


wvg wrote on 11/19/2001, 3:52 PM
Chineworks said: "Microsoft requires you to purchase a new XP license if you upgrade your processor or hard drive."

Not true.

You are allowed to add three hardware devices. Try to add the fourth and you'll be locked out. The "logic" is you must be trying to install Windows XP on a different machine. What you need to do is call Microsoft and convince them you're just updating the original machine you installed Windows XP on.

That reminds me, I only got a little over a week to "activate" my install of Windows XP. Grrrrr!
wvg wrote on 11/19/2001, 4:16 PM
Well I just went through the phone activation method for Windows XP. You need to write down a ridiculously long fifty (50) digit number! You dial the tool free number, using the phone keypad to punch in those 50 digits. You then get a 42 digit number back which you type in at your keyboard.

My dictionary don't have any words to describe how stupid this is. Windows XP came out on 10/25. On that same day a German web site offered a crack. All these mindless activation schemes do is infuriate paying customers!
Chienworks wrote on 11/19/2001, 4:32 PM
Note that i said the same serial numbers. I didn't say anything about
activation codes. I've used the online registration method, which
presumably generated new activation codes, but all this was done
invisibly to me.

However, as far as activation codes are concerned, we did reformat our
video editing computer at the church about 6 months after first registering
VideoFactory using the "register from another computer". I reused the
same registry key i had been eMailed the first time and that worked for
the second install.