Not that I'm questioning any of what has been said here, but I read through the last 30 or so posts of this thread today and am surprised that, if the software is pirated, it is on a scale unlike anything I've heard of before. That is, if each copy sold included a profesionally printed/bound user's manual, insert with serial number, quick start for keyboard shortcuts (don't recall if that was with CS2 or not), a manufactured-quality CD with multicolored, authentic-looking label, cellophane-wrapped CD case and shrink-wrapped product package, then all that seems quite a costly extreme to go to for pirates. No doubt however, that if they can sell the software at significant yet still noticeably reduced prices, and do so in a substantial volume, that might still be a profitable enough venture to warrant such a scheme.

I would guess that Adobe does have more than one manufacturing and distributioni point for global sales, but maybe not. I know that if all looked in order but a CD said it was made in Singapore, I'd not give it a 2nd thought as being suspicious....until things go awry as they have here.

If this was some grand piracy scheme, it is one of such magnitude in complexity I'd nearly expect us to hear of it in the news, and even Adobe would surely issue some kind of formal announcement regarding the situation.

That last item you metioned, Kristen, about being able to register online once yet not again later, does sound strange also. It is as if - assuming the software was a pirated version - the software was hacked to provide some sort of front-ent to create a faux website for registering, in a fashion not unlike some of the phishing scams regarding banking or credit card accounts where a user gets bluffed into entering personal data at a website that merely collects the info.

Has anyone ever heard of a massive piracy scheme like this for some expensive software product? I may not be the most current on news, but this still all just sounds almost too outrageous to be anything other than an Adobe mistake where invalid serial numbers were issued for PS CS2.

I do empathize with any of you having the problems discussed here, and I sure hope something can be done to assist you in recovering lost funds or getting your software to work per design...whichever is the truly applicable answer.

Regards,

Daryl

Steve_Arnett

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