CS Activation on Macs? NOT!

PB
Posted By
Peter Bloch
Nov 24, 2003
Views
387
Replies
6
Status
Closed
I have read all these millions (or so it seems) of messages about the activation system for Photoshop CS, and how upsetting it is to so many people. Nevertheless, I decided to get the upgrade since it had some features that I really wanted. And I am not interested in doing anything that is not allowed under the activation arrangement.

When I got the program, there was no info on activation, and when I installed and used it, activation was never required.

Suddenly I realized that all the arguing about activation related only to Wintel machines, and does not apply to Macs. So, a few questions (each with an implied theory):

€ Are Macs not included in this anti-piracy scheme because the operating system is not designed to incorporate activation? If so, is this a user-friendly aspect of Apple, or is it unintentional?

€ Or is because Mac users are not so often guilty of piracy, so Adobe doesn’t feel the need to crack down on us?

€ Or is it because Mac users are now a small percentage of Photoshop users, so Adobe doesn’t want to be bothered? (I don’t even know if that is true about the low percentage, since creative people are relatively less inclined towards "The Dark Side" )

€ Or is there some other reason or conspiracy that I haven’t the sense to perceive?

Anyway, just curious about your thoughts.

—
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TA
Timo Autiokari
Nov 24, 2003
Peter Bloch wrote:

€ Are Macs not included in this anti-piracy scheme because the operating system is not designed to incorporate activation?

Partly so, the encryption & authentication strength there is on the level of Win98 and the OS has to support the Activation in other ways too.

The corporate CS licenses on the Windows side also do not require Activation. No corporation allow such a feature in their intranet, the packet sizes that are sent by the Activation feature are rather large so in theory quite a lot of very sensitive information could go out. So requiring Activation from the corporates would be the same as suicide for Adobe.

Also btw corporate versions of MS Win XP and Office do not have the Activation.

Timo Autiokari
N
nomail
Nov 24, 2003
Timo Autiokari wrote:

Peter Bloch wrote:

• Are Macs not included in this anti-piracy scheme because the operating system is not designed to incorporate activation?

Partly so, the encryption & authentication strength there is on the level of Win98 and the OS has to support the Activation in other ways too.

Activation is completely possible on the Macintosh too. For example, Quark uses activation for XPress on the Macintosh. I don’t know why Adobe chose not to use activation on the Macintosh (yet), but I don’t think the operating system itself has anything to do with it.
JW
JP White
Nov 24, 2003
Timo Autiokari wrote:

Also btw corporate versions of MS Win XP and Office do not have the Activation.

This is true for OEM installed WinXP, but I have found that Office 2003 OEM installed (by Dell) does require activation. Conveniently there is a bug with Office 2003 and authenticating proxy servers that wasn’t there with Office XP. So now I have to use the phone and about 3 trillion (exaggeration) button presses to complete the activation using their dial-in touch tone crapola. So so convenient for a fee paying customer. I am so enamored with activation I just can’t wait until the next machine comes in the back door.

NOT.

JP
H
Hecate
Nov 25, 2003
On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 17:42:03 -0600, JP White
wrote:

Timo Autiokari wrote:

Also btw corporate versions of MS Win XP and Office do not have the Activation.

This is true for OEM installed WinXP, but I have found that Office 2003 OEM installed (by Dell) does require activation. Conveniently there is a bug with Office 2003 and authenticating proxy servers that wasn’t there with Office XP. So now I have to use the phone and about 3 trillion (exaggeration) button presses to complete the activation using their dial-in touch tone crapola. So so convenient for a fee paying customer. I am so enamored with activation I just can’t wait until the next machine comes in the back door.

NOT.

JP
JP, it’s done by licensing. And the 2003 is activation free if you buy the business version through licensing (which means multiple copies). If you only buy one copy, then it’s activation whether you’re a business or not.

Actually, I’m still using Office 2000 because as far as I’m concerned an important feature was broken in Office XP – tracking. And until they get it right I’m not upgrading. But then,. I need tracking.

—

Hecate

veni, vidi, relinqui
JW
JP White
Nov 26, 2003
Hecate wrote:
On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 17:42:03 -0600, JP White
wrote:

JP

JP, it’s done by licensing. And the 2003 is activation free if you buy the business version through licensing (which means multiple copies). If you only buy one copy, then it’s activation whether you’re a business or not.

I realize that a volume license can be beneficial, but we don’t buy enough copies to warrant a volume license. The OEM version is cheaper than buying licenses in qtys less than 10.

If WinXP doesn’t require licensing for single OEM copies why does Office require it? A question we may never have answered.

JP
H
Hecate
Nov 27, 2003
On Wed, 26 Nov 2003 06:23:43 -0600, JP White
wrote:

Hecate wrote:
On Mon, 24 Nov 2003 17:42:03 -0600, JP White
wrote:

JP

JP, it’s done by licensing. And the 2003 is activation free if you buy the business version through licensing (which means multiple copies). If you only buy one copy, then it’s activation whether you’re a business or not.

I realize that a volume license can be beneficial, but we don’t buy enough copies to warrant a volume license. The OEM version is cheaper than buying licenses in qtys less than 10.

Understand. I have exactly the same problem as far as PS goes. I want 1 copy. I suppose I could stretch to two but…

If WinXP doesn’t require licensing for single OEM copies why does Office require it? A question we may never have answered.
It’s not a single OEM copy that I have. I don’t know how it is in the US but over here more than one copy means you can license rather than buy individual copies.

And if that is a difference I can tell you the reason why – MS wants as many computers a s possible using an MS operating system and is willing to do almost anything to make sure that it holds the lions share of the market. As far as Office goes, well, wait and see. Look at the Road map for MS software. Office is becoming less important and if, MS can get away with it it’s quite likely., from what I’ve read, that Office will become a series of XML plug ins that you can access online, or by purchase which will plug into the operating system.

—

Hecate

veni, vidi, relinqui

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