[geeks] Adobe's Software Activation

[velociraptor]

On Tue, 22 Feb 2005 22:31:54 +0200, Michael-John Turner
<mj at turner.org.za> wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 22, 2005 at 06:20:15PM +0000, Lionel Peterson wrote:
> > > From: Michael-John Turner <mj at turner.org.za>
> > > Hmm... My guess is that they generate some form of unique 'machine ID'
> > > based in part on MAC ID, HD firmware serial, etc. A low level format
> > > could possbily change the HD serial and make the Adobe software think
> > > it's a different machine?
> >
> > I thought so too, but where would the "activation key" be after a system
> > restore? It must be squirreling the key somewhere on the HD for retrieval
> > after a system rebuild (without low-level format) - I can't imagine they
> > have you save the key to a file/floppy...
> 
> My understanding is that when you activate, the vendor (Adobe, MS, etc)
> stores your 'machine ID', your product serial number and the fact that
> you've activated. When you rebuild your system and reinstall your app,
> you enter your serial number, the app calls home, sees that it's a
> reinstall on a machine with the same machine ID and activates. This is why
> reinstalls on the same hardware work - the machine ID algorithm results in
> the same ID.
> 
> Urgh, and yes, I've had to activate a few Microsoft products on my
> wife's machine - what a lame system.

A rhetorical question:  I wonder about the legality of doing what I see on 
the various fora regarding this type of thing--buy a retail copy w/license, 
then bum a CD from a friend with an enterprise version to do your install
so you don't have to go through that activation crap.

My dad balked about Windows XP for a very long time b/c of the "lack
of control".  Then he tried to install Win 98 on his newest computer 
and gave up and installed XP when the mobo drivers were not 
available for 98.

And yes, I have suggested this new-fangled thing called UNIX as well as
Macs, and he flatly says, "I won't learn another operating system".  I 
wonder what he'll do when they force Longhorn on him.  I have a good
mind to bring him a BSD box and leave it.  The "new stuff" will be too
tempting for him to ignore.

=Nadine=