Gents-I wanted to share my feelings with you, in terms of the frustration felt when a software security mechanism "inconveniences" us all with its peculiarities. I am all too aware of the eagerness felt when a new product is purchased, and after that, of the disappointment and pain when there's no way I can get my valid license key to work, unless I wait days (or even weeks) for customer support to mail me a replacement because "something was screwed up"... ;-)We at PMDG are trying VERY hard to make this pain as minimal as possible. My very first priority, when implementing this security mechanism, was to make it REAL easy for the customer to use our product. In fact, there's only TWO steps required to validate your purchase:a) Generate a registration code and email it to us,:( Enter the license key received into the registration dialog you will see in our product.Even so, this is not something most users find fun - as such, we are providing ALL our customers with a ten-day GRACE period, in which our product will fully function, without any hinderances. This, mind you, will hold true the FIRST time it is installed - no tricks work in turning back the computer clock, etc. ;-)We feel that ten days is AMPLE time for you to email us, and wait for us to generate your license key. In the mean time, you can still enjoy the full product. (In fact, don't tell Rob I told you, but you could even give it to your friend to check out, and if they like it, they can buy it too - remember - it works for ten days the FIRST time it's installed!)---So what happens if you have to change machines, or even change a motherboard or a hard disk, or even reformat your hard disk?We're working right now towards a solution that will satisfy even the most demanding of our users - those who find it fun to change motherboards every week, or those who consider watching a hard disk reformat better than a pleasant evening with friends... ;-)I will have more news for you in a couple days, but for now, let me just say: We HEAR you. We understand, and we're working hard towards having each and every one of our customers 100% satisfied with the product we sell you.Thanks for reading,

Hi Lefteris,i guess you are generating a Key, based on a special hardware-component. You could couple this Key with a valid e-mail adress and password in case one needs a replacement of the key.I.e. i bought a new motherboard (faster CPU for demanding products "hinthint") and a new HD, because this one i am running is producing more and more corrupt sectors, so if i had just installed your 737NG i would probably run in exactly the troubles you are describing.Cheers and best regardsHolger

Never mind, I found my answer elsewhere.--Lee Hetherington

I was really looking forward to your 737NG and I

Lefteris,I'm sure you're aware of it, but something that generates a code and then another complementary unlock code like that via an algorithm is gonna be cracked and turned into a key generator by the pirate idiots in a matter of days or even hours. I've seen this happen way too many times, most notably on a $600 piece of music software I was a beta tester for last year - they had an elaborate system where you had to email the company a key formed via a unique hardware ID algorithm along with a CD-key, and they would then email you back the registration number. It took less than a week for the crackers to decompile/reverse engineer it and release a key generator on IRC and Kazaa - the developers were pretty shocked to say the least.I'm not sure what the solution is, but I just wanted to let you know that in my experience this kind of protection doesn't work.Ryan

>>however I

<>Excecution! :-lolVinPMDGwww.precisionmanuals.comhttp://www.vinscimone.com/dancnkid.gif

Ryan-I am not harboring illusions of any kinds, regarding whether our protection mechanism will be cracked.However, it's a matter of percentages. If we can prevent 80% of pirating this way, it's still a significant success...Thanks for sharing your thoughts in such a respectful manner... I really do appreciate it.As for what the solution is - there's no solution that works 100%. So this will have to do.

Walter-though it's a pity to lose a customer this way, be assured the net gains are enough to warrant this choice, so it will have to stick, if we are to stay alive in the markets... :-(Remember: You can please all people some of the time, some people all the time, but you can never please all people all the time...

>>those who find it fun to change motherboards every week, or those who consider watching a hard disk reformat better than a pleasant evening with friends..<<

<Not a personal stab at Vortex.. or anyone in particular.. just a general comment.One of the downfalls of reporting people is you rarely get to have the follow through.... You never get to see their face when the feds bust down their door :-(VinPMDGwww.precisionmanuals.comhttp://www.vinscimone.com/dancnkid.gif

>Walter->>though it's a pity to lose a customer this way, be assured the>net gains are enough to warrant this choice, so it will have>to stick, if we are to stay alive in the markets... :-(>>Remember: You can please all people some of the time, some>people all the time, but you can never please all people all>the time...Well, as I said, I can understand your point of view - nevertheless...if most people would not buy such software you would be forced to drop your security-system...unfortunately I

A 10 Day grace period would solve all my worries in purchasing your product.I have done it with project magenta, radar contact 3, and one other Flight sim, producer.. and the latter was not prepaired for it.I Think a 10 day grace is the perfect solution, my 747-mcp and myself are waiting for the arrvial for the NG..

@ PMDG :What about the boxed version that will come out in fall? Will it also have this kind of protection? I have to buy a boxed version cause do not have a credit card so far so i would like to know!Thank youMatthias

>>>however I