FSD! Im over add-ons with anti-piracy built in.

[Guest Ian Ritchie]

Seems rather reasonable now. Back up all the installed files on a CD and manually put them into your FS folder next time your reformat, or whatever.

[Guest guyjr]

I suppose FSD can write whatever usage license they want as far as their software goes, but this nonsense about not being able to install on more than one machine goes against just about every license I've ever read. Typically the license pertains to the _usage_ of the software, meaning that you are legally allowed to _use_ the software on a maximum of N number of machines simultaneously. I can't believe FSD think they have a defensible position, or at the very least one that's going to garner them favor in the FS or software community at large. They need to step up to the plate here and get with the times, or decide on a different profession.

[Guest JonP01]

>Machine Binding & Licensing is unfortunately increasingly>common in software delivery these days and it has been brought>upon us by piracy and NOT by hardworking developers like us. And, it should be added, not by honest customers who work just as hard as the developers so as to have the money to buy the developer's products.

[Donmo 6]

If you paid by credit card, you can dispute the purchase with the credit card company. It may be your only solution.Don

[Steve Cannell 4]

This certainly isn't a good news post. :-(I have purchased 2 packages from FSD and enjoy flying both, however seeing FSD's email responses regarding what is resonable use, kind of makes me feel short changed. This shouldn't be considered morally or legally exceptable.I don't feel comfortable at all knowing that some of our Flightsim software developers are monitoring our habits and selling a product that can vapourize or self-destruct.Steve

[Guest]

Going a little OT here but, I recently bought ultimate traffic, so your telling me that I can only install it twice from them too or else they will cancel my liscense? Mom wouldnt like that very much.What happens when I buy FS2004 and install everything 5 or 6 times just to get it working right, I hope flight1 is not like this.

[LAdamson 240]

>>Some of the attitudes on this forum are just ludicrous. Looks>like 1984 and big brother are just 20 years late is all.>Except the internet wasn't around in 1984, and now a large group of people "sponge" whenever possible. Just look at KaZaA , or the fact that FS2004 has already been uploaded including a hack for no CD. This has nothing to do with the original post, but unfortunatly because of all the leaches and freeloaders out there, these methods of anti-piracy keep coming about.................... and it certainly IS there business!L.Adamson

[Guest wathomas777]

It's not that easy. You see, that is one of the things that triggers the type of software being used. A new key is "generated" when it is installed on a new OS. And many times if it is just copied, it won't work because there are no registry files on the new installation to point to the existing installation. The point is this. I purchase the software. I agree not to pirate. Since when has it been FSD's right to count how many times I install it? If they have proof that it was pirated, then prosecute. If the "key" appears on the internet on a file sharing computer, prosecute. If they can prove their case prosecute.Don't give me this, "if your not guilty then what do you have to hide" garbage either.I guess you won't mind a Strip Search every time you board a plane or a pat down everytime you leave Wal-Mart.FSD has a right to protect their property, but in this, they have gone too far, and have lost a potential customer in me. And if FS2004 does the same thing, I won't buy it either.

[Guest]

It's getting to the point were your renting the aircraft or program from a company. If you don't follow their guidelines, you

[Guest wathomas777]

Oh Please. Piracy was just as rampant back when I was in high school as it is today. So you swapped floppys with your friends instead of downloaded them for hours. Files were smaller, and Local BBS's made it even harder to track back then.Last time I checked, my Jimmy Buffet CD doesn't erase itself when it is played on more than one CD player, and there is no "checking software" to make sure the X-box, I'm playing today is the sameone I played yesterday.Piracy exists in all forms of media, and we do pay for it in the increased prices of goods and services. Just like we pay for the shoplifting that occurs daily at Wal-Mart. And I can deal with that. What I refuse to deal with, is Wal-Mart submitting everyone who exits to a pat-down, and a software company who assumes I'm a criminal before I even purchase the software.There are many ways to deal with piracy, and FSD has chosen one that will no doubt upset legal users of their software. FSD has all the right in the world to protect their intellectual property, but in that, their method violates my privacy, or worse, could permanently lock my software, should they become insolvant. As a result, I will not RISK my investment in a company that may not be there tomorrow should I find myself inadvertantly locked out of my software.

[Guest wathomas777]

And one other thing Ian. How would you feel if all of the sudden you had to reinstall, and then re-activate your software, only to find that FSD is in Chapter 13 and no longer is in business?Hmmm. Nice coaster you have. I have lot's of software from companies that are no longer around. Do you really want to buy software that can become unusable when the parent company is no longer around to support it?Ouch.

[Guest JonP01]

>There was a time, when us Flight Sim hobbiest stood up against>this sort of crap. I guess a lot of us have turned into>corporate lackeys. I heard the new FS2006 is gonna have a new>pay per play mode. Must make some of you estatic....(Geez!)There is a certain limit to what a consumer can actually do if they wish to avoid these problems. As far as I am concerned, I just don't buy these products, because I do not wish to run the risk of ending up in the same sort of situation that Jetpilot found himself in. I have had similar problems in the past where I had to perform multiple Windows re-installations within a very short period - all because of faulty hardware. These are the reasons I have avoided buying Windows XP, FSD and Captain Sim products - just to name a few. I was dead-keen to buy a Captain Sim product recently, but decided not to when I found that it would be neccessary to ask them for new activation codes if it became neccessary to re-format my hard drive (btw, hard drives are mechanical and don't last for ever, apart from any number of legitimate reasons as to why a user wishes to reinstall his or her OS). No one seems able to provide me with an explanation of what the customers are going to do if such companies ever suffered the misfortune to go out of business or otherwise just closed shop. I'm not implying any of these companies are doing anything that may result in such circumstances, but companies come and go and that is just the way of the world. Hopefully for each honest consumer put off buying these activated products, there are at least two pirates prevented from profiteering from the same products. If not, then what is the point of it all?

[Guest]

Well I guess I'am done with fsd I was going to purchase there najavo that was coming out until this :( The funny thing is I just emailed steve small a couple of days ago about reactivating my registration on the commander, I didn't know they were monitoring our ip's and os unbelieveble! I did get a quick and nice response from steve but this is just to much for me. I didn't buy PMDG because of there reg system now FSD is the next. I think this anti piracy stuff has gone to far and is now to the point of running off customers :(

[Guest Id Rather Be Flying]

"For the life of me I cannot understand why you are reinstalling Windows so often."You know what, UNTIL WINDOWS and applications are PERFECT there will ALWAYS be a need to REINSTALL Windows. I have bought all of FSD products and this thread REALLY put me over the edge. From one developer to another you are obviously OUT OF TOUCH with REALITY and people who know how to make Windows work right after a while!!! REINSTALL is USUALLY the ONLY best solution after a while of corrupt files or installs and add/removes.It's situations like this that make me as an HONEST legitamate owner of paid software that I LOOK for ways to protect myself. NOT TO copy or share with anyone but me!! I have found ways around ALL software to date that I own with registrations but shared them with NO ONE!I have been into PC's for 25 years and this MENTALITY of STOPPING PIRACY is IDIOTIC! You are all living on FANTASY ISLAND! STOP IT and produce or join the RIAA in prosecuting kids for downloading the latest Britney Spears tracks. IT WILL NOT MATTER WHAT COPY PROTECTION YOU USE!!! You will ONLY inconvenience and disillusion LEGITIMATE USERS. If I don't figure out a way to circumvent your stupid protections then someone else will.I am ALL FOR people making a living and supporting GOOD WORK but I know SHAREWARE software that has made MORE MONEY than commercial hounds.I could talk for hours and wish I had a Mic & a stage and people face to face because I would lay out the facts and take a stand on something that I have witnessed as FUTILITY!

[Guest wathomas777]

AMEN!I have lot's of software that I purchased legally in which the company is either out of business or no longer supporting the product. Does that mean that I am out of luck now?There are many ways to deal with piracy. It has always been a problem, like shoplifting.I do not advocated piracy or shoplifting. But as an honest consumer, I can't really say that I would support submitting my self to a pat down search every time I left Wal-Mart, because they felt it "necessary" to protect their interests.I would shop elsewhere. Intuit learned very hard, the reality of this issue with their Turbo Tax fiasco. The only reason FSD hasn't really felt it, is their distribution is much more limited.FSD will find that this policy does more harm than good. Hopefully for those who need new "keys" periodically, they will find this out before they go bankrupt, and leave their users stranded.