Hi, I recently purchased J41 as a download, which is activated with serial number only.I'm concerned that activation dialog didn't ask me for account details, and therefore I need you to explain me how it works and what data is transferred and stored on your servers.Could you explain us the activation process and list all the data that is transmitted to your servers please ? Regards,Tomasz Fiszer

Hmm, while activating Windows don't ask for any additional info, FSX don't ask etc, most apps don't ask it while activating :(

Hmm, while activating Windows don't ask for any additional info, FSX don't ask etc, most apps don't ask it while activating :(

But it's explained in privacy policy regarding the activation process, what data is transferred and stored on their servers.So, all I wan't to know is what personal or FSX's data is being stored on PMDG's servers when the product is first activated, for comparison later. Is it a dynamic hash as a combination of hardware and software information, is it computer name, windows' product id, mac address, fsx's key, or product id? Most people don't care (or are unaware) about their personal data being trasferred over to some servers, which may not be secured enough, and allow others to steal it, which is why I'm concerned. I see nothing wrong with that request, and in fact access to such information is guaranteed by law.Cheers

Yes, it will be good if someone from crew will explain it, but I think that You have mistaken "Activation" with "Information collected from customers (...) for the purpose of purchase transaction and order fulfillment (...)" which is not exactly the same. If You don't enter any personal info while activating, then there's no possibility that it could be transfered anywhere, is it? :(Ok, I say nothing more, let's wait for PMDG.

But it's explained in privacy policy regarding the activation process, what data is transferred and stored on their servers.So, all I wan't to know is what personal or FSX's data is being stored on PMDG's servers when the product is first activated, for comparison later. Is it a dynamic hash as a combination of hardware and software information, is it computer name, windows' product id, mac address, fsx's key, or product id? Most people don't care (or are unaware) about their personal data being trasferred over to some servers, which may not be secured enough, and allow others to steal it, which is why I'm concerned. I see nothing wrong with that request, and in fact access to such information is guaranteed by law.Cheers

No. PMDG wont take any personal info from your pc, the activation will only result in information about the activation itself to inform them that you have registered it. Theres no point to them of taking your fsx key or your windows product id etc. They might collect results to your computers hardware ONLY in the hope they can inprove on framerates for their products. But the hardware info is just a guess, im not sure they do that, but they certainly dont take anything personal.

Of course the only person who can answer this question is someone from PMDG.However, I doubt they will tell you how exactly their copy protection works. My guess is that somehow your account information is used to generate a unique code that only works for the product YOU downloaded, i.e. I would be unable to activate my JS41 with your code and vice versa.But thats just a guess.

Of course the only person who can answer this question is someone from PMDG.However, I doubt they will tell you how exactly their copy protection works. My guess is that somehow your account information is used to generate a unique code that only works for the product YOU downloaded, i.e. I would be unable to activate my JS41 with your code and vice versa.But thats just a guess.

I dont Think that can work coz there are people out there with cracks that install pmdg products fine

Yes, obviously that is what a crack does, circumventing the copy protection.

You have mistaken "Activation" with "Information collected from customers (...) for the purpose of purchase transaction and order fulfillment (...)" which is not exactly the same.

Those are two subjects but closely related. Any data transferred from your PC across the internet without your knowledge has to be listed somewhere, usually in the License. I couldn't find it the license, which I always read.The reason why I'm concerned is that the activation system has to get some unique data from your computer and associate it with your serial number. Then it has to store it somewhere for further comparison, so that you can't install the same thing on many PCs for example. Now, in order to identify system uniquely, you need to obtain some combination of data that will be 99-100% unique across millions of computers on the market. Now, my question is what is that data, that is being collected to uniquely identify your system. Other activation systems, e.g. Windows or FSX have that data listed. I'm just asking for the same from PMDG, as their activation system looks to be homebrew, and there's no other way to find out.I'm 12 years exp software engineer and architect, and I always put a great deal of effort into securing of my personal data.Regards

Im sure PMDG isn't stealing, or leaching personal data from you. I wouldn't be so paranoid. Glad to see you finally bought a PMDG aircraft though, and were able to look past their "poor website and customer service"Enjoy!

After all You are right, putting simple statement in Privacy Policy that no personal data is transfered anywhere during the process of activation isn't big problem. Of course the only data that could be transfered this way is Your specs, or software You have installed in Your PC, and in this case, if PMDG will ever want to know it, all they need to do is... ask, not steal :( I do a lot of shopping on internet and I'm very concerned about my privacy too, oh and I used to be programmer some time ago, I know how this things work even if I'm too long out of business :(

Exactly what you enter: orderid, email address, password.

Exactly what you enter: orderid, email address, password.

Hi, sorry for many questions, but it troubles me.The activation dialog only asks for the serial key, so I'm confused as to where the app is getting oriderid, email address and password from.Thanks in advance.Tomasz Fiszer

Activation asks only for serial key, probably because it's nothing more than simple online serial validation...

Seems like exactly the questions I would be asking if I wanted to release a crack for the J41...