The current activation scheme looks like it inhibits using DLP after 2 (or 3 in the case of elite) times replacement of an old PC by a new one or even quicker when we use DPL on two PCs in parallel.
My guess is, that the current figures are meant to limit parallel use and not as some kind of planned obsolescence. I therefore propose that DxO introduce a possibility to give back an activation. This could be done separately or through functionality accessible through the user’s shop account.
Yes, having to ask support to release activations when moving to a new computer is far from ideal, given that they only answer during business hours and seem suspicious of your motives. PhotoLab is the only commercial software I use that requires human support for this.
You’ll get an error message that you’re out of activations (or something to that effect) when you try to activate PhotoLab on your new computer. You then have to contact support to do anything about it.
Activation seems to be associated with the computer’s mac address, so if you just reinstall on the same machine or replace disks you can get away with copying the licence folder from the old installation, but no such luck on new hardware.
I know its a not a photograpic firm but EaseUS has both a download link to ALL versions of there programs you have bourght (and upgraded from) and the ablity to un actavate any of them at any time to realow actavation on a new PC. They alow you to run diffrent programs on the same PC (though I cant see the point with backup, recovery programs), or more usfully move programs. So I have an old backup program on a little used laptop and the current one on the main one.)
I would also add to the request as well. Every application that I own that has an activation limit all have some means for the user to de-activate an installation immediately.
The following are approaches for de-activation for applications I currently have:
De-activate directly in the application itself. Two approaches here, a menu item
that one choses to activate or de-activate. Or, the option exists in the application
preferences. In either case a “dire warning” is issued to make sure that you
really want to de-activate and save any data before hand. Upon acceptance,
the app closes and when re-opening requests activation.
Activate and de-activate from the users web account for the application.
A more recent and novel approach, when opening the app, it checks with a server
to determine if the activation limit is exceeded (which is being done anyway) and
will automatically de-activate the oldest existing install. It will continue this activate
de-activate this “round robin” approach. This is what Adobe is currently using
with CC apps.
A user should not have to wait until “business hours” to manage their own device activation and de-activation.
Some network drivers allow you to change the Mac address, however that will break the EULA so I won’t go into how to do that.
Another thing is, I use an add-on pci-e wireless card and the licence appears to be connected to that. So if I change motherboard, in theory I won’t lose an activation.
Again I don’t encourage anyone to pirate the software and do the right thing.
Yes, and there doesn’t seem to be any requirement that you actually use the interface you’ve activated on, only that it exists. That was one thing I was worried about after I noticed that the mac address at activation is in the license file: that I wouldn’t be able to use a wired interface after activating on wireless, but it’s not a problem.
Possibly you could also tie an activation to a USB network adapter, which certainly widens the scope for abuse. Proper activation/deactivation functionality that’s tied to usage rather than hardware would be better for both honest users and DxO I think.
Something else I see in my license file, I can see more than one MAC address in it… I use VMware player and that also creates several network interfaces as well.
Does Davinci Resolve ask you to connect to the internet every time you start the program? I can see that being abused if that PC is kept offline all the time.
I also support this request. If there’s a limited number of activations, I need to manage these by myself.
No, please NEVER consider this. Expecting everything and always online is a very bad idea (though very common these days), and automatically changing another PCs activation is just impossible anyway (if that one is offline).
In fact, an online connection is only required at the moment the activation status is changed. Since activation of an installation is already handled well inside of the program, it’s pretty obvious that within the same program it should be possible to free that activation again. (If there’s no online connection at that very moment, the activation status simply can’t be changed.)
At the website after login, the activation count could be shown.
KISS principle - minimal effort (on both sides), easy to understand, easy to use, no chance to cheat.
And a very fair licensing scheme.
DXO is not out of ideas since we are many to give feedback, but my guess is that despite looking pro and all they must be struggling. Version 2 to 3 is for example not worth spending 69 euros on for 3 small features. On the side its still clunky to use on PC while mac version is in anyways superior. I say this to illustrate that they are a random company with possibly not enough people working on these products. Considering that they sell another 3 or 4 softwares that have to work together. It is reasonable to think that being a developper there must be hell.
I would rather consider the same activation that Reaon use (formally Propellerheads Reason).
You have 2 possible modes:
using an online check-in/checkout that will limit you to use only one installation at the same time
affecting a license to a local authorization service for offline usage, having that you can unassign and free this affectation yourself whenever you want.
Their EULA include 2 licenses, so having 1 affected on the laptop for roaming offline usage, and one online from several fixed PC, with one concurrent usage only, is a very fair and flexible implementation, I would really love to see DXO implement something like that !
+1. With other software, I deactivate the app on the old machine, uninstall, install on the new, and activate. I’m currently trying to transfer the license via DxO’s tech support - it’s so not 2023.
m-photo
( Marc (macOS Sonoma on MBP16" Intel))
20
Unfortunately it is an old topic that should be fixed as soon as possible.
