signs of an upgraded copy...?

[Manuel]

Hi everybody,

 

I have a chance to buy a second hand (version, copy, license) of an old A:M, but I don't want to fall into the error of "divide a license" cause that would be illegal... and plain piracy...

 

The seller is not the original owner but a "second hand shop" then, He doesn't know all about the origin of that copy...

 

So my question is, is there a way to know if a license was "divided"? is there a sign, a mark or something on the CDs that could help me to know?, Hash's people would get angry if I ask about the status of a license with the serial number, and even more, of an old version?

 

Thank you

 

... a little question more, A:M was always sold in its box? or sometimes was sold the material and CDs without a box?

 

Thank you again.

[Rodney]

Manuel,

The short answer to your question is that if you bought your copy of A:M second hand it isn't a valid license.

The longer answer tends to get people stressed more than reasonably required.

 

There are no longer upgrades in the old sense of the term.

The scenario you describe is one of the reasons the old upgrade went the way of the dodo. Too many people misunderstood the terms of the agree upon license.

There is a topic that recently visited this issue that goes into the legalities in considerably more detail and includes the perspective of those that don't like it.

 

Bottom line: It's hard to beat a new $79 license.

If you purchase second hand (i.e. not from a licensed reseller) you aren't getting the license but you are effectively fully and completely cancelling the previous owner's license as they agreed to destroy all copies when they no longer wished to abide by the terms of said license.

 

The only way to legally transfer a license is through Hash Inc.

Hope that answers your question.

[zandoriastudios]

Yay, another potential user chased away....

[robcat2075]

So my question is, is there a way to know if a license was "divided"? is there a sign, a mark or something on the CDs that could help me to know?,

 

Manuel,

 

My legal opinion is a bit different than Rodney's.

 

I ascribe to the principle first asserted in the 1908 Supreme Court ruling in Bobbs-Merrill Co. v. Strauss that allows someone to resell a copyrighted work if they are truly giving it up and not just making a new copy.

 

If you have a version that runs only with a CD in the drive and you have that CD in your drive, you may run it. The person who sold it to you doesn't have the CD anymore so they can't run it anymore.

 

Those CD versions are kind of old and, yes, the current $79 annual subscription has many improvements, but if you use that version you've got and have questions about A:M, we'll try to answer your questions (if it's at least v11 or later )

[Dpendleton77]

Yay, another potential user chased away....

So true.

[Rodney]

Yay, another potential user chased away....

 

Manuel can handle the truth.

A friend is someone who will tell it to you straight and that is what I hope to continue to do.

I surely do wish that others would too.

There are enough illegit users of A:M already.

I'm simply trying to steer Manuel toward being a legit user which I assume is what he wants to do.

What should we tell him? Buy the illegit copy and have fun with it?

He doesn't need our advice to do that.