Posted: 1/18/2013 6:09:20 AM EDT
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If your company sells software, how do you handle the below? Or as a consumer, what is your expectation?
Software loaded on a computer 3 years ago. Now you want to load the software on a new computer but you do not have (lost) the CD and the License Key. As a company who sold it, how do you handle the customer's request for help? As a consumer who purchased it, what outcome do you expect? |
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Quoted: If your company sells software, how do you handle the below? Or as a consumer, what is your expectation? Software loaded on a computer 3 years ago. Now you want to load the software on a new computer but you do not have (lost) the CD and the License Key. As a company who sold it, how do you handle the customer's request for help? As a consumer who purchased it, what outcome do you expect? Old school companies will force you to buy a new copy. Newer companies will allow you to download the software from their website, and the License key is associated with your email, so if you lose it you just fill out a quick form and it's sent to your Inbox. Though they do limit the amount of installations. Like Microsoft, I believe they hook your mother board and other hardware configuration into the registration. So if you keep install on different computers, they'll have a record of it and cut off your key/online registration after so many installations. |
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Depends if its software thats sold directly to the customer, or something a consumer buys a boxed copy in the store.
We sell big medical software, and we have an online activation licensing server. As long as the customer supplies their info and hasn't exceeded their max number of current activations, the license server lets them roll. But the customers are always buying from us directly, so we have the customer's info on file. If there's an issue they just call us and we take care of it. If you bought a boxed copy at the store and lost ALL proof of purchase (license key, receipt, etc), I'm not sure I'd expect the manufacturer to be able to do anything. |
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Quoted: If your company sells software, how do you handle the below? Or as a consumer, what is your expectation? Software loaded on a computer 3 years ago. Now you want to load the software on a new computer but you do not have (lost) the CD and the License Key. As a company who sold it, how do you handle the customer's request for help? As a consumer who purchased it, what outcome do you expect? If the old computer's hard drive is still functional there will be a copy of the key code on it somewhere, but finding where a specific program stores it may be a hassle. If you don't have a functional hard drive from your old computer....you will have to either convince the software company you really do own the software (show a receipt)....or buy it again. |
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No physical media and no license key means the product has been misplaced or transfered. If I couldn't find my blender three years after I bought it I wouldn't demand Hamilton Beach ship me a new one. What if you moved into a new house, still had the blender, but needed Hamilton Beach's permission to plug it in at the new place? |
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If I was the software sales department: "Well, we can upgrade your seat to the current version and send you a new disk and license key for the low, low cost of $XXXX.XX"
If I was the guy who lost the disk and license code: "Shit. Now I have to buy this software again... that will teach me to keep my stuff more organized." What I would actually do if I lost a license key: "Well, looks like we don't need to use THAT software anymore!" My business literally has boatloads of software we have purchased and used over the years and we still have every single install disk and license key accounted for. The biggest problem we face is old software that is no longer compatible with new OSes, which usually generates a call to the software maker and a purchase of an updated license. But that is crazy rare... most old software we have is so outmoded that using it today would be like shooting yourself in the arm just to see if you could still type with a bullet in you. |
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God we went to hell and back for some damned fixed asset software. We lost the update disc and the update wasn't important enough to chase down at the time. The new depreciation laws went into effect and we couldn't to to version 9 without updatign to version 8. The company relented and we got a new version 8 after much pissing and moaning.
Don't loose that crap. |
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Quoted: As a company who sold it, how do you handle the customer's request for help? As a consumer who purchased it, what outcome do you expect? When you lost the key, you lost any rights to the software. Hell, some EULAs restrict themselves to one specific computer with one specific OS for one install. (Do something like upgrade the CPU and you're fucked) |
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Like Microsoft, I believe they hook your mother board and other hardware configuration into the registration. So if you keep install on different computers, they'll have a record of it and cut off your key/online registration after so many installations. True. Although, if you spend more money and purchase the retail version of Windows (as opposed to the OEM version), you are not tied to a particular mobo. I always spend the extra money for the retail versions because I am constantly upgrayde-ing [sic] my home-built PC. For those that do not upgrade frequently, buying the OEM version is a great way to save cash. I paid $199 for my retail version of Windows 7 Home Premium in October 2009.  However, it will make the transition to a new mobo very easy ... I'm about to leave the LGA1366 platform for the next generation Ivy Bridge (?) socket when it comes out next year.
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| As said above it depends on the software company. It also depends on the weight your company has with the company. A while back one of our help desk lost the 50 license to Toad for Oracle(with the DBA addon). It took me all of 15 min on the phone with the original CC for reference to get them to email me the key and mail me a hard copy with new disk. On the other hand we had 1 user that REQUIRED a specific piece of software. He only had it for 1 year before it was time to move from XP to 7 on his laptop. When the help desk went to install it he had lost the key. It took them 3 hours on the phone with them searching through their old printed AR to tell us that we never bought it and we would have to buy it again. |
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Quoted:
If your company sells software, how do you handle the below? Or as a consumer, what is your expectation? Software loaded on a computer 3 years ago. Now you want to load the software on a new computer but you do not have (lost) the CD and the License Key. As a company who sold it, how do you handle the customer's request for help? As a consumer who purchased it, what outcome do you expect? I expect if I lose a key I need to find one on the internet or I am screwed. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
No physical media and no license key means the product has been misplaced or transfered. If I couldn't find my blender three years after I bought it I wouldn't demand Hamilton Beach ship me a new one. What if you moved into a new house, still had the blender, but needed Hamilton Beach's permission to plug it in at the new place? I'm well aware of the questionable licensing schemes used by some vendors. |