Do You Agree With Corel's New Terms of Service?

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Just read the Unleashed blog by Foster. Those pesky lawyers are trying to get more blood.
I for one don't like terms like "at any time for any reason" so here it is. What do you think?

" Posted: 16 Aug 2012 08:00 AM PDT

When you are installing software, you are often presented with a screen showing the EULA (End User License Agreement) or TOS (Terms of Service) and some other legal agreement. If you click the OK button to install the software, you are agreeing to whatever it says. If you are like most users, you don't read what it says or at least don't read it in detail.

As part of the installer for the CorelDRAW X6.1 Update, you were presented with Terms of Service related to your "CorelDRAW Membership". There are multiple levels of membership and anyone installing the update is moved to the basic level which has no cost. There is also a premium version which has a cost associated with it. Discussing whether or not the premium membership is right for you is a discussion for another day. Today I want to go over some of the text in the Terms of Service that I feel is overbearing. We all have opinions and you may not have a problem with these terms.

I do know one power user who was so upset that was so upset that it almost led to uninstalling CorelDRAW X6 completely. Unfortunately this user had a project to finish and didn't feel that was a choice. I've gotten some input from that user on the terms I will present as well as a few other users. Again, you may not have an issue with these terms, but I think you should be aware of what you are told to OK. I will quote the terms exactly as written and then below that quote will be my comments on that specific term.
Section 1d "It is your responsibility to regularly check http://www.corel.com/tos to review the current General Terms and Addition Terms."
That seems to mean Corel doesn't need to tell you if they make changes, you need to visit their Web site "regularly" to see what has been changed, if anything.
Section 2b "You may not use another person's Account Information. Corel may require that you change your Account Information or certain parts of your Account Information at any time for any reason."
On the surface, this one makes perfect sense. What is a bit unclear is the situation of a small business. Maybe the business has two users who share a computer with CorelDRAW installed. If one user created the account and the other then accessed it, is that a violation? I'll also refer back to this a bit later when we look at another part of the agreement.
Section 2e "You agree to keep a valid, up-to-date, and regularly monitored email address with your Account Information as Corel might be providing you timely notifications related to your memberships, subscriptions and services covered by these Terms Of Service such as auto-renewal notification and new benefits related to your membership and/or subscription."
If you change your e-mail address, how many things do you have linked to the old e-mail address? I've asked a few people and we all felt that there were at least 100 accounts. Even if it is half of that, it is still out there in a number of locations. Will your first thought to be to update your Corel account with the new address? I doubt it. Yet if you don't update it, they can terminate your membership. While I doubt they would do that without trying really hard to get you to update with the correct e-mail address, it still sounds scary to me.
Section 4b "The Software may automatically download and install updates from Corel from time to time. These updates are designed to improve, enhance and further develop the Services and may take the form of bug fixes, enhanced functions, new Software modules and/or completely new versions. You agree to receive such updates (and permit Corel to deliver these to you with or without your knowledge) as part of your use of the Services."
So you must allow Corel to install updates. What if you know that an update is going to disrupt your productivity? Windows has an updater and you are given a choice as to which update to install and when to install it.

Section 6 "You have no obligation to provide Corel with ideas, suggestions, documentations and/or proposals ("Feedback"). However, if you submit Feedback to Corel, while you retain ownership of such Feedback, you hereby grant Corel a nonexclusive, royalty-free, fully paid, perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, unlimited license under all of your Intellectual Property Rights to use and otherwise exploit your Feedback for any purpose throughout the universe."
So if you give Corel a million dollar idea, you get nothing. What exactly defines giving them that idea? Let's say a macro developer uncovers some cool new functionality. As I read it, Corel could say the macro was presenting an idea and gives them the right to develop something to do the same thing. What about documentation? Suppose I come up with a great tip in one of my books. Could they then use that idea? This part just scares the daylights out of me.

Section 8a. "Corel may at any time and from time to time modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the Services or Materials, or any portion thereof, with or without notice. You agree that Corel shall not be liable to you or any third party for any modification, suspension or discontinuance of the Services or Materials."

Section 8b. "There may be unanticipated interruptions in the availability of the Services or Materials, or any portion thereof. You agree that Corel shall not be liable to you or any third party for such interruptions regardless of the duration of the interruption."
If the "membership" stops working for any reason, Corel isn't liable. That includes if they choose to discontinue it. Could the membership being off harm your business?

Section 10b "COREL SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ANY LIABILITY WITH REGARD TO ANY ACTIONS RESULTING FROM YOUR USE OF OR PARTICIPATION IN ANY SERVICES AND YOUR USE OF MATERIALS. ANY MATERIAL DOWNLOADED OR OTHERWISE OBTAINED THROUGH USE OF THE SERVICES IS ACCESSED AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK, AND YOU WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM OR LOSS OF DATA THAT RESULTS FROM THE DOWNLOAD OF ANY SUCH MATERIAL. COREL ASSUMES NO LIABILITY FOR ANY COMPUTER VIRUS OR SIMILAR CODE THAT IS DOWNLOADED TO YOUR COMPUTER FROM ANY OF THE SERVICES."
Section 4b said earlier that you are required to install all updates. If that update has a virus (to the best of my knowledge no Corel update has ever had a virus), you are responsible for the damages. Maybe the update modifies a feature that is important to you and that modification is harmful to your productivity. You are required to install it (4b) and Corel is not liable for the harm done to your business.
Section 10d "Corel is not be liable for any loss that you may incur as a result of someone else using your password or account or account information in connection with the site or any services or materials, either with or without your knowledge."
Remember 2b above? So someone else gets into your account (maybe they have stolen your credentials), Corel can terminate your account. Even it is the two people who share a computer as I described earlier, that still seems to indicate your account could be terminated.

Section 12a "OR FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY."
In short, if CorelDRAW kills you, you're out of luck. Not that I can figure out how it could kill you.

Those are the sections that jumped out to me. You may not have a problem with any of them. It just seems very anti-user to me and you are basically forced to agree with these terms if you wish to install the update."

If you don't subscribe to it you should.

[Martin Boekers]

How does this compare to previous versions? Adobe is worse they moniter your computers.

I discovered a few years back in a Corel Clip Art Collection that just by purchasing the collection
didn't give you the right to use it?!!! You had to contact Corel and they would give you the contact info
to negotiate with the owner. That collection was over 10 years old! I thought the idea about bying
collections was unlimited use.

Who knows what we all agree to when we sign off on the EULA's

Some of this is standards in many industries, look at the old photo days, The lab could screw up you shots
but they were only liabale to replace the film.

[Todd Burch]

It is anti-user. Duh. It's pro-Corel. Surprise! (shouldn't be) It's Corel protecting Corel - not you.

[Steve Busey]

Section 12a "OR FOR DEATH OR PERSONAL INJURY."
In short, if CorelDRAW kills you, you're out of luck. Not that I can figure out how it could kill you.

I suppose a "fatal error" could have that effect... :rolleyes:

Maybe I should be more concerned about TOSs, but I've got other things to worry about. I've never had an update render my software unusable, and it would certainly be incredibly bad PR for a company like Corel to just arbitrarily cut a customer off. Meanwhile, the corporate legal team has to justify their existence, so "Hey, let's update the TOS!"

[Martin Boekers]

[QUOTE=Steve Busey;1968994]I suppose a "fatal error" could have that effect... :rolleyes:

Maybe I should be more concerned about TOSs, but I've got other things to worry about. I've never had an update render my software unusable, QUOTE]


I have had Adobe do that! I had a computer that had a "live" version on it, it crashed. I tried to load
The software onto the new computer, it failed. After an hour on the phone they finally ageed to give
me permission. I explained what happened and they told me abou the TOS and they had a record of what
and when I installed previous versions. What a mess.

[John Noell]

I'm a techie and update my computers often. When my Adobe Creative Suite (the entire expensive suite from Photoshop on) would not activate, I called Adobe and was informed that I should have read the TOS more carefully. I am allowed only three installs, and it makes no difference if I can prove a previous install was deleted and I am the only one using the single legit copy. If I switch computers more than twice I have to buy a whole new copy. (Or, of course, take advantage of the many cracked versions floating around.)

[Martin Boekers]

I'm a techie and update my computers often. When my Adobe Creative Suite (the entire expensive suite from Photoshop on) would not activate, I called Adobe and was informed that I should have read the TOS more carefully. I am allowed only three installs, and it makes no difference if I can prove a previous install was deleted and I am the only one using the single legit copy. If I switch computers more than twice I have to buy a whole new copy. (Or, of course, take advantage of the many cracked versions floating around.)

I have 4 computers set up with PS, three run 7 and one runs CS3. Had an issue like you said, with two computers one the hard drive crashed the other was going on a new computer.
While online they had me de-activate one (some how they could check. After going through a stack of discs with all the original versions and upgrades. They decided they would activate
the other one.

Still every once in a while a box pops up asking if I want to register this copy......It makes me nervous that someday they will lock it out (all copies are legit)

[Chuck Stone]

In short, if CorelDRAW kills you, you're out of luck. Not that I can figure out how it could kill you.


I wonder how many people are tempted to hang themselves while trying to read
all that legalese?

[Steven Cox]

Here's the thing that peee's me with any software.... You have to buy it first, then you get the T & C's when you install it, if you decide not to install you can't get a refund because the T & C's that you don't agree to say you can't get a refund.

As for auto updates if your pc is not connected to the net then it can't update. I have a separate laptop for my laser/working machines that I don't use on the net, so will that make me in violation of the T & C's.... I don't think so because how could they inforce it.

[Mike Null]

It does sound pretty stupid but they are, after all, a software company.

[Lee DeRaud]

As for auto updates if your pc is not connected to the net then it can't update. I have a separate laptop for my laser/working machines that I don't use on the net, so will that make me in violation of the T & C's.... I don't think so because how could they inforce it.Oh, that one's easy: once a week/month/whatever, it could refuse to start unless it can connect for "version verification" or some such nonsense.
Think of it as an "Ethernet dongle". :eek:

[Rodne Gold]

I never read the TOS anyway so it wasn't till now that I got concerned -THANK YOU MICHAEL!!!.. :)
I recon if the software provider blocks my paid for program from working , I would have no compunction about buying a pirated version that does work and would most likely never buy a legal upgrade again..only way to hurt em for that type behaviour . You might have a legal leg to stand on .. but who is gonna fight that battle!!!
I suppose they just covering all bases , some ppl are litigation happy and it seems these days you need to cover your b.tt and the product with warning stickers.

[Mike Null]

I've never condoned the idea of bootleg software but in this case I think you may have the answer.

[Larry Bratton]

Oh, that one's easy: once a week/month/whatever, it could refuse to start unless it can connect for "version verification" or some such nonsense.
Think of it as an "Ethernet dongle". :eek:
Yes, and when that happens, they will bring down a firestorm of competition and will see a mass exodus of their customer base.

[paul cottingham]

One large software company (I ll leave it to you to guess who) introduced what we techies called a "shrink wrap license." in essence, the license, which appeared during installation stated that by unwrapping the shrink wrap on the software and starting the install process, you had agreed to a license you hadn't read yet. And that company is still thriving, despite the fact that there is plenty of free, open source software (without the same onerous license terms) available to the same userbase. I can't believe such a license is even legal.

[Martin Boekers]

The problem lies what is Corel's Competition? Illustrator or Inkscape?

I haven't checked the TOS on earlier versions, has it always been the same or is this new for X6?
I guess if it's new then they may have found out how many actually do bootleg products or use a single
copy for multi users.

We do have someone from Corel here, maybe he can clarify this so we have a better understanding of
what has changed and why.

Me personally, I don't have an issue paying for software, for it's daily use I think it's a bargain!
I wish they had multi users starting at 2 though for a discount. I do have issues with wanting access to
my computer.

Corel always has quality discounts, You should NEVER pay full price for Corel software, search or add youself
to their email list it's worth the effort! Adobe rarely has a discount period!

Inkscape & GIMP are free, but in the business word give me Corel or Adobe.

[Lee DeRaud]

Yes, and when that happens, they will bring down a firestorm of competition and will see a mass exodus of their customer base."Mass exodus"? I doubt it. There will be a very small (albeit extremely vocal) minority who will get upset, but the overwhelming majority of Corel's customer base won't care. In fact, unless they go out of their way to check, they won't even notice that the program is talking to the mother-ship.

[Michael Kowalczyk]

So I don't think getting a pirated copy is ever the answer, especially if you are running a business. The repercussions could wipe you out. There is always more than one way to build a box and I just found out yesterday that Serif, a British Co, has a product called Drawplus v5 and when i spoke to their rep she said that they can now use CDR files. Not sure it means they will open or import them but they have a 60 day MBG and some interesting features. Take a look at http://www.serif.com/drawplus/ . I am not affiliated with them but do have several of their apps. You can negotiate with them also.

It is because of the hackers and crackers out there that cause us, legal users, to be penalized with these extra protection methods both legally with TOS and with embedded status checkers or what ever you call them.

[Kim Vellore]

Michael,
I just checked out the drawplus program and it looks like it is similar to Corel but has awesome features. It is time for me to upgrade from my X3 but I might go to Drawplus, not because of TOS but I think it is a better program. Thanks for the link.

Kim

[John Stevenson]

Also take a look at Inkscape, [ no affiliations ] it's a completely free app.

Just as a heads up those shrink wrapped TOS's and the one where you have to install to see the TOS have been thrown out out the UK courts.

[Michael Hunter]

So do the new terms seriously affect the number of installations you can make?
The original X6 terms were a bit ambiguous - you were only officially allowed one installation, but they did not seem to mind if you put a second installation onto a laptop, so long as you only used one copy at a time.

The above suits me perfectly as the laptop copy acts both as a backup to keep me going in case of computer failure and also to take out to work with customers.

I can't find the new terms and don't want to download the upgrade until I know the answer.

(The TOS for the new premium membership are outrageous, all for just £179 per year.
Not allowed to "alter the materials"? what are we - scrap-bookers?)

[Lee DeRaud]

So do the new terms seriously affect the number of installations you can make?
The original X6 terms were a bit ambiguous - you were only officially allowed one installation, but they did not seem to mind if you put a second installation onto a laptop, so long as you only used one copy at a time.That's probably one of the more important questions to get answered. Since v12, I've had CD installed on two computers: the 'design' box (huge monitor, scanner, graphics tablet etc) and the 'laser' box in the other room (used mostly just to open CDR files and send them to the laser). And the installer didn't even twitch when I did a third install after a motherboard melt-down.

Then again, based on what I've seen here, it's not like I really needed another reason not to upgrade from X4.

[Michael Hunter]

Then again, based on what I've seen here, it's not like I really needed another reason not to upgrade from X4.

Fully agree!

I still do most designing in X3 (sheer laziness!!!) and the computer in my workshop that drives the laser (a very old XP machine) probably would not run anything more advanced than X3 at a usable speed.

Where X6 does prove useful is -
Importing customer's files.
Exact placement of text.
Looks better to customers if you are seen to be using the latest version.

Where X6 is the absolute pits -
Wanting to revert/convert to CMYK all the time.
I have read all the posts, done all the tweaks and it STILL does it.

[CHris Prioli]

You know, for many years now I've pondered the whole software licensing and piracy issue, and I've come to an interesting realization. America Online (AOL) had the right idea. Have you ever heard of AOL software being pirtated? Of course not... they give it away for free! If the big software publishers really wanted to stop piracy, they would do the same thing... almost. Consider the effect, for example, of a Microsoft or a Corel distributing their software at no charge, and then charging the user a small annual fee for using it. One of the reasons for the current high price of many software packages is the need to cover the losses brought about through piracy. However, IMHO, if there were a small annual fee -- say even as little as $15 or $20 a year per workstation (as opposed to a $400+ purchase price), I believe that most users would pay the annual fee and remain legal. With piracy at rates approaching 60% (Huffington Post reported 57% in June -- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/01/software-piracy-study-bsa_n_1563006.html), I believe that my annual fee basis would remove a large portion of the piracy incentive and increase the software publishers' revenues, while also saving money for the users. Any takers??

[Michael Kowalczyk]

Hey Chris,
Welcome to the Creek but I disagree. When you get something for nothing it has no or limited value if everyone has the same. If there is no monetary value, then there is no or little incentive to create new features. Who pays for tech support? If your theory was the panacea then Inkscape, Blender, Sketchup and others would corner the market. The only incentive I see is giving away limited versions to get them hooked and want the features on the upgraded version that they will have to pay for.

[John Stevenson]

There is a middle ground that is trod by other software writers and that is regular and cheap upgrades so it's not worth pirating.
However it all depends on a user base. Two companies that spring to mind are Turbocad and Serif, Serif have kept to their operating method for many years.
I use Page plus and for what I use it for, very simple DTP applications, probably version 3 would be enough but I upgrade every year when they come out, usually at a cost of £40 to £60 just so the company can afford to exist and bring upgrades out.

Turbocad, although I don't use it used to be the same but their upgrades have jumped in price, however if you are content to remain a version behind then their upgrades are reasonable.

In many case the latest upgrades are only bells and whistles that appeal to 5% of users.

[Scott Shepherd]

I don't mean any disrespect, but what's the big deal? You all know that if you buy one copy, you can install it on one computer. Corel used to allow 3 installations, now they cut that to 2 installations. You bought one copy, installed it on 3 machines, and somehow that's Corel's fault for being mean and evil to customers? I don't get it.

They are allowing 2 installs. What more do you expect from them? You won't install Adobe products on more than 2 machines either. You don't have the legal right to do so, so what's the problem? Is your position that you should be able to steal from them without any consequences? I hope that's not anyone's position.

[Michael Hunter]

I don't mean any disrespect

Yes you did - yours is a really snotty post!

I was asking to find out whether I could still have TWO installations of X6.1 *.

Lee did a third, but only because of a hardware failure which seems a pretty legitimate reason for doing so.

Still, you did answer my question.


* My third installation will still be legitimate, since it is a different version

[Scott Shepherd]

Yes you did - yours is a really snotty post!

I'm sorry you read it that way, that's certainly not how it was meant. I was curious to know what the issues were. You buy one copy, so what should you be allowed to install it on, 100 computers? 50? 1? 5? What's the number that makes it okay?

If I meant to be "snotty" (your words), I wouldn't have cited Adobe's policy which is the same thing. That shows I was asking why the big deal when it's already common practice by all the big players in that market. That's called stating the facts, not being snotty and disrespectful.

[Michael Hunter]

Scott

Up to X6.0 it was three installations.
Corel are clearly tightening up, hence my question.
You tell us that the number is now down to two installations.

That is fine - I could live with just one if necessary, as I neither need nor want to upgrade the machine in my workshop and don't really need it for my design machine either.

Whilst there have been a lot of general complaints about terms in this thread, no-one has complained about the numbers of installs allowed.
In fact, no-one seemed to know until you came up with the number.

[Scott Shepherd]

I understand Michael. I didn't say I liked any of their terms, I just live with them. Corel is fast following Adobe and Adobe has gotten horrible about it. You should check out the new Adobe Creative Cloud, which gives you access to all the Adobe products. It's $50 a month, and you sign up for a year, so that's $600. You can download any application that they offer directly to your computer. If you decide not to renew your subscription after a year, then you lose access to all the programs. Of course, you can still buy the normal retail version and pay more for it, and you own that, as far as being able to use it for a long time. But the thought of paying for software that stops working when you stop paying is one I'm a long long way from being happy about. If times get tight and I try and buckle down and save all my money, if I don't pay the $50 a month, then it essentially shuts my ability to create graphics down on their software. So in the time I need it the most, it'll be gone.

I certainly hope Corel isn't going that direction.

[Lee DeRaud]

Of course, you can still buy the normal retail version and pay more for it, and you own that, as far as being able to use it for a long time.Leaving aside the question of whether you actually own the program (and for most software, legally you don't), I have an issue with the idea that "for a long time" actually translates to "for however long I can keep a specific computer/disk/OS combination running and/or am satisfied with its performance".

As you say, I certainly hope Corel isn't going that direction.

[Mark Ross]

With invasive idiotic TOS that are a POS, the fix is simple. I don't let any software communicate with the outside world unless I let it. Everything sits behind a firewall. The only things I let communicate are my Autodesk programs. Corel can stuff it. I'll stay at X6. We bought it thinking there was a bug in X3 but there is an overall bug that makes our laser hang and it is definitely in Corel.

Adobe has to be the worst. I can't go a week without it wanting to update. Unfortunately because there are so many security flaws in Adobe I have to let it update, but I decide when and if it communicates.

[Martin Boekers]

Like we all have said Adobe is the worst. I don't mind paying for software as I use it 8 hours a day all year.
I get the best value from Corel, If you wait and check their webpages from time to time you can upgrade
for as little as $150.00. To me that's a bargain. This is our main tool, I don't understand that many waste
money on all different things, but have an issue spending for our main tool.

The issue I have is them getting into my computer. Adobe has done this for years and has shut my software down,
Loaded it on a new computer (old one crashed) So I was legal. A pain to get it reinstalled.

Does Adobe offer limited (only one program) for their monthly program or do you have to have it all? I'd pay $20 a month for PS
don't use4 much else.

[Scott Shepherd]

Does Adobe offer limited (only one program) for their monthly program or do you have to have it all? I'd pay $20 a month for PS
don't use4 much else.

I'm afraid it's all or nothing. When it started, I thought you could pick the programs, but now, it looks like all or nothing. It's actually a great deal if you can use the stuff. It comes with ALL of the Adobe stuff. Video editing, website stuff, fonts, PS, all the things. Things like Muse, their new website generation program, and lots of cool stuff.

I just can't get past the paid that I paid for it and now you take it away when I stop paying.

I've actually thought about taking two paths, one is the $50 a month path for all the cool stuff, and then just keep updating the normal way on a separate path. So I'll always have the disc on hand for the things that are mission critical to my business, but I'll still get access to all the other stuff that I can use when I need that.

[Martin Boekers]

Scott, I imagine it may not be too far away for Adobe to sell yearly licenses period. (many higher end CAD programs do)
I see this as a test for them to see how it goes. It's a shame they don't have bigger discounts for smaller shops.
I have one CS3 and three 7's right now. I get the newer version ;) my co-workers use 7. If they had better group policy
I might upgrade the rest, but not for the cost as is. I would also consider buying blocks of time, like a cell phone. You
pay for what you use. I use PS about an hour a day so it's hard to justify upgrade costs.

[Ruben Salcedo]

Martin,

actually there are individual subscription upgrades, for photoshop alone it's actually $19.99 a month, you have to go look for individual upgrades and you'll see this option.


Ruben

[Martin Boekers]

Martin,

actually there are individual subscription upgrades, for photoshop alone it's actually $19.99 a month, you have to go look for individual upgrades and you'll see this option.


Ruben

Rueben, I tried to find it but couldn't. I did see an upgrade to PS CS6 was $199.00 so actually it's cheaper for the upgrade.
I noticed the do have the whole package on sale now at a special rate of $29.00 a month for a year. Something to think
about for designers.


It took some searching, but I found it. I wonder can you use it as an upgrade later if you decide to purchase a full version of PS?
What happens if you you drop it after a year then decide later you want to re-subscribe, is there an addition cost?

[Scott Shepherd]

I wonder can you use it as an upgrade later if you decide to purchase a full version of PS?
What happens if you you drop it after a year then decide later you want to re-subscribe, is there an addition cost?

I don't see any upgrade path in their system for doing that. If you go to the disc version, there is no option to upgrade from the cloud version, but I could be wrong.

Here's the team license info.....

http://wwwimages.adobe.com/www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/products/creativesuite/companies/pdfs/ccteam-ready-overview.pdf

Notice it says that you cannot buy it directly from Adobe. It's creative cloud for a team of people.

I contacted Adobe and asked if you had Creative Cloud 6 and decided to go to the disc copy of 7 when it comes out, would there be an upgrade path available to do that. Their response was "there will be no upgrade path".

So that answers that.

[Ruben Salcedo]

It took some searching, but I found it. I wonder can you use it as an upgrade later if you decide to purchase a full version of PS?
What happens if you you drop it after a year then decide later you want to re-subscribe, is there an addition cost?

Martin,

I believe subscriptions don't qualify for upgrades for stand alone licenses, since with subscriptions you're eligible to keep up to date with new features as come along withing your subscription period including new major versions like possible version 7, with subscriptions you do not need to wait for a major version upgrade to get the new stuff you get them as they become available, and with stand alone versions you have to wait until the next major version becomes available to get the new stuff, with this you can only get maintenance updates just like you're doing it now.

At the moment I'm debating at which way I'm going to go, the cloud subscription is very tempting and the $29.99 deal ends at the end of this month... decisions, decisions...

Ruben

[Ruben Salcedo]

Scott,

you can see it here (https://store1.adobe.com/cfusion/store/html/index.cfm?event=displayProduct&categoryOID=7240503&store=OLS-US&distributionmethodOID=1000040)

Ruben

[Michael Hunter]

Watch out!!! X6.0 is ALREADY talking to Corel.

As I closed X6.0 just now, a box came up saying "your upgrade is ready for installation".


Now here's interesting -
If you had 3 (legal) installations of X6.0, will the automatic upgrade work on all of them, or just 2 of them, or will it disable the third installation altogether?

The X6.0 EUL does allow for extra installations in the case of a computer or drive being changed, though you need to contact Corel for an authorisation code.
This seems very reasonable and I hope that it is continued in X6.1 and onwards.

[Martin Boekers]

Right now it looks like I'll stick with an upgrade as it's cheaper. I have heard that pretty soon upgrades will have to start form
more recent versions than mine, so I may have to upgrade sooner to stay in the loop. Corel has how should I say an "insurance
policy" that for a fee if they update the version within a period of time you get the upgrade for free., not sure if Adobe has that yet.

One thing for sure, how we buy and use software is definitaly changing!

[Michael Kowalczyk]

One other way to have an app on multiple machines is using a dongle but if it breaks and it is not insured for full value of the software then :mad:.
Artcam has it set up this way. so unless it is defective you have to purchase the whole app again.

Times are changing, resistance is futile (Borg reference for you Trekkies) or if there is enough resistance to the change and revenues sink then option B may show its face.
I keep my CPU, for the laser, off line also and just run X3 and my Job Control. I was forced from windows 2000 on my laptop to xp pro on an IBM pancake just so I could upgrade to the latest Job Control. It was well worth it. having it dedicated and not networked has it's benefits but that also means I have to walk everything from this CPU with a USB mem stick and bring it to the laser room. It does give me an automatic backup though.

[Ruben Salcedo]

Yes, I believe that the oldest version from which can upgrade to CS6 is CS3, and by next year it will jump for a higher up version to be compatible for an update, I do have CS5, but I may go with the cloud deal, one of the programs that interest me besides the core programs was Muse but the features initially was lacking of some basic functionality, but I just found out today that they just released version 2 and the new features are great.


Ruben

[Tony Severenuk (Corel)]

Scott

Up to X6.0 it was three installations.
Corel are clearly tightening up, hence my question.
You tell us that the number is now down to two installations.


Sorry for opening up an old thread.....just ran across this one and I wanted to jump in and let you know what happens...

You are still allowed to install on 3 mchines. If you decide to move a copy from one machine to another, and you have Update 1 installed, be sure to be "signed in" when you uninstall and that will deactivate that computer. You can then install on another without issue.

If you install it on too many machines the software will continue to operation. What happens is you loose access to the online content.

Hopefully I this helped out some,
Tony

[Tony Severenuk (Corel)]

I was asking to find out whether I could still have TWO installations of X6.1 *.


You can have X6.1 installed on 3 machines. Note that it cannot be usedon all 3 machines at the same time. Looking through the EULA, 3rd paragraph, you will find the following:
"....MAY DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL ANY OF THESE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS ON UP TO THREE (3) SYSTEMS IN A SINGLE ADDRESS, HOWEVER IT CAN ONLY BE USED BY YOU ON ONE (1) SYSTEM AT A TIME."

Tony

[Tony Severenuk (Corel)]

Watch out!!! X6.0 is ALREADY talking to Corel.

As I closed X6.0 just now, a box came up saying "your upgrade is ready for installation".
Now here's interesting - If you had 3 (legal) installations of X6.0, will the automatic upgrade work on all of them, or just 2 of them, or will it disable the third installation altogether?


All versions will phone home for updates, and this has been the case since X3. During installation you had an option to say whether you wanted it to automatically download the update or not. If you selected to have them automatically downloaded, then the app will prompt to install them once you close it.
If you have it installed on 3 machines, all 3 machines will talk with the Corel server. They will either download the update and notify you, or just notify you, that the update is available.

Tony.

[Tony Severenuk (Corel)]

I for one don't like terms like "at any time for any reason"....

Obviously companies pulling features on a whim is a bad idea, so I thought I would give an example of where a company like Corel would want to have a disclaimer like this.

Some of the features built into CorelDRAW rely on third party companies to provide. One case and point is WhatTheFont, which is a font identification service that's been built into CorelDRAW since X3. The service itself is hosted by Bitstream (now Monotype since they bought Bitstream). Monotype hasn't told us they plan to cancel or modify the service, but you can imagine that after a takeover new owners might change focus of some of the things that the older company (Bistream) used to offer.

Should that happen, would Corel want to get sued based on that, when it's totally out of our control?

This is the more likely scenario that's covered with this one, it's not so we can use the CorelDRAW platform to try stuff out and remove it if it doesn't work out.

Tony

[Dan Hintz]

"....MAY DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL ANY OF THESE SOFTWARE PRODUCTS ON UP TO THREE (3) SYSTEMS IN A SINGLE ADDRESS, HOWEVER IT CAN ONLY BE USED BY YOU ON ONE (1) SYSTEM AT A TIME."

I feel kinda stupid admitting this, but I was not aware we were allowed to use it on up to three machines :-/ When I was beta testing, I had it on two machines... one for development (and serious functionality testing) and one for tweaks (and printing directly to the laser). Beta time was up right around the same time my dev machine died, so I never installed the full copy on both my laser and dev machines ('cause I'm a good boy like that... evidently, too saintly, it appears), just my laser machine. I'll be remedying that soon enough!