Maximum Number of Users

[cmartin]

I have about thirty users of a database that is hosted by FM Server v3.0, running on a Windows NT Server. All users are running Windows albeit all different versions and FileMaker Pro 4.0 or 4.1. A user calls this morning to say she cannot get in to the database (through a start-up icon that runs an open script) and receives this message:

The maximum number of users are currently using this copy of FileMaker Pro. Please refer to the installation code section of your Installation and New Features Guide for further instructions.

She is running Windows 2000, FileMaker 4.1. Everyday before today, she had no problem, which makes me question the suggested cause from the FileMaker site that there are multiple users on the network with same install code. This may be true but why would this error occur only now and never have been a problem for her before.

Oddly enough, I had the same situation occur for another user (also 4.1 and Windows 2000) last month. Trying to fix it for her led to a mass headache which I am trying to avoid.

Any ideas as to the cause? Is it really just multiple users with same install code?

Thanks-

Courtney

[kenneth2k1]

Hi Courtney:

In my experience, this is the case 90% of the time. The problem may have not been noticed before because they might not have had FM open at the same time.

I also noticed this problem on our Mac network where each computer had its own install code, so this could not have been the case. It was fixed by reinstalling FM on the problem machines.

Ken

[cmartin]

Thanks Ken.

I checked my server log for the time my user could not get in and there was another user logged in using version 4.1. I think that's where the problem came from. It's odd, though, I only seem to have this problem with users of version 4.1. Most of my users are running 4.0 (with the same install code) and they never get this error.

Does anyone know why there is a difference?

[Anatoli]

RE: Most of my users are running 4.0 (with the same install code) and they never get this error.

In another words -- YOU ARE USING PIRATED SOFTWARE! YAK!

[Kurt Knippel]

Starting at v4.1, Filemaker began checking install codes.

[kenneth2k1]

Aha! That was very smart of them.

What upsets me is that even though they (major software companies) build this cool stuff in there to stop piracy, they won't drop prices even a little bit. I thought that was one of the reasons that software prices are so high.

Ken

[CobaltSky]

It's a case of edible-keepable-cake, I'm afraid.

Once they found out that the market would bear the high prices, what incentive was there to drop them.

Of course if the prices were lower, fewer people would be moved to piracy. But then with the prices way up, vendors can afford to spend a lot of development time coming up with new-fangled ways to confound would be pirates (not to mention legitimate users)

[kenneth2k1]

Very true. If I was a major software company, I wouldnt lower prices if ppl kept paying.

Seems that this is an example of how capitalism walks that fine line between human decency and good business sense.

Ken