Activation on desktop and laptop

[Ian Piper]

I have just purchased FileMaker 9 Pro. I am not clear about whether I am able to activate this on both my desktop and laptop machine (I want to be able to work on databases while commuting and also run those databases via web publishing on my home machine). I found this article:

http://www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/filemaker_pro_9_review/

that suggests that I can have it activated on both desktop and laptop computers. This is the significant wording:

"If you are unfamiliar with Activation, what it means is that you have a serial number that is good for two machines. You can install the software on any number of machines, but it can only be active on two. Thus, you can install software on your home, work, and laptop computer, but only two of those can be Activated, and therefore functioning at one time. If you want to use the product on the third, you have to Deactivate one of the other two (from the Help menu) and then Activate the third."

However I cannot see anything to this effect in the documentation.

Can someone point me at chapter and verse on this?

Ian.

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[Lee Smith]

This topic has come up in the past, the liciense agreement allows you to have a backup copy on a second machine.

Lee

[Ian Piper]

Thanks Lee,

I had read the licence agreement and it does say that I can install a second copy on a laptop. However it does not say that I can have two copies activated at the same time, and that was the subject of my question. As you say, this question has no doubt been raised before, but my searches did not uncover any clear answer. That was what I was trying to determine.

As it turned out, I decided to try it and see, and it seems to have worked. So, for the record, it seems that the licence terms allow you to have a copy activated on a laptop as well as a copy activated on your principal desktop machine. I really appreciate this capability - it supports my reasonable use of the software while I am working in my office and also while commuting.

[Lee Smith]

If you use a LAN, it will NOT allow the second copy to be openned.

Lee

[Mike D.]

Yes and No - if the desktop is a Mac and the laptop is a PC, then they can be open at the same time even when connected via a LAN. It doesn't seem to recognize the same license as being open simultaneously when using different platforms.

I'm not sure what happens if the file is being hosted by server and you are accessing the same file from different platforms.

HTH, Mike

[Ian Piper]

  Quote

If you use a LAN, it will NOT allow the second copy to be openned.

Lee

That makes sense for a copy protection mechanism, but I don't think I suggested doing any such thing. Review my message and you will see that I am using copy A on a machine on my network and copy B on my laptop while commuting.

Anyway, I am now sorted, so thanks for your help.

Ian.

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[Lee Smith]

That wasn't what I said. See my Private Topic to you.