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Thumb in the eye from Solidworks

Toolbert

Stainless
Joined
Nov 29, 2003
Location
Vashon Island, WA
I'm one of those folks who pays from my own pocket for Solidworks and the annual maintenance. One factor in continuing to use it is the ability to use the same seat at home, the better to work all day and all night.

I just deactivated the home installation to move it to a different computer, and could not activate it on the new computer.

The response from support is "We changed that - you can no longer activate Solidworks on a separate home computer."

This is fundamental to me being able to run a business and to using this product.

Considering what I've paid them over the years, you'd think at least they'd mention it in advance.

Posting for whoever may care.
 
I’ve been hearing about this change! I have a home instal myself and this is just unacceptable! These companies are becoming greedier and just don’t give two shits about the little guy. This is not right! So what now! we need to pay for a second license? Unreal! This is why I love it when hackers hack their shit! If I loose my home instal I am going to buy a hot copy! They want to play hardball? no problem. All for the greedy investors that just to make more and more until their is no more to suck out!


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I run my seat of CAM software on a pretty expensive Dell Precision notebook, while not ideal it's portable and allows me to use the software anywhere.

There's other threads that's been running here on alternatives to Solidworks and other mainstream CAD-CAM programs, perhaps it's time to forward the links to your VAR...

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/v...ting-my-losses-jumping-ship-what-next-336090/

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cad-cam/looking-cad-cam-recommendations-309205/

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/cad-cam/what-there-besides-solidworks-316971/
 
What happens if the computer with the license takes a shit? I understand wanting the ability to make only one box work per license but making it the only box seems absurd.

Brent
 
What happens if the computer with the license takes a shit? I understand wanting the ability to make only one box work per license but making it the only box seems absurd.

Brent

At any time, you can deactivate a computer and move the license to a different one. I don't know what limits are imposed.

The support is fine - if the activated computer dies, all it takes is an email to support to deactivate the record of the installation, & then activate on a different computer.

All along, I thought instead of an honor system about only using one installation at a time, they did something smart and reasonable such as use the internet connection to check & make sure both weren't active at the same time.
 
Under the new version of SW, you can set up a login. As long as you logoff, you can login to any other machine. So you can set Solidworks up on several machines - but you can only use one at a time. Kind of a PITA to logon and logoff all the time, but the system will allow you to have machines in several locations.
 
I get that it's annoying, but there are workarounds - as someone mentioned already, a lot of folks just carry their license with them, in the form of a workstation laptop.

Currently, I use the Windows Remote Desktop utility to access my desktop from my laptop, which I find is much, much faster than running even a serious workstation laptop. I have to use some additional security features (NetExtender right now) but there are a lot of ways to do the same thing.

You could also go to a Network License for your next install, which allows you to 'check out' a license for a set amount of time so you can work when not connected to you license server. If I remember correctly, you can check a license out to a USB drive, but don't quote me on that.

Personally, I think the server based network license system is stupid and antiquated, and everyone would be much better off with an internet based system (which is essentially what AutoDesk does with Fusion, but I'm not sure about Inventor.)

All that said - thanks for the heads-up. I won't be trying to move my 'home license' anytime soon now.

*Edit: I just saw another poster say SW is essentially going to an Internet based license system*
 
in other words yet another scheme to force subscription payments, leave everbody exposed if they go out of business, and make working in places with spotty or no internet more difficult.

when the rwvolution comes, all of the big software houses will be against the walll....
 
I'm late to the party on this but.....

you should have seen the this coming way back in 2007, SW switched from the RegCode activation at SP3 because you could install SW on as many computers as you wanted, illegally of course, but you could. Then they went web activation allowing work/home install, but some installed on 2 work PC's or one desktop/laptop which still could be used both at the same time, illegally of course. So now they went to activate/deactivate model to prevent elu infringements.

the whole 80/20 home install thing was because hardware for laptops couldn't handle SW in the early days and who was going to drag a desktop back and forth, if even allowed by the company, now with laptops being up to snuf that really killed the home use and now the cloud has changed that even more.

we were just spoiled for a long time, yes it bugged me to, but hey what you going to do.
 
...but hey what you going to do.

Maybe passive resistance. I have the disks for every SW version since 2001 and unless I'm forgetting something I don't recall needing the internet to be able to use the earlier ones. What about installing an earlier licensed version on a home computer, has anybody tried that? The file conversion is forward-only but you could create a model at home, bring it to work and save it as a newer format. As far I know, the only real limitations of older editions were that I never got enough time on them before the annual upgrade. It would be interesting to see how, say, SW2003 would run on a current CPU and video card.
 
Do you have an agreement in writing? I have bought seats and the code is the code. You essentially purchase that when you purchase software. They can't just change the terms of that purchase later. Wouldn't that be breach of contract?

Or do they just say they don't support it? I feel any true I.T. guy could prove something in the court of law if they wanted to and sue.

I get trying to fight pirating copies etc..but I thought we were well past that era already.
 
Actually, any good software license allows the company to change terms at any time whether you like it or not. They have all the rights, you have none. All we can really do when we don't like their behavior is use something else. Competition, free market and all that.
 
Hi EndlessWaltz:
Conrad beat me to it; all you have legally when you lay down your cash is a lease contract; you didn't BUY the software; you bought the right to use it.
The owners can change the software any way they want whenever they want.

Where most people fall into the trap of dependency with the software, is to believe the yearly "upgrades" are somehow worth the money.
What we have received is less and less groundbreaking as the software matures, and so long as enough people buy into that "value" proposition, all others who feel they must remain current to remain relevant in the industry will be dragged along.

These changing conditions of use, reflect the desperation of the software companies to keep their revenue streams alive as more and more of us come to the conclusion we're not getting a lot of value for what we spend on software maintenance and upgrades.
From their point of view, it isn't about trying to woo customers with worthwhile groundbreaking product development anymore, it's about trying to survive.
That's why they don't give a shit about how many customers they piss off with their changing policies.

Cheers

Marcus
Implant Mechanix • Design & Innovation > HOME
www.vancouverwireedm.com
 
I use Finale (music notation software) and they allow two authorizations per purchase. I can install it on as many computers as I want, but only two can be authorized (allowing printing and saving) at any one time. It only takes a minute or two to sign off on one computer, and sign in on another. With the spread of broadband, it’s no hardship for me, but I can understand it being an issue if you have spotty internet access.
 
Round and round with support and my sales rep and I just don't F'ing believe it. No joy. No more home activation.

This indeed is a great example of the perils of "licensing" something and having it yanked away with no warning & no recourse. I bought Solidworks with the understanding, clear email from the sales rep, I could use it in two places.

SW 2018 is available but the quick-change activation feature, to move the license btw. computers, is not active yet.

Did someone here report having enough corporate clout to get a temporary exception to the single-activation policy?

I think they still offer a network license feature but it's not free and darned if I'm going to pay for it now.
 
I upgraded two machines to 2018 - despite my reluctance to use a new release. So far, both work as in the old days. I have not had to sign out. I have only one seat of whatever they call the high end (most expensive) option - no network feature here either. So I am clueless as to why you are having trouble.

Edit: I should add that I have only used one machine at a time.
 
I know a lot of people complain about Autodesk/AutoCAD/Inventor, but they allow you to install the programs on multiple computers, but with the modern licensing system, only one computer can be used at a time (officially) but if one of the computers are not connected to the internet, then the program doesn't know the difference, I haven't tried to install on a 3rd computer.

Autodesk knows designers, and artists (for the Fusion, Maya and other program users) know their users usually have an office computer and a travel computer and need to access the program(s) outside the office.

Rich C.
 








 
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