…simultaneously with my Desktop and Laptop?
Very generously, in my mind, Adobe lets me download PE6 to my 2 computers with the sole proviso that I don’t use the software at the same time on both computers.
Other software manufacturers have the very same caveat.
But if I violated the proviso, how would Adobe know? And, what is so fraught with danger when 2 computers use the same software at the same time?
Adobe could have implemented a network- or Internet-based checking system. They probably haven’t, though, and if the two computers were not on the same network or connected to the Internet Adobe has no way to know.
The danger is diminished sales. IOW, it’s not a technical restriction, it’s a licensing restriction. You only bought one license, so you’re only allowed to use one copy at a time.
Sounds right.
Thank you, Cleophus.
If I recall correctly at least some older version of Photoshop for classic Mac did do a network check, where you really couldn’t run two copies using the same license key on the same local network.
What’s a network check?
My laptop connects to the same ISP via WiFi (if that’s the term). So, I disconnect the antenna, and my son uses the laptop’s PE6 and I use the Desktop PE6.
How might a network check detect my criminal behavior?
(Fact is, no one in my family is the least bit interested in Photoshop, so my question is purely hypothetical.)
While you are running PE, the program broadcasts a “I am running PE” message, and also listens for similar messages from other computers. The broadcast is local to your network (broadcasts are non-routable). If a machine running PE detects another machine running PE, they communicate to determine the license keys being used, and if two machines are using the same key, one will be disabled.
If you shutdown the network adapter, then this communication is interrupted, and you can use the multiple copies of the license key. In general, though, people value network connectivity, so it usually works.
Si
Thank you, Si.