Utilising borrowed software

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eccaseccas
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I am thinking of getting a Mac after many years of getting annoyed with Mr Gates. I have heard that if you borrow software to evaluate it whist being a poor student, ip addresses and software id numbers are sent to apple. Is this true?? any ways around this using muli boot partitions/ firewalls etc??



I know its wrong but...



Eric

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 4
    mrmistermrmister Posts: 1,095member
    No, that isn't true at all.
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  • Reply 2 of 4
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Port scan yourself and find out.



    I haven't noticed anything. I usually evaluate my software, which is illegal by the letter of the law, but in the end, if I like the software, I buy it.



    For example, I'm buying Electric Image with my next paycheck. Of course, when you pay only 240 as a student, rather than 1000+, you feel good all over.



    The other nice thing with OS X is that there's a lot of Public domain, GNU based stuff coming out that is really good and really cheap, if not free.
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  • Reply 3 of 4
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Some software does have network checks and phone home if you, errr, "borrow" copies of them. Microsoft Office, for example, checks the LAN for copies that are running the same serial number. If there is another, it won't launch. Some of the Adobe apps contact a server upon launch to check the serial number for pirated codes. It's not terribly uncommon these days for software titles to check around like this.



    There are ways to block these communications with the firewall, but I will not endorse them here.



    [ 10-26-2002: Message edited by: Brad ]</p>
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  • Reply 4 of 4
    ast3r3xast3r3x Posts: 5,012member
    There are several programs that do this, and honestly i've disconnected my internet and installed software but also not and installed software. I agree with brad though, borrowing software is not right, and in some cases (specially of small honest companies) it is just wrong. I normally borrow to see if i like it, and then will buy, or in particular instances i will borrow and keep until i use the software for somethign that earns me money they i will buy it, because at that point it becaues valuble software...even if i dont make as much as it costs.



    Funny thing is though that alot of PC software does this same phoning home too...one that comes to mind is XP



    [ 10-26-2002: Message edited by: ast3r3x ]</p>
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