How To Register Software Once and Only Once?
A dumb, but annoying issue with all the updates. In Panther, if I as an administrator, install a new program and register it with a S/N from the maker, it works fine when I am logged in.
Another user, not an administrator, logs in. Tries to use program. Gets asked for S/N. I have to go and enter the S/N again while logged in as that user.
Finally, since 10.3.2, some programs are no longer accepting the S/N.
2 questions:
1. Is there a way to register a program so that everyone can use it without the stupid serial number request for each user?
2. On programs that will no longer accept a serial number, I should just reinstall, right?
Any guidance appreciated.
Another user, not an administrator, logs in. Tries to use program. Gets asked for S/N. I have to go and enter the S/N again while logged in as that user.
Finally, since 10.3.2, some programs are no longer accepting the S/N.
2 questions:
1. Is there a way to register a program so that everyone can use it without the stupid serial number request for each user?
2. On programs that will no longer accept a serial number, I should just reinstall, right?
Any guidance appreciated.
Comments
I'll come back to my orginal question:
How is that other users have to register the programs themselves? Is this aberrant behavior on my machine? Happen to everyone?
Doesn't it seem sort of, well, stupid to have to do it this way?
The problem is a simple one. When the adminstrator installs a program, some developers use an install module that writes the information to the adminstrator's user library.
To compound the problem, some programs then phone home to their servers to record the registration. If you try to install to second user's library, the program does not allow it. Fear of bootlegging, I suppose.
Well written installers do not do this. They write the registration informatiion to the System/Library or some other machine-specific location so that all users can access the registered program. Adobe, for one, handles it this way.
The real problem seems to be that some developers are using a "one user/one machine" model when OS X is a "multiple users/one machine" system. You buy the license so that only one user can use the program on the machine at a time. Developers should key the program's S/N to the machine, perhaps through the machine's S/N, rather than the user's library.
Originally posted by mcsjgs
The real problem seems to be that some developers are using a "one user/one machine" model when OS X is a "multiple users/one machine" system. You buy the license so that only one user can use the program on the machine at a time. Developers should key the program's S/N to the machine, perhaps through the machine's S/N, rather than the user's library.
if you want to see an installer done CORRECTLY, see tinkertool's. in fact, i think it's the only one i have seen that actually informs you whether you will be installing globally, or for particular users.