Product activation

Product activation (software activation) is a form of copy protection, which is a prerequisite for the use of some computer software. Unlike the product registration with the product activation usually is no transfer of personal data. Instead, there is a binding of the software to the hardware of the user.

Until the successful product activation, the use of appropriately protected software is not or only (in time) to a limited extent.

Product activation - as far as this can understand - used for home for the first time by Microsoft to prevent the illegal use of Windows XP and Office. Thus, the term itself and the sequence of the process are strongly influenced by Microsoft.

Method

The differences in the technical end of the Product Activation in the case of several software vendors very low. When the user installs the software, it must first individual license keys (including CD - Key or Product Key called ), enter, he has received along with the purchased software. During the installation routine then calculates a so-called installation ID from the license key as well as hardware features. This has the property that the individual hardware features virtually no longer can be reconstructed from it, the product key can be made easily find though. The Installation ID is finally transmitted via the Internet or telephone to the manufacturer, the now, the license key in conjunction with a hash value, ie a number which was calculated from the hardware features present. The manufacturer now has the opportunity to check in its database, on how many computers the software is already installed. Now, the manufacturer may provide the user submit the Confirmation ID, which in turn is calculated from the Installation ID and thus will be different for each installation.

Microsoft offers companies two product activation method for volume license keys that expire without user intervention: the establishment of a Key Management Service ( KMS) or using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK ). KMS requires a minimum number of 25 to activate clients that are connected regularly over the network to the KMS. MAK is recommended, however, if less than 25 computers to be activated or have limited network connectivity. KMS and MAK is offered both for operating systems and other Microsoft products.

See also: Product Activation in Windows XP

Legal Problems in Germany

The use of technologies for product activation in the mass market raises a number of legal problems. These are discussed in professional journals, but are largely unknown, as there were no legal disputes regarding the following conflicts in the past. Questions arise in particular the questions whether the use of product activation routines

  • Users' rights under § 69 of the Copyright Act limits. These are described in detail the right to copy, to the extent necessary to load or flow of the program ( § 69c No. 1 of the Copyright Act in conjunction with § 69d para 1 of the Copyright Act ), and the right of the user to save a backup copy, in § 69d of the Law on Copyright and Related Rights ( Copyright Act ) is provided.
  • The software does flawed.

Furthermore, it is often spoken of a violation of the right to informational self-determination, however, is to be denied for a pure software activation, since as already mentioned any personal data to be transmitted. However, some product activation techniques such as Steam require the creation of a personal account. In particular, the latter turns out to be a problem, since such a resale after use impossible or only with great effort in advance of the activation is possible.

Examples of capitalized software subject to

  • Microsoft Windows operating system, from Windows XP, 2001
  • Microsoft Office, Office suite, from 2001
  • Adobe Creative Suite ( Adobe Photoshop for the first time since 2005, graphic editing software, then also the other CS applications)
  • Norton anti- virus, anti -virus program from 2005
  • Earth 2160, computer game, 2005
  • ZETA 1.0, operating system, 2005
  • Autodesk Inventor, CAD program
  • All games based on the Steam platform and on sale on Steam are (among Counter- Strike since version 1.6, Half-Life and more, mainly produced by Valve, but also other development studios games)

Examples of software that program developers with a product activation

  • Copy Shield
  • Protection! Licensing Toolkit
  • OriginKeyring
  • CrypKey
  • PELock
  • Enigma Protector
  • Flexera Software FlexNet Manager
  • SafeNet Sentinel RMS
  • SolidLicense
  • ICE License Protection
  • WIBU-SYSTEMS Code meters

With some so-called "PE detector " programs can also lay partly to find out the activation technologies used in each of the program in addition to general technical information on a program file.

Norton AntiVirus Computer-aided design Counter-Strike
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