Deactivation?

[pedder55655]

Hello,

 

I've got Blackshark new, but not installed yet. I'm still puzzling about the

whole activation/deactivation procedure.

 

Ok, I can imagine what activating is, but what's deactivation good for ??

I've read the manual and everything I could find on StarForce website

but it simply doesn't make sense.

 

They say I've got 8 activations + 10 deactivations, but isn't is simply the same

as 18 activations?

 

 

Thanks to anyone enlighten me.

[EtherealN]

A deactivation allows you to re-use the old activation on another machine - ie, you move that activation. The game stops being activated on the old machine, and becomes activated on the new one.

[pedder55655]

So the calculation is more like 8 x 10 , instead of 8+10 ? (In most optimistic case, of course)

Is that what you're saying?

[EtherealN]

No, it's not 10 deactivations for each activation.

 

Think of it like this:

 

Activate on Computer 1 - you now have 7 activations and 10 deactivations

Purchase and activate on Computer 2 - you now have 6 activations and 10 deactivations

 

This might be desirable in some cases - for example if you have a gaming rig at home you normally play on, but travel a lot and also want to be able to play on a laptop you bring along.

 

Alternatively:

Activate on Computer 1 - now 7 and 10

Purchase Computer 2

Deactivate Computer 1 - now 7 and 9

Reactivate on Computer 2 - now 7 and 9

 

This is ideal when you only have reason to use a single computer.

 

Deactivations are also useful if you intend to perform major changes to the computer - reformats or major hardware changes (swapping CPU, for example).

[pedder55655]

So, summing that up, it means:

 

- I can install the game at least 8 times

- I can install the game at most 18 times (when using the deactivations wisely)

 

- I can have at most 8 installations to run simultaneously (from a technical view, not sure about the legal)

 

If that is so, I think its too complicated. "Too complicated" in the meaning of simply giving 18 activations would have been easier.

[EtherealN]

Nono, don't use the word "install". These things are NOT about installs. You can perform an infinite number of installs and uninstalls.

 

It's activations that are the thing. You can install, activate, play for a while, uninstall, and then reinstall on the same machine a while later without having to use a new activation. The old activation will still be registered, and as long as it doesn't see any significant hardware changes it'll just tell you "this is already activated, continue?" and you're no worse for wear.

 

On whether it could be easier, yeah, probably. :P

 

Regarding many installs simultaneously - yeah, it wouldn't be legal to actually USE them at the same time. But it may be useful if you have reason to use different computers at different times. (For example, I remember someone who lived in one city and worked in another, so he had one computer at his work apartment, and another at his family home. Since they aren't actually in use at the same time, it's fine.)

[MTFDarkEagle]

If you contact ED directly I'm sure you can get more activations.

[EtherealN]

Yes. Though, generally it is appreciated if one waits until actually using the last activation. No point giving new activations to someone that has what should be at least several years worth of activations left. :P

[pedder55655]

OK now i got it, Thanks