Multiple installs of same product

Hawk Teflon

Veteran
Ok, I have a "what's legal vs not" question.

I have two computers for work. One is a laptop for travel, the other is a desktop for ... sitting here. I am the ONLY user that uses these computers. Am I allowed to install FCS and the Adobe PP on BOTH computers under the same serial number since I will be the only one using them at a time? I'm not asking for suggestions on how to bypass laws and rules here. I'm asking if this is legal.
 
I am sure that this thread will get shut down soon but in my opinion "Legal" is the wrong word. Technically, according to your EULA, you are allowed to install on one computer per license. I recommend FCPX as it allows for unlimited seats.
 
I don't see why there should be need for a shut down of this. No one is doing anything wrong.

Thanks, that's what I needed to know. Kind of a bummer, though.
 
Great questions that others (including myself) have had....

As far as Adobe goes, it is completely LEGAL to do what you want to do. From Adobe:

If you own, or are the primary user of, an Adobe branded or Macromedia branded product that is installed on a computer at work, then you may also install and use the software on one secondary computer of the same platform at home or on a portable computer. However, you cannot run the software simultaneously on both the primary and secondary computers.

Here's the language they use in their EULA:
adobe.gif

As for Apple? The latest version, which is sold only via the App store, seems tied to your Apple ID and should therefore allow installation on up to 5 computers, no? Of course, this is just a guess on my part.

UPDATE: Here's what the Final Cut Studio Software License Agreement says:

2. Permitted License Uses and Restrictions.
A. Apple Software (Bundle)
Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, you are granted a limited non-exclusive license to install and use one copy of the Apple Software on one
Apple-branded desktop computer and one Apple-branded laptop computer so long as both computers are owned and used by you. You may not make the
Apple Software available over a network where it could be used by multiple computers at the same time. You may make one copy of the Apple Software in
machine-readable form for backup purposes only; provided that the backup copy must include all copyright or other proprietary notices contained on the
original.

So it looks like you're okay for 1 desktop and 1 laptop, but probably not okay for 2 desktops (one at work, one at home).
 
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Updated my original post above. Looks like it's okay for Final Cut too, but the computers must be different form factors (1 desktop/1 laptop). Why is Apple so.... Oh never mind.
 
I have been looking for the link and can not find it but it has been stated all over the web that FCPX, as of today, allows unlimited installs. It, to my knowledge, is the only App Store app that allows that.
 
That's weird that Apple would allow that, IMO. Wouldn't a company, say "John's Awesome Videos," be able to install one 'copy' on all 76 of their editing computers (JAV is a huge company, I guess)?

All for $300?
 
Seems like kgimedia is right, but only for personal use. Not for business or institutional use. This is what the Apple site says (emphasis added):

MAC APP STORE PRODUCT USAGE RULES


Except as otherwise set forth herein,


(i) If you are an individual acting in your personal capacity, you may download and use an application from the Mac App Store (“Mac App Store Product”) for personal, non-commercial use on any Apple-branded products running Mac OS X (“Mac Computer”) that you own or control.


(ii) If you are a commercial enterprise or educational institution, you may download a Mac App Store Product for use by either (a) a single individual on each of the Mac Computer(s) used by that individual that you own or control or (b) multiple individuals on a single shared Mac Computer that you own or control. For example, a single employee may use a Mac App Store Product on both the employee’s desktop Mac Computer and laptop Mac Computer, or multiple students may serially use a Mac App Store Product on a single Mac Computer located at a resource center or library. For the sake of clarity, each Mac Computer used serially by multiple users requires a separate license.

http://www.apple.com/legal/itunes/us/terms.html#APPS

In otherwords, "John's Awesome Videos" could copy it to 76 of their editing computers without a problem, only if the same person used all 76 computers. If they divided those 76 computers in half, so each person used 38 computers and there was no overlap between users/computers, then they would only need 2 licenses - one for each user for their set of 38 computers.

BUT, if two people share all 76 computers, and can hop on any computer at any time, then John would need to buy 76 licenses, one for each computer. Of course, this doesn't make any real sense, and is a problem with the way Apple has written their terms.

Better (IMO) would be to let a business choose to either license per user or per machine and leave it at that. Then if John had 5 editors and 76 machines, could choose to buy copies based on 5 users OR 76 machines.
 
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