[Finale] Copy Protection and Lost Sales
Hello --
Since I posted to the list a copy of my email to Coda/MakeMusic
canceling my order for Finale 2004, I thought it only fair to them to
post their reply; though I have interspersed it with my reply to them.
If you feel that this is a waste of bandwidth I apologize. Please
feel free to flame me, but I think that this is an exchange that
should be made public.
-=-Dennis
Reply to email from [EMAIL PROTECTED] dated Wed, 13 Aug
2003 15:56:12 -0500:
__
To: Finale Sales [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Dennis W. Manasco [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Cancellation of Order Number {number deleted}
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dear Dennis,
Thank you for taking the time to write us about your concerns.
Thank you for responding. Concerns is an understatement.
We hope you understand that there is no limit to the number of installations
that can be performed from the Finale CD-ROM. At installation time, the
software simply requires that you register the software within 30 days. You
may also install it on a second computer if you desire. The registration can
be automatically obtained with your computer if you have internet access, or
can be obtained by phone, FAX or standard mail for those who don't. In any
case, you have full use of the software for 30 days even without
registering.
This paragraph misses the entire point. The number of possible
installations from a particular CD is irrelevant. The point is that
once the user installs the software the user is dependant on the
existence and integrity of Coda/MakeMusic's Copy Protection Servers
to successfully operate the software after the 30 day trial period.
Should, at any time, Coda/MakeMusic's Copy Protection Servers cease
to function, or no longer provide registration codes for a particular
version or configuration, the user will not be able to make full and
complete use of the software which was lawfully and legitimately
purchased.
You may consider this concern trivial, but it warrants primacy in
my consideration. Should I purchase Finale 2004 and my system
configuration change I would no longer be able to use the software
without the explicit permission of Coda/MakeMusic. This would be true
even should Coda/MakeMusic no longer exist.
The future existence of software providers is a valid concern. At
least once a month I use a software program that was last updated in
1993. I use it for an essential business function and have never
found a suitable replacement. The publisher went out of business some
years, and numerous hard disk and computer replacements, ago. If that
publisher had used Coda/MakeMusic's copy protection system I would no
longer be able to execute a necessary business function. This is only
one example of why I will never tie my business's future viability to
any other company's.
The promised future ability to transfer licenses does not lessen the
onerousness of the situation. Should my hard disk fail, or I
otherwise lose the ability to access my computer data, I would not be
able transfer the software.
We did listen to our users' feedback regarding the copy protection that was
used for the 98 version of product, which is why it was discontinued and has
never used since. The registration does not use the PACE system to which
you refer. If, after trying the software, you are not satisfied, we do
offer a 30-day return/refund guarantee.
Thankfully you are not using the PACE system. This paragraph does not
however state explicitly, absolutely and irrevocably that the Finale
Copy Protection System does not use a pervasive and systemic copy
protection technique and will have no adverse effects upon users'
Operating Systems or the programs which run under them. As such this
paragraph provides no alleviation of my concerns whatsoever.
The final sentence of this paragraph is a non sequitur. I have no
intention of purchasing the product, so a 30-day return/refund
guarantee is irrelevant. I would never allow any software on my
computer which I suspected might be carrying a deleterious component
so a 30-day return/refund guarantee is irrelevant
We worked to make this process as easy and pain-free as possible. We hope
that you agree that Finale is worth having and worth protecting. We believe
that this required registration will enable us to continue leading the music
notation business.
The process may be pain-free. The implications of the process are
anything but.
I too belive that Finale is worth having and worth protecting .
Here is an alternative scheme:
Since the probability is high that Coda/MakeMusic's servers will
still exist when I receive the software from the distributor, force
me to register ONCE AND ONLY ONCE when I receive it. Give me a
secondary serial number that is encoded with my (verified) name (but
not address, as that may change) and original serial number. Using
this new serial number force me to brand the software with my
[Finale] Copy Protection and Lost Sales
Hello --
Since I posted to the list a copy of my email to Coda/MakeMusic
canceling my order for Finale 2004, I thought it only fair to them to
post their reply; though I have interspersed it with my reply to them.
If you feel that this is a waste of bandwidth I apologize. Please
feel free to flame me, but I think that this is an exchange that
should be made public.
-=-Dennis
Reply to email from [EMAIL PROTECTED] dated Wed, 13 Aug
2003 15:56:12 -0500:
__
To: Finale Sales [EMAIL PROTECTED]
From: Dennis W. Manasco [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: Cancellation of Order Number {number deleted}
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dear Dennis,
Thank you for taking the time to write us about your concerns.
Thank you for responding. Concerns is an understatement.
We hope you understand that there is no limit to the number of installations
that can be performed from the Finale CD-ROM. At installation time, the
software simply requires that you register the software within 30 days. You
may also install it on a second computer if you desire. The registration can
be automatically obtained with your computer if you have internet access, or
can be obtained by phone, FAX or standard mail for those who don't. In any
case, you have full use of the software for 30 days even without
registering.
This paragraph misses the entire point. The number of possible
installations from a particular CD is irrelevant. The point is that
once the user installs the software the user is dependant on the
existence and integrity of Coda/MakeMusic's Copy Protection Servers
to successfully operate the software after the 30 day trial period.
Should, at any time, Coda/MakeMusic's Copy Protection Servers cease
to function, or no longer provide registration codes for a particular
version or configuration, the user will not be able to make full and
complete use of the software which was lawfully and legitimately
purchased.
You may consider this concern trivial, but it warrants primacy in
my consideration. Should I purchase Finale 2004 and my system
configuration change I would no longer be able to use the software
without the explicit permission of Coda/MakeMusic. This would be true
even should Coda/MakeMusic no longer exist.
The future existence of software providers is a valid concern. At
least once a month I use a software program that was last updated in
1993. I use it for an essential business function and have never
found a suitable replacement. The publisher went out of business some
years, and numerous hard disk and computer replacements, ago. If that
publisher had used Coda/MakeMusic's copy protection system I would no
longer be able to execute a necessary business function. This is only
one example of why I will never tie my business's future viability to
any other company's.
The promised future ability to transfer licenses does not lessen the
onerousness of the situation. Should my hard disk fail, or I
otherwise lose the ability to access my computer data, I would not be
able transfer the software.
We did listen to our users' feedback regarding the copy protection that was
used for the 98 version of product, which is why it was discontinued and has
never used since. The registration does not use the PACE system to which
you refer. If, after trying the software, you are not satisfied, we do
offer a 30-day return/refund guarantee.
Thankfully you are not using the PACE system. This paragraph does not
however state explicitly, absolutely and irrevocably that the Finale
Copy Protection System does not use a pervasive and systemic copy
protection technique and will have no adverse effects upon users'
Operating Systems or the programs which run under them. As such this
paragraph provides no alleviation of my concerns whatsoever.
The final sentence of this paragraph is a non sequitur. I have no
intention of purchasing the product, so a 30-day return/refund
guarantee is irrelevant. I would never allow any software on my
computer which I suspected might be carrying a deleterious component
so a 30-day return/refund guarantee is irrelevant
We worked to make this process as easy and pain-free as possible. We hope
that you agree that Finale is worth having and worth protecting. We believe
that this required registration will enable us to continue leading the music
notation business.
The process may be pain-free. The implications of the process are
anything but.
I too belive that Finale is worth having and worth protecting .
Here is an alternative scheme:
Since the probability is high that Coda/MakeMusic's servers will
still exist when I receive the software from the distributor, force
me to register ONCE AND ONLY ONCE when I receive it. Give me a
secondary serial number that is encoded with my (verified) name (but
not address, as that may change) and original serial number. Using
this new serial number force me to brand the software with my
