Photoshop CS3 Licence Question

JAG · 21-03-2008, 19:03

I have a boxed copy of CS3 that we've acquired since taking over a company. Is there anyway I can find out if it's registered and if so, who to with a view to transferring registration?

Many thanks,

Ian

**Dabhand16** · 21-03-2008, 19:08

I think a call to customer services would be able to resolve that one. I recently managed to trace a registration for Elements 2 by quoting them the serial number.

***Steve*** · 21-03-2008, 19:08

Would adobe not be able to give you that information?

TBH I don't think it matters as long as you have a legitimate serial number. Is there one on the disc/box?

You could always try installing it with those details and see what happens?

AQ · 21-03-2008, 19:37

The license is transferable as far as I know so one way or another you should be OK.

JAG · 21-03-2008, 19:48

Thanks for the replies all.

According to Adobe the licence is transferable but a letter is required from both parties, the transferee and the intended new owner. Whole process takes 4-6 weeks. Not much chance of the former as they are long gone.

There is a legitimate serial number on the box but when it comes to activating I presume it won't let me?

AQ · 21-03-2008, 20:09

It sounds as though you have every right to that copy. I would be tempted to get in contact with Adobe again and explain the situation once more. They obviously want to sell you another copy if they can and you may have just been given a stock answer.

There are also some Photoshop forums on the web. A Google search found several. You may get some help and advice there ( as you would at Pixalo

).

Chris H · 21-03-2008, 20:11

As long as there's a legit serial it won't stop you using it.

Load it up, then register it online. I did it with Elements 5 that WOODY kindly gave me and had no problems.

If the company who owned it no longer exists then how can they check ?

PS If your still worried send it to me and I'll register it

PeteT · 21-03-2008, 22:52

Hmmm.

Strictly speaking, it is only a legitimate copy if all Adobe's conditions for the completion of a valid transfer have been met. With software, you are not purchasing the software per se, but purchasing a licence to use it - a subtle but important difference. Your rights are set out in the licence agreement, which may specify requirements for the transfer of a licence, including that the licence is personal to the original purchaser and in no circumstances may be transferred to a third party - examples of companies with this policy are Spectrasonics and Cakewalk.

Thus Adobe are quite within their rights to require the letters from both parties, and if they are not forthcoming, to not agree to the transfer of the licence. I am afraid that without the letter from the transferor, you probably do not have a legit copy. You are relying on the goodwill of Adobe to agree to a transfer, so it might be best to be nice to them !

Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but better you are aware of exactly where you stand.

Chris H · 22-03-2008, 00:12

I don't think Adobe would give a stuff as long as it's not a pirate copy.

They never pass on information to F.A.S.T for genuine serialised copies.

I would put it on my PC and register it just like I have with elements 5.0 that Woody gave me with absolutely no problems. I have been doing the same with allsorts of software over the last 20+ years of pc'ing.

Adobe is not looking to make problems for the odd man in the street, but if your a corporate like a large aircraft manufacturer I used to work at in IT then you should be carefull.

It was highly amusing going round one weekend removing unlicensed software and see'ing the faces of those who installed it on the Monday. The company was fined a huge sum of money.

I ran a hooky copy of an adobe product for over a year with no problems. I even got all the updates. However I would not condone anyone else doing the same. I have funnily enough now ended up fully legit so have no need to use anything else

VinnyP · 22-03-2008, 00:50

Photoshop will lock up if it can't activate, if the serial number is already registered on 2 other machines you have to deactivate one first. This is exactly what happened to me when I was building my new machine, I couldn't activate CS3 until I deactivated it on the old PC. The pirate versions are all corporate versions that don't need activating.

JAG · 22-03-2008, 01:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteT

Hmmm.

Strictly speaking, it is only a legitimate copy if all Adobe's conditions for the completion of a valid transfer have been met. With software, you are not purchasing the software per se, but purchasing a licence to use it - a subtle but important difference. Your rights are set out in the licence agreement, which may specify requirements for the transfer of a licence, including that the licence is personal to the original purchaser and in no circumstances may be transferred to a third party - examples of companies with this policy are Spectrasonics and Cakewalk.

Thus Adobe are quite within their rights to require the letters from both parties, and if they are not forthcoming, to not agree to the transfer of the licence. I am afraid that without the letter from the transferor, you probably do not have a legit copy. You are relying on the goodwill of Adobe to agree to a transfer, so it might be best to be nice to them !

Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but better you are aware of exactly where you stand.

Thanks for that Pete. I kinda figured that would be the story. So I have a boxed copy of PS CS3 that I can install and run, but will more than likely never be the true owner. The irony is that I already use PS CS3

and it's really not any good to me anyway. Hmmm. I wonder how much on ebay

AQ · 22-03-2008, 08:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by VinnyP

The pirate versions are all corporate versions that don't need activating.

I thought that the pirate versions were just regular copies for which a valid serial had been obtained from a "Key Gen" program.

JAG · 22-03-2008, 09:22

I'm guessing it's illegal for me to sell on then?

**Dabhand16** · 22-03-2008, 09:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAG

I have a boxed copy of CS3 that we've acquired since taking over a company. Is there anyway I can find out if it's registered and if so, who to with a view to transferring registration?

Many thanks,

Ian

Maybe the answer is here. If you have taken over a company and its assets, surely the licence now belongs to you.

21-03-2008, 19:03	#1 (permalink)
JAG Getting Comfy Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Essex Posts: 229	Photoshop CS3 Licence Question I have a boxed copy of CS3 that we've acquired since taking over a company. Is there anyway I can find out if it's registered and if so, who to with a view to transferring registration? Many thanks, Ian

21-03-2008, 19:08	#2 (permalink)
Dabhand16 Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Dunstable Bedfordshire UK Posts: 9,653	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question I think a call to customer services would be able to resolve that one. I recently managed to trace a registration for Elements 2 by quoting them the serial number.

21-03-2008, 19:08	#3 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,374	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question Would adobe not be able to give you that information? TBH I don't think it matters as long as you have a legitimate serial number. Is there one on the disc/box? You could always try installing it with those details and see what happens?

21-03-2008, 19:37	#4 (permalink)
AQ Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 1,157	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question The license is transferable as far as I know so one way or another you should be OK.

21-03-2008, 19:48	#5 (permalink)
JAG Getting Comfy Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Essex Posts: 229	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question Thanks for the replies all. According to Adobe the licence is transferable but a letter is required from both parties, the transferee and the intended new owner. Whole process takes 4-6 weeks. Not much chance of the former as they are long gone. There is a legitimate serial number on the box but when it comes to activating I presume it won't let me?

21-03-2008, 20:09	#6 (permalink)
AQ Forum Regular Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 1,157	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question It sounds as though you have every right to that copy. I would be tempted to get in contact with Adobe again and explain the situation once more. They obviously want to sell you another copy if they can and you may have just been given a stock answer. There are also some Photoshop forums on the web. A Google search found several. You may get some help and advice there ( as you would at Pixalo ).

21-03-2008, 20:11	#7 (permalink)
Chris H Been here a while Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: UK Posts: 392	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question As long as there's a legit serial it won't stop you using it. Load it up, then register it online. I did it with Elements 5 that WOODY kindly gave me and had no problems. If the company who owned it no longer exists then how can they check ? PS If your still worried send it to me and I'll register it

21-03-2008, 22:52	#8 (permalink)
PeteT Quite Chatty Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 88	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question Hmmm. Strictly speaking, it is only a legitimate copy if all Adobe's conditions for the completion of a valid transfer have been met. With software, you are not purchasing the software per se, but purchasing a licence to use it - a subtle but important difference. Your rights are set out in the licence agreement, which may specify requirements for the transfer of a licence, including that the licence is personal to the original purchaser and in no circumstances may be transferred to a third party - examples of companies with this policy are Spectrasonics and Cakewalk. Thus Adobe are quite within their rights to require the letters from both parties, and if they are not forthcoming, to not agree to the transfer of the licence. I am afraid that without the letter from the transferor, you probably do not have a legit copy. You are relying on the goodwill of Adobe to agree to a transfer, so it might be best to be nice to them ! Sorry to be the harbinger of bad news, but better you are aware of exactly where you stand.

22-03-2008, 00:12	#9 (permalink)
Chris H Been here a while Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: UK Posts: 392	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question I don't think Adobe would give a stuff as long as it's not a pirate copy. They never pass on information to F.A.S.T for genuine serialised copies. I would put it on my PC and register it just like I have with elements 5.0 that Woody gave me with absolutely no problems. I have been doing the same with allsorts of software over the last 20+ years of pc'ing. Adobe is not looking to make problems for the odd man in the street, but if your a corporate like a large aircraft manufacturer I used to work at in IT then you should be carefull. It was highly amusing going round one weekend removing unlicensed software and see'ing the faces of those who installed it on the Monday. The company was fined a huge sum of money. I ran a hooky copy of an adobe product for over a year with no problems. I even got all the updates. However I would not condone anyone else doing the same. I have funnily enough now ended up fully legit so have no need to use anything else

22-03-2008, 00:50	#10 (permalink)
VinnyP Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Surbiton Surrey Posts: 643	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question Photoshop will lock up if it can't activate, if the serial number is already registered on 2 other machines you have to deactivate one first. This is exactly what happened to me when I was building my new machine, I couldn't activate CS3 until I deactivated it on the old PC. The pirate versions are all corporate versions that don't need activating.

22-03-2008, 09:22	#13 (permalink)
JAG Getting Comfy Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Essex Posts: 229	Re: Photoshop CS3 Licence Question I'm guessing it's illegal for me to sell on then?