Reasonable, but different than many other licenses that count "computers" rather than "installations".
For example, on my main desktop computer that is active 90% of the time, I have at least 2 and sometimes 4 rotating 2 to 3 TB HDD, usually none with OS. I also have 2 Sata-3 SSD's and another older Sata-2 SSD that are "live" as far as having power and SATA connector. Each of those have OS on them ... such as Win-10 primary, Win-10 "sandbox", and Win-10 with Visual Studio Express C++. I use the BIOS when I want to change partitions and thus a different OS environment.
I'm not advocating the above. It works for me. I am very reluctant to install even trial software on my main working partition or VisStudio, and less uncomfortable with doing that on the "sandbox" partition.
So according to typical licenses, I could have three installations of [fill-in-the-blank] s/w, but it is only on one computer. Obviously, two people can't be using [fill-in-the-blank] at the same time ... literally impossible.
tl;dr ? sorry ..
I have encountered s/w that behaves differently in trial vs licensed mode ... but in a negative way such as bloat-ware. Sometimes it takes a while for bloat-ware or malware to show up. My [paranoid?] practice is to run malware software such as AVG and/or Defender on the entire computer before the installation, after the trial, after registration, and even after 30 days past registration.
OK ... so there seems to definitely be a work-around ... deactivation. But this is perhaps outside the s/w UI principal of "least astonishment", since the norm seems to be counting computers. Maybe that's changed?
I've got some pretty old, otherwise rather lame s/w that seems to be able to detect that I've done three installations on the same computer. I'm fuzzy on how they accomplish that.
And what happens if I get a new PCIE based SSD when they get more affordable? Do I need to remember to deactivate first?
My speculation is that LibRaw has a reasonable policy on that involving email and explaning my "sad story", but then there are even more abuse-of-license issues for LibRaw. Do LibRaw products have something like Adobe CC that combines activation and "ET call home" on a monthly or quarterly basis to reduce rampant piracy?
There are other scenarios that are more problematic, but I hope I've conveyed my concern[s].
Reasonable, but different
Reasonable, but different than many other licenses that count "computers" rather than "installations".
For example, on my main desktop computer that is active 90% of the time, I have at least 2 and sometimes 4 rotating 2 to 3 TB HDD, usually none with OS. I also have 2 Sata-3 SSD's and another older Sata-2 SSD that are "live" as far as having power and SATA connector. Each of those have OS on them ... such as Win-10 primary, Win-10 "sandbox", and Win-10 with Visual Studio Express C++. I use the BIOS when I want to change partitions and thus a different OS environment.
I'm not advocating the above. It works for me. I am very reluctant to install even trial software on my main working partition or VisStudio, and less uncomfortable with doing that on the "sandbox" partition.
So according to typical licenses, I could have three installations of [fill-in-the-blank] s/w, but it is only on one computer. Obviously, two people can't be using [fill-in-the-blank] at the same time ... literally impossible.
tl;dr ? sorry ..
I have encountered s/w that behaves differently in trial vs licensed mode ... but in a negative way such as bloat-ware. Sometimes it takes a while for bloat-ware or malware to show up. My [paranoid?] practice is to run malware software such as AVG and/or Defender on the entire computer before the installation, after the trial, after registration, and even after 30 days past registration.
OK ... so there seems to definitely be a work-around ... deactivation. But this is perhaps outside the s/w UI principal of "least astonishment", since the norm seems to be counting computers. Maybe that's changed?
I've got some pretty old, otherwise rather lame s/w that seems to be able to detect that I've done three installations on the same computer. I'm fuzzy on how they accomplish that.
And what happens if I get a new PCIE based SSD when they get more affordable? Do I need to remember to deactivate first?
My speculation is that LibRaw has a reasonable policy on that involving email and explaning my "sad story", but then there are even more abuse-of-license issues for LibRaw. Do LibRaw products have something like Adobe CC that combines activation and "ET call home" on a monthly or quarterly basis to reduce rampant piracy?
There are other scenarios that are more problematic, but I hope I've conveyed my concern[s].