Educational versions of software

[Invicster]

Hiya,

Can someone help me? One of my friends just gave me their educational copy of Dreamweaver MX as they don't want it anymore.

The problem is that I'm not a student... is that a problem? They never registered the software...

My questions are:

1) Is the fact that I'm not a student an issue? I was, after all, given the software.
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2) Is there any difference between the full and educational versions of software? I'm just worried that if I install it, I'm not going to get a full feature set etc.

Hope someone can help me.

Thanks

TJ

 

[mdnky]

#1: Yes, it matters. First off, the education editions are for that purpose only...education. No other uses are permitted, read the EULA provided with the software...they make this very clear. Secondly, it doesn't matter if you were given the software or not, it's still under an education license.

#2: On some programs there is, some there isn't.

Regardless, if you want the program and you want full features, then go buy a legal copy of it...very simple solution to the problem.

 

[Invicster]

But my issue is that my mate just gave me the program. I'm hardly going to just leave it sitting there unopened.

If I just don't register it, surely they'll never know?

It just seems such a waste when it was given to me as a gift by a student who had no further use for it.

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Your mate broke the license agreement when he gave you the software, and you'd be breaking the license agreement if you use it.

Even if you do register it, they'll probably never know, but that's not the point. It's illegal for him to give it away, and it's illegal for you to use it.

Educational software provides the licensed user with the ability to use the software under certain terms and conditions, and only enables that one user to do those things. You can't use the software to make anything for commercial or non-personal or non-educational use -- in other words, if you build a website for someone using Dreamweaver MX Educational Version and that person pays you for that website, you just broke the license agreement and the law.

There is no difference between the regular version and the educational version of Macromedia's products -- they just say "Educational Version" when you load them, and the license agreement is different.

 

[JetwingX]

BTW educational edition only puts a "Education" mark on the splash screen, not other diferance.

and if you want to go legal about it, i think you can buy JUST the Serial # for cheeper than the whole thing

 

[ElDiabloConCaca]

I doubt they'll sell you a serial number for cheaper than the full license. You're not purchasing a serial number, you're not purchasing a program and you don't own it. You're purchasing a license to use a certain piece of software for an indefinite amount of time, meaning Macromedia can revoke that license at any time under certain conditions (read the EULA). Sure, it feels like you're "buying" a program on a CD, but you're not and Macromedia won't sell you that license any cheaper than they'd sell it to someone else, save for educational discounts and the like.

I would figure that a call to Macromedia would yield good results, but they'll probably just tell you that any license sold over the phone, if they'd even do that, would be just as expensive as the boxed, retail version.

There is no difference between the regular version and the educational version of Macromedia's products -- they just say "Educational Version" when you load them, and the license agreement is different.

BTW educational edition only puts a "Education" mark on the splash screen, not other diferance.

Ummm... yeah, this point has been hammered home now. For some programs, like Maya Personal, the "personal" program entails that the program differs from the retail, full version. I don't know of any Educational versions that differ in terms of feature set from their retail counterparts, but the license to use them and the terms and conditions you use them under are most certainly different.