#Imagine multiple license
3 messages in this thread
Mike,
with computer prices dropping all the time, and with some of us eventually
getting to do "real" (i.e. paid) animation work, it's only logical that
eventually some of us will start a render farm, if only a 2-machine one.
What is Impulse's current position regarding one user/multiple Imagine
installations? And what prices would you charge for a single user's
additional licenses?
Let's take my situation as an example: I'm a registered Imagine owner,
both PC and Amiga, and on the auto-upgrade for both. This means I can
render on my home Amiga and the office PC. But, the office PC isn't that
available, nor would I want to attract undue attention by doing intensive
rendering on it.
If Impulse's position is "you can install the software on any number of
machines owned by you, as long as you only USE the software on one machine
at a time", I could buy a home PC, install Imagine/PC on it, and use it,
as long as I'm not using the office version at the same time. (That would
cover unattended use: if I'm modelling at home while the office PC is
rendering, that's obviously concurrent use, a no-no under this situation)
If Impulse's position is "one license, one installation", then I'd need to
get another license of Imagine for my home PC; this would allow me,
however, to have both office and home PCs running at the same time.
If Impulse's position is "you can install the software on any number of
machines owned by you, and you can have any number of them running Imagine
at the same time", then one license is all that's needed for a single user
to set up a render farm of any size. This would be great news for users,
but is commercially unreasonable for Impulse.
As you see, there are several possibilities, and I'm sure many legitimate
Imagine owners would like to know what the current policy is, if only to
store that away until they have money to buy an additional machine.
Blaq!
Blaq,
The reality of the situation is that "one machine, one copy of the
software" however I think that is possibly stretching the issue, you are a
valued customer and as such there would be no repercussions due to using the
code on a work machine and then on the one at home.
I doubt that you will ever be asked to aquire a license on another copy
of Imagine.
The point that is most relevant is this, you did not steal the
original, you paid for it, and as such have supported our efforts., were all
the copies of Imagine now being used were purchased, this is not the case.
So without sounding too much like a politcal idiot, do what you must to
get the job done, just continue your support of our basic efforts.
Mike
Mike,
I'm clear on one point, but unclear on another.
You say I can install Imagine on more than one machine, for example an
office PC and a home PC, as long as I only _run_ it on one machine at
once. That's fine.
But what if I want to run Imagine on more than one machine at once, i.e.
have a render farm? You say I have supported your efforts by buying the
product — does that mean I can buy _one_ copy of Imagine, and have it
running on _any number_ of PC's at the same time? If so, it's a great
marketing argument, since render farms (even 2-machine ones) are becoming
popular, and unless I'm mistaken, that $3000 PC 3-D competitor allows you
to do just that — free render farms. I see three possible positions on
your part:
1) Buy one copy of Imagine, run it on as many computers as you own.
2) Buy one copy of Imagine, install it at will, but only run on one
computer at the same time.
3) Same as 2, but if you want to run Imagine on additional computers,
additional licenses are available at a reduced price.
I _think_ your reply meant 1, but I'd like to make sure. I'm getting more
amd more dissatisfied with rendering time, and will either buy an
accelerator or another machine, or both; having more than one home machine
looks very probable by the end of the year.
Blaq!