Next MorphOS version: 3.0! (Not 2.8)

[itix]

Oh, the 30 minutes thing is fair enough. But if I can't transfer a license from one computer to another when I sell it, then there's $200 down the crapper.

When selling the computer you are selling MorphOS license with it. If you manage to find new buyer interested to use MorphOS you may get at least some of your money back. So it is not a total loss.

[Bamiga2002]

Any idea how to restrict this to "1 copy paid for, 1 copy used" and not being shared to friends?

A scout's honor to delete & destroy the key?

[commodorejohn]

When selling the computer you are selling MorphOS  license with it. If you manage to find new buyer interested to use  MorphOS you may get at least some of your money back. So it is not a  total loss.

If I find a MorphOS-interested buyer, I doubt they're going to pay a whole $150 extra for the license, so I'd still come out behind, whereas if I could simply transfer my license, I wouldn't be out anything except hardware costs. I'd even be willing to pay for upgrades if I could do that (upgrades upgrades, anyway, as opposed to bug-fix service-pack stuff.)

In that time I've found it to be a dream to use, and I would far rather use MorphOS than any other OS like OSX, Linux, Haiku, RiscOS, or that other one from Microsoft.

Ah, I actually really wanted to give Haiku a try, but to my surprise (considering the BeOS heritage) the PPC port is completely unloved by anybody except for apparently one guy who occasionally posts to his blog about efforts to get it going again Sad, it looks like a nifty system, and it was incredibly snappy on my little x86 netbook when I tried the live image.

I would like to run something Amiga-based at least as a hobby OS, but I'm moving away from x86 hardware and it seems like that's got the only self-hosting version of AROS at the moment (and if I'm going to run a Linux-hosted system I'll just run Linux,) and with this licensing frolderol I'm a bit turned-off to the idea of MorphOS...maybe I'll at least take a look, though.

Oh, this is my new hardware to run MorphOS 3.0 on come December

Nice Is that the 1.67GHz high-resolution model? I've got one in the mail myself

[mongo]

Any idea how to restrict this to "1 copy paid for, 1 copy used" and not being shared to friends? I have no problem understanding what you are trying to say here but it just isnt possible. If it wasnt tied to one machine it would have to be tied to one user or just use generic key that works everywhere.

You can make a USB key with a unique serial number for very little money. Much better option than using the MAC address.

[Duce]

There are many ways a copy of an OS can be locked to a specific set of hardware...  It's been done for many years.

[warpdesign]

Any idea how to restrict this to "1 copy paid for, 1 copy used" and not being shared to friends? I have no problem understanding what you are trying to say here but it just isnt possible.

Why would you want such a restriction ?
If his friends are fans, they already have (or will) bought it. If they are not, they wouldn't have and won't buy it. By not restricting it, you gain a new user, maybe a new developer, and you don't loose one.

[Cammy]

I wish it was the 1.67Ghz model, but they're going for waaay too much. It's actually the smallest, slowest model supported, the 15" 1.5Ghz G4, but I don't mind because it's just as fast as the Mac Mini I had hoped to get, and it is smaller so it'll fit behind my monitor easier, which I hope to use through the DVI port my Efika currently takes up. Unfortunately the screen is busted and needs a good wiggle and a bashing to work, and one of the RAM slots is also dead so I can only upgrade it to 1GB (currently it has 512MB). But it only cost me $125 + $25 postage (and another $25 for an aftermarket PSU which it didn't come with). I really shouldn't have spent this much but I was forced to buy it after I impulsively sent the offer of $125 and it was accepted (the original asking price was $170).

[commodorejohn]

Ah. Still, the 1.5GHz G4s are no slouch; even the 1.33GHz model I had briefly gave my 1.6GHz Atom netbook a run for its money. Nice

[itix]

@mongo

I could support that idea but it is not (only) up to me to decide.

[Andre.Siegel]

You can make a USB key with a unique serial number for very little money. Much better option than using the MAC address.

Much better for whom exactly?

It is safe to say that a very large percentage of all future sales will be for portable computers. In the case of an Apple Powerbook, having to carry around a USB key is not only impractical, but it also means you lose 50% of the available USB ports just so you can run the operating system.

[jj]

whilst i don't reallty like the registration model for morhpos , it is what it is.

[nicholas]

you buy a license to use the software, not to own it for good. you better start reading the little text on the paper that come with your software/product.

Not in the EU you don't, post-transaction EULA's are invalid.

Anyway, if MOS was really so popular that people want to pirate it then it would have been cracked by now.

The fact it hasn't speaks volumes.

[nicholas]

You really think so? Road *cough* show *cough* *cough* 6 *cough* 8 *cough* k *cough*

Roadshow has been pirated?? Do you have a link to the news?

No, I dont belive that all those who have paid for MOS license would pirate it.

I am sorry if I offended you.

You haven't offended me. I will at some point probably register MorphOS but it won't be until I have made a firm decision on which machine I will run it on.

[zylesea]

I wish it was the 1.67Ghz model, but they're going for waaay too much. It's actually the smallest, slowest model supported, the 15" 1.5Ghz G4, but I don't mind because it's just as fast as the Mac Mini I had hoped to get, and it is smaller so it'll fit behind my monitor easier, which I hope to use through the DVI port my Efika currently takes up. Unfortunately the screen is busted and needs a good wiggle and a bashing to work, and one of the RAM slots is also dead so I can only upgrade it to 1GB (currently it has 512MB). But it only cost me $125 + $25 postage (and another $25 for an aftermarket PSU which it didn't come with). I really shouldn't have spent this much but I was forced to buy it after I impulsively sent the offer of $125 and it was accepted (the original asking price was $170).

Well the Mac mini 1.5 GHz just shows that a G4 1.5 is pretty fast and powerful. And also when money may be tight, I think you really got a good price and you won't regret that purchase. Lucky you have your powerbook already - I am still looking for a good offer though.

[zylesea]

whilst i don't reallty like the registration model for morhpos , it is what it is.

indeed. In dreamworld there could be nicer options, but the deal is a well defined take it or leave it thing. I took it twice alrady and haven't regreted it. I think I will do it a 3rd time soon and am optimistic that I will not regret it that time, too.

[Dementhor]

@commodorejohn
I too have been a little bit concerned about the licensing issue, but as my project requires building a really nice looking case for my G4 Mac mobo, it's taking dear time, so I'm not in particular hurry. So I've been wondering if it occurred to you (or anyone else) to actually ask the MorpOS people nicely before starting to bitch about it. I mean - they've apparently got the best loved OS (at least development-wise) in the Amiga scene, so I would assume they might be willing to address the issue if asked nicely. You always have the option to start bitching AFTER you ask nicely and nothing happens. I think that's how it's supposed to work among civilised people, right?

And speaking of Windows licensing scheme as an example - there are two kinds of licences you can buy: the OEM licence which gets tied to the HW when you first install it, and the 'box' version, which is freely transferable BUT more expensive, so perhaps something along those lines might be applied here?