QUESTION:

What is the difference between desktop and network activation and when do I have to decide between the two ?

ANSWER:

Desktop activation uses a Desktop Serial Number to uniquely identify your computer. This means that the software is licenced to just one computer and only that computer can use the software. Using our online activation system you can easily transfer your desktop licence between different computers, but only one computer actually holds the licence at any one time.

Network activation means that the licences reside on a single local network licence server located in your office or institution. When you set up this server, you specify the range of IP addresses you will allow to access licences. Any client workstation with an IP address within the specified range can then contact the server and request the use of a licence at any time. This means that a large number of computers on a single network can share a limited number of "floating" licences.

You do not have to choose between desktop and network activation when you purchase - there is no difference in cost between the two.

You only have to choose when you go to actually activate a computer. Even then, it is relatively easy to transfer a licence back to our activation server and use it to activate a different machine or add to the pool of floating network licences.

If you purchase more than one licence, you can choose any combination of desktop and network activations to suit your needs. This is recommended for situations where you may need some licences "floating" in the office to be shared between many different people using different computers. Non-networked computers (such as laptops) or machines that are to be used outside your office/institution will require a fixed desktop activation.