Quick Facts about Software Activation
What do I do if Activation doesn't work for me?
Why did you introduce software activation?
How does software activation work?
Does software activation have any benefits for me?
What happens if I change components on my computer?
What happens if I reinstall the software?
How many times can I activate the software?
What happens if Aurora Systems goes out of business?
Does the activation system send information about my computer and other products I use?
Does the Hardware Code contain information about my computer?

If you have any questions or concerns about Software Activation that aren't answered here, please call Aurora Systems customer service at (888)290-1133 or (604)291-6310 or email .

Quick Facts about Software Activation

Software Activation is a technology designed to protect users from pirated or counterfeit software by limiting use of a product to those users who have acquired a license to the product legitimately.

• Authenticates each product to protect users from pirated or counterfeit software.
• Employs a simple, intuitive process that users can complete in just a few steps.
• Requires a unique product serial number.
• Requires the user to activate the product the first time Aurora Suite starts. The user can try the software using the "All-Day Demo" for up to 30 days before activating.
• Permits users to transfer the software to their upgraded or new PC without having to purchase a new copy of the software.
• Allows users to activate via the internet. Activation can also be done over the telephone.
• Provides optional product registration for those customers who want to receive information about product updates and other special offers from Aurora Systems. Product activation is completely separate from product registration.

Toll-free telephone support is available for the activation process by calling Aurora Systems at (888)290-1133 between 9:00am and 6:00pm Pacific time (12:00 noon to 9:00pm Eastern) Monday to Friday. You can also look here for help.

Why did you introduce software activation?

A certain amount of software piracy is part of the business if you are a software developer. For several years we have employed a simple registration number scheme and relied on people's honesty to deter casual copying. In the last year, it became apparent that this was inadequate to protect our customers from fraud. We don't want to inconvenience our users, however we can't allow our customers to be victimized by criminals either. We've designed our software activation system to be as unobtrusive as possible, as the last thing we want software activation to do is to inconvenience you, however we need to balance that desire with the requirement that we be able to stop criminals and protect our customers.

How does software activation work?

When you first start Aurora Suite, one of the choices is to Enter Serial Number and Activate Software. If you have an internet connection and have purchased a license, you will have received a serial number along with your CD. All you need to do is enter your serial number and then submit it to Aurora Systems servers, which then send back a special code that will activate the software. If you don't have an internet connection, you can still activate your software, however there are some additional steps required since you need to send us your Hardware Code, and we need to get the activation code to you so that you can enter it into the program.

Does software activation have any benefits for me?

There are a number of benefits for our customers to our new activation system:

• One of the biggest complaints with our previous system, particularly for our dyslexic users, was that it was very difficult to enter the registration code correctly. The new system uses a much shorter 12 digit serial number which is much easier to enter and less prone to error.
• Product activation provides customers with assurance that they are purchasing authentic software from Aurora Systems, which ensures the high level of quality, reliability, peace-of-mind, and ease-of-use they have come to expect from Aurora Systems products.
• By using authentic software, users can protect themselves against the risks associated with the use of pirated or counterfeit software, such as software viruses, inadequate or no product documentation, lack of technical support, software compatibility problems, and ineligibility for product upgrades.
• It allows us to provide several editions of our software and lower prices. You can buy the features you need without the ones you don't.
• We can now provide demos that run for up to a month with fewer limitations. That means you can get a better idea of whether the software is right for you without laying out any money.
• Our resellers can now deliver software to their customers immediately when the customer decides to purchase, there doesn't have to be any waiting for media to show up, or even for orders to be processed.

The activation system will allow changes to your system's hardware and software configuration without requiring reactivation, however if you make too many changes, you will have to activate the software again. The system is most sensitive to changes of your network card, or your primary hard disk.

What happens if I reinstall the software?

Depending on the choices you have made, you may have to reactivate the software. Generally this is just a simple matter of entering your serial number and choosing Automatic activation.

In most cases you can reactivate the software without going online. The activation code is saved in \Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\My Documents\Aurora Suite 2005\activate.htm where username is the name you use to log into Windows. As long as you don't delete that file and you haven't changed your hardware, you can reactivate using Manual activation, then choose Import and select that file.

How many times can I activate the software?

You can activate the software as many times as you need to. We allow a number of automatic activations, the number varies depending on which product you purchase. If you exhaust your automatic activations, then you would need to contact Aurora Systems Customer Service for assistance.

What happens if Aurora Systems goes out of business?

We've been doing this for nearly sixteen years, so we don't think its too likely we'll go out of business, however in case we do, we will make an activation-free version available to all of our customers.

Does the activation system send information about my computer and other products I use?

We have a Privacy Statement that spells out exactly what personal information we gather and what we use it for.

Does the Hardware Code contain information about my computer?

The hardware code is generated from the hardware and software installed on your computer, however we use what is known as a "hash" to prevent anyone from determining exactly what hardware and software your computer contains. While the hash identifies your computer uniquely, it doesn't tell us anything about your computer.

A hash is a mathematical formula that converts a message into a fixed-length string of digits known as "message digest" that uniquely represents the original message. A hash is a one-way function - that is, it is infeasible to reverse the process to determine the original message. Also, a hash function will not produce the same message digest from two different inputs.