Hide FCP serial number

Hi,

Anyone knows a way to hide a FCP serial number that is showned on the FCP's Splash Screen?
I've just found a guy trying to copy the serial number from an Mac in a Post House where i do work occasionaly.

Thank's

Rui Barros
Editor Colorist Trainer
Lisbon, Portugal
RTP Post-Production
Apple Certified Trainer FCP 7
Apple Certified Pro FCP 7

I don't know of a way, but that's kind of a hilarious mental image: a guy launching and quitting and re-launching Final Cut as he scribbles furiously.

Even if there were a way to hide the license key on the splash screen, it's displayed in full when you invoke the "About Final Cut Pro" menu command. So yeah, I think this is something you'll have to live with. Short of establishing some sort of fairly intense physical security protocol, like a locking idle screensaver or something.

i know that adobe software for the last few versions has hid the last 4 numbers of the serial number both at startup and about. are you sure that your full number is being displayed?

im not near my documentation so i cant test that for myself...

I just double-checked it. It's the full and complete license key, in both the splash screen and the "About Final Cut Pro" screen.

well, that sure blows. i wonder why it ever became a practice to display that? thats almost like posting your social security number on the curb in front of your house...

but wouldnt the alleged offender need your name and other credentials to use the number? i seem to recall last major update i bought, i had to give everything shy of a urine sample...

Pretty sure not. We have seven seats here, on systems that get wiped and reinstalled pretty regularly, and we just track the license keys themselves. They're not checksummed or anything; it's just a straight-up nodelocked license.

There's a legitimate conversation to be had about whether Apple benefits or suffers because Final Cut is, as compared to Media Composer, so easy to pirate. But I think (a) that conversation has been had to death elsewhere, and (b) it's pretty wildly off-topic.

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that's kind of a hilarious mental image: a guy launching and quitting and re-launching Final Cut as he scribbles furiously.

Not really...when the splash FCP screen comes up, hit Command/Shift/3 and take a picture of it.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Aw. It was funnier in my head.

Oddly enough Apple used to do this. Until something like 4.5 the last triplet of the serial number was missing in the splash screen. Since then the whole thing as appeared. I've seen people writing them down in Apple stores.

Yeah...pretty dumb to leave that serial number exposed for all to see.

When life gives you dilemmas...make dilemmanade.

Yeah, I did two tutorials that I had to go back and BLUR the SN. Boy am I glad that the company that hired me to do them caught that.

What a pain.


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Hi,

It looks like that we have to hire a cop when working with some fellows!

Thanks for your answers.

Rui Barros
Editor Colorist Trainer
Lisbon, Portugal
RTP Post-Production
Apple Certified Trainer FCP 7
Apple Certified Pro FCP 7

I should think that if Apple aren't bothered then its kinda redundant if we worry about it for them ... your cheeky coworker could probably find dozens of serial numbers just by googling them.

Yeah, there's FCP serials all over the web. The thing is though, most of us who have been using the app for a while now probably have UPGRADE serials, which are useless without a prior serial number. And it has to be the right version -- a FCS2 upgrade won't install without a FCS1 serial for example, not prior FCP serials.

And just to add one positive outcome of having it on the splash screen: I was at the office, re-installing FCS2 on my Powerbook when I was prompted for the prior FCS1 serial which of course I didn't have on me. Called up my G4 at home, used "Share Screen" and opened FCS1 on that machine and copied the serial from it. Saved me a days work!

JK

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