Alarming download policy from Apple!

Hey, all.
This week my Firewire case died. The hard disk itself apparently is healthy inside, but I won't be able to use it until I buy a new case. Unfortunately, that hard disk has the 4.0 to 4.5 HD update I downloaded from Apple. I didn't worry much and went to Apple's site to download.

Incredibly, when I typed my serial number, instead of letting me download again, a red sign said: "You already downloaded this update". Wow!

Does Apple believe that helping users with a system crash is less important than fighting piracy? Wouldn't it be better if Apple gave legit users the benefit of doubt? Aren't there hundreds of reasons (mainly system crashes) why one would need to download it more than once in several months?



Adolfo Rozenfeld
Buenos Aires - Argentina
www.adolforozenfeld.com

apple should just ship FCP with a dongle, or iLok.
diBasa

Indeed they should not use a Dongle. Pirates don't have to worry about loosing dongles or that kind of thing - real, legit users do. I remember waiting a month for a new After Effects dongle from Adobe on upgrading my mac from ADB to USB ports. In the meantime I used a crack so that I could continue to use my legit software. Every review I wrote of AE I mentioned the stupid dongle, that was cracked anyway. Sensibly Adobe dropped the use of the dongle on the next release. I now have AE dongles sitting around doing nothing.... Why should Apple repeat Adobe's mistake?? I think Apple's policy of invalidating serial numbers in OS and FCP updates works well, and doesn't in any way inconvenience legit users.

Graeme



[www.nattress.com] - Plugins for FCP-X

I guess we had better save every important download until the next version of it comes around.

I recently uninstalled and reinstalled DVD Studio Pro 3 and I went to the Apple site to d/l the latest updater and it took my serial number??? That was around 2-3 months ago.

[www.macworld.com]

and it will get worse!!!

Indeed loosing dongles is a pita. but all copy protections make you loose time. My Waves are authorized for 1 disk only (wonder how long it takes to reauthorize if that thing breaks), Nuendo is Pace-dongle, MovieMagic on online authorization, whatever...

Regarding Apple, I guess it's best to download the updates, burn them to cd/dvd, instead of doing it automatically.

My tip is Carbon Copy cloner to clone your OS disk. evereybody should invest into a backup OS-hard. Better now than later.

hard times...
diBasa

I save every installer or package for all of the updates and patches I download, burn them to DVDRWs so I can erase the oldest ones. Saves time when trying to track down all those updaters when your box version is only x.0.

Bizzar,

Coincidently, I am just now downloading the 4.5 upgrade for the second time in a week on my Mini (Safari is about 75% done). Took my serial number no problem.

Perhaps you have a cookie set or something. Try a different browser. Or if not give Apple a call.

- T.
OneCreative, Albuquerque, NM

Maybe it's detecting a receipt on your system and it's trying to tell you not to bother downloading it because you already have it?

Try going to Library > Receipts and see if there is a FCP 4.5 file in there. If so, delete it and try the download again.

As for the FireWire drive-- I have two of them in my tower right now, acting as ordinary ATA drives. No data loss. Just throw away the case, adjust the jumper to Master or Slave, pop it in, following allthe usual precautions, of course (like: unplug the tower, anti-statc wrist strap, etc.)

lsm
(Keytips on brief vacation)