Legit gripe or no!

angevin1

Legit gripe or no?

I purchased a New D300 in Oct.08 and received a trial version of Capture NX2. I also purchased a New D700 in December 08, with yet another trial version of Capture NX2.

Is it within reason that I be able to trial both versions?

Nikon Tech says no.You got one trial and that's all you get.

I say yes. I bought two products, both came with a free trial disc and I want to trial both.

tom~

Mods: please move as needed.

ziggy53

I moved this into the Finishing School which is where software related posts normally go.

I suspect that, as a trial version, the software has no true "registration" with either Nikon or your operating system. As such, there is no way for your OS to determine one copy from the other and I doubt that a second copy will be allowed.

The only way to use 2 copies is to use 2 computers and load one copy onto each, and one of those might have to be off-line so that if there is a rudimentary on-line registration it would be ignored (maybe).

This is nothing unique to Nikon and they probably just don't want to deal with the odd exception. Not sure if I consider this worth doing battle over?

du8die

Personally, I would say no.

It's interesting, if you read the EULA of most software, you are not actually buying the software - just the right to install and use it on your computer. For example, this is an excerpt from Microsoft's EULA for XP Home.

3. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS AND OWNERSHIP. Microsoft reserves all rights not expressly granted to you in this EULA. The Software is protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws and treaties. Microsoft or its suppliers own the title, copyright, and other intellectual property rights in the Software. The Software is licensed, not sold.

(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/eula/home.mspx)

I haven't read the license for Capture NX, but I imagine that they allow you to use one copy of it at a time, and the trial period is for the software itself and not for the disc. Or, at least that's how they are apparently interpreting it.

Also, you bought two cameras - not two trials of Capture NX.

By the way, it appears that you can use the trial on up to two computers for up to 60 days.

(a) Use the trial version of the SOFTWARE (“TRIAL SOFTWARE”) on up to two (2) of your own computers for a period of sixty (60) days from the date of installation.

(http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bin/nikonusa.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=16164&p_sid=ELGBUDqj&p_lva=16193)

Good Luck.

angevin1

ziggy53 wrote:

Not sure if I consider this worth doing battle over?

Yeah? Thanks, cause I'm sure I'd just be battling the mirror anyway~

Opinions appreciated!

tom

angevin1

du8die wrote:

Personally, I would say no......

Also, you bought two cameras - not two trials of Capture NX.

Good Luck.

Thanks for the link and opinion.

And you are correct, I bought neither copy of the trial version.

I was given two trial versions, one with each purchase.

thanks, tom

mercphoto

du8die wrote:

Personally, I would say no.

It's interesting, if you read the EULA of most software, you are not actually buying the software - just the right to install and use it on your computer. For example, this is an excerpt from Microsoft's EULA for XP Home.



(http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/eula/home.mspx)

Which technically means you cannot sell your used software either. I can understand the gripe you have, but there are different ways to look at it. One is that Nikon is letting you try their software. The fact that its bundled with another product (i.e. the camera) is immaterial and doesn't actually influence the fact that you're getting a trial period on the software.

angevin1

mercphoto wrote:

Which technically means you cannot sell your used software either. I can understand the gripe you have, but there are different ways to look at it. One is that Nikon is letting you try their software. The fact that its bundled with another product (i.e. the camera) is immaterial and doesn't actually influence the fact that you're getting a trial period on the software.

Agreed! My thoughts are simply, don't send me one twice if I cannot use it thus!

cheers, and thanks for the continued opinions!

tom

jfriend

angevin1 wrote:

Agreed! My thoughts are simply, don't send me one twice if I cannot use it thus!

cheers, and thanks for the continued opinions!

tom

So, if I follow your logic, you would have been happier if your D700 didn't come with a free trial of NX2?

mercphoto

angevin1 wrote:

Agreed! My thoughts are simply, don't send me one twice if I cannot use it thus!

Hmmm... you're suggesting that somehow Nikon sell you your second camera w/o the bundled disk simply because they recently sold you a camera with a bundled disk?

Kyle D

You could always try installing the second copy of the trial once your first has expired but with a few steps in between. This is only for windows based computers.

Steps:
- back up setting files or anything you'd like to keep
- download & install CCleaner
- uninstall your trial version of capture nx2
- run the registry clean up tool in CCleaner and have it fix all the issues
- install the second trial

There is no guarantee that this will work so attempt this at your own risk.

But from doing some research into trial programs and talking to a few friends who are software developers. Quite a bit of trial software won't let you use a second trial because it looks for stuff in the registry. So, if you clean that up then it's like you've never installed it before.

I do not condone this for getting around purchasing a piece of software or anything like that. I just thought I'd let the OP know a way that might allow him to utilize both trials on the same computer.

Also, you should buy the software that you like. Just like photographers like getting paid for their work and not having it stolen, software developers/programmers also like getting paid for their hard work.

angevin1

jfriend wrote:

So, if I follow your logic, you would have been happier if your D700 didn't come with a free trial of NX2?

Gees. Not sure there is any logic here, in my brain. But I think yes is the simple answer to your query.

mercphoto wrote:

Hmmm... you're suggesting that somehow Nikon sell you your second camera w/o the bundled disk simply because they recently sold you a camera with a bundled disk?

No. Not at all. My thoughts were simply, if you send it, I should be able to utilize it, trial or no.

Kyle D wrote:

Also, you should buy the software that you like. Just like photographers like getting paid for their work and not having it stolen, software developers/programmers also like getting paid for their hard work.

Thanks for all the registry ideas. I actually did all of these , more than once with the programs (CCC,etc) that I already use regularly. But no avail. I think the software registers ones ISP address and uses Online verification to determine if you've trialed before.

I get the purchase thing. I bought LR2 after trialing it about the same time I was first trialing NX2. I just couldn't get my teeth around NX2 to decide if it was worth the cash....and I still am not sure, hence the idea of trialing again with my second copy of trial-ware.

I asked for opinions and got what I asked for. and am appreciative of this too.

To me is was a simple thought: I buy camera, I get free trial. I buy camera, I get free trial.

mercphoto

angevin1 wrote:

No. Not at all. My thoughts were simply, if you send it, I should be able to utilize it, trial or no.

The CDs were sent separately? It wasn't bundled with both cameras?

Kyle D

The other option is to reformat and reinstall windows. It's kinda of like fishing with dynamite but if you're that desperate for another crack at the trial.

Also, you can try uninstalling the Nikon Messenger, I believe that's what Nikon uses to phone home, once you've reinstalled the trial but before you start it again.

Also, if you need help with information/getting your head wrapped around NX2 you should buy the e-book The Photographer;s Guide to Capture NX2 by Jason Odell.

I bought his original book for NX and his newest for NX2 when I upgraded to it. It's extremely well written and made NX very usable. So much so that I use it for about 95% of my post work and now find it very intuitive and easy to use.

angevin1

Kyle D wrote:

The other option is to reformat and reinstall windows. It's kinda of like fishing with dynamite but if you're that desperate for another crack at the trial.

Also, you can try uninstalling the Nikon Messenger, I believe that's what Nikon uses to phone home, once you've reinstalled the trial but before you start it again.

Also, if you need help with information/getting your head wrapped around NX2 you should buy the e-book The Photographer;s Guide to Capture NX2 by Jason Odell.

I bought his original book for NX and his newest for NX2 when I upgraded to it. It's extremely well written and made NX very usable. So much so that I use it for about 95% of my post work and now find it very intuitive and easy to use.

I think the suggestion of a book or perhaps a free source would aid me in my decision. I am not really interested in pursuing the free trial I couldn't use or wrestling my computer into submission.....LR2 is such a joy to work with...and my results with NX2 while okay, were not stellar. I bought DXO two years ago and extended my trial of that software about three times, then bought it. It took me that long just to be certain I wanted it.

Thanks again for your input.

Osprey

You would think
When you spend that much for a camera they should throw a real copy in with the deal.

angevin1

Osprey wrote:

When you spend that much for a camera they should throw a real copy in with the deal.

uhh...make that two cameras within 90 days...and yes I've heard that mentioned before...

In truth I don't mind paying for it ( if I end up liking it)....but they sent two trials...I think I ought to be able to trial them both...

Ah but in truth, I'll never know because I will not buy it now that they couldn't figure out a thing via phone....they just figuratively shrugged their collective shoulders~

tom

Kyle D

Just out of curiosity, how do you find the output quality from LR2? Is there any problems? I'm curious because I'm considering switching from Capture NX2 to Lightroom 2.

Art Scott

Osprey wrote:

When you spend that much for a camera they should throw a real copy in with the deal.

Konica-Minolta did just that.....but Lightroom came out was much nicer for me.........................................

Jeremy Winterberg

I can't believe that Nikon only gives free trials? That's just dumb. Canon, although they don't really give you PP software, does not give trials only full software.

I use LR2, Works really nicely for me. Output quality is pretty good, its no Photoshop CS4, but it gets the job done pretty quickly.

I do alot of software testing, and what I've found to work best for my workflow is: Import with LR2, do minor adjustments in there, if anything more is needed I switch over to PS CS3 or PS CS4, then bring it back into LR2 and send it out in whatever format I need it.

The nice think about LR2 is you can catelog all your photos, so that you can access them easily and fast. Its very similar to ExpressDigital Darkroom if you've used that (also good software worth looking at).

BobbyMarshall

Is this for a PC?

have you tried manually searching through your registry and removing everything to do with Nikon?

run>regedit
then under the edit menu select find, enter Nikon or nx2 (however the program might be listed), then remove anything that looks like it might be related to the software.

if you've never messed with regedit, I don't know if I would try doing this, but it seems there is still something on your computer that is keeping the origional expire date.

Also, if you go to
run>msconfig

make sure that nikon is not in the startup, and check to be sure that the service is not running.