27

I am a legitimate user of a piece of software called Creative Element Power Tools. It requires regular updating of the registration code but since Creative have withdrawn support, this is no longer possible and I am stuck with a non-functional application I often used.

I have a solution which involves rolling back the clock to the date it was originally installed and then set the clock back to today's date.

I would like to post but it could be considered a crack and therefore barred from this site.

Can I post this question on Super User or would it be considered inappropriate?

6
  • Thank you for your reply. CEPT is a collection of tools for which a new registration code had to be requested every so often. That is no longer possible. The solution to the problem is to roll back the clock to the date it was originally installed and then set the clock back to today's date. It is cumbersome but a simple batch wrapper saves the day. But ... as I said, it could be considered a crack. Legitimate, I feel, in this case.
    – Pablo678
    Commented Dec 25, 2013 at 12:08
  • 1
    Well, moderators aren't lawyers. We cannot enforce any EULA you agreed to when purchasing the software. If the EULA says you cannot use the software after it's being discontinued, it'd at least be considered unethical to crack it in order to keep using it. Then again, I can't find anything about this piece of software. It seems weird that they could just stop supporting it and leave users who have made a one-time payment with a non-functional application. Just like we deal with DRM questions, I'd say for personal use it should be fine.
    – slhck Mod
    Commented Dec 25, 2013 at 12:15
  • 4
    My EULA says that I have indefinite use of the software on my one-time payment and it has not been discontinued. See creativelement.com/contact.html I'm confident that my continued use is legal. That's not the point. My question is whether Superuser would accept it as a contribution.
    – Pablo678
    Commented Dec 25, 2013 at 12:31
  • In that case I don't see any issue with it. (Note: You can edit comments for up to five minutes after they've been posted. No need to delete and re-post.)
    – slhck Mod
    Commented Dec 25, 2013 at 13:09
  • Thank you. Five minutes has often passed before one spots an error and then one can only delete and re-post. I have now posted the question we were talking about (with its answer). I would have liked to refer to this conversation in meta but wasn't sure how to do it.
    – Pablo678
    Commented Dec 26, 2013 at 15:03
  • 3
    " It seems weird that they could just stop supporting it and leave users who have made a one-time payment with a non-functional application. " Happens everyday, why would think it's weird?
    – Zach
    Commented Jan 2, 2014 at 21:14

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
20

As mentioned in the comments: If this is for your personal use of discontinued software, I'd say it's fine for Super User.

See also this old discussion about removal of DRM for personal purposes: Is discussion of techniques for removing DRM permitted?

1
  • Thanks. Very useful discussion.
    – Pablo678
    Commented Dec 26, 2013 at 15:15

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .