Buying 3.9 Without Lion

benfdc

I'm not ready to walk into the Lion's den yet, but I'd like to take advantage of the sale price. So here's what I'm wondering.



My buddy has Lion. He creates a user account for me. I go to the Mac App Store, authorize my buddy's computer to my Apple ID, buy 1P 3.9, de-authorize my buddy's computer, uninstall 1P 3.9, and then have him delete my user account.



I *think* that I now own a copy of 1P 3.9 that will be waiting for me when I put Lion on one of my own Macs.



But I'd appreciate it if somebody who knows for sure whether this would work or not could chime in here.

roustem

To be honest, I haven't tried it myself.



It certainly looks like your solution will work fine. The purchased are tracked into your account. I reinstalled Lion on my Macs several times and was always able to download the previous purchases from the "Purchased" tab:



[img]https://img.skitch.com/20110910-keqkx1jrxgcguwwma51e5w6y7h.png[/img]

benfdc

Just tried to purchase 1P at the Mac App Store, but I can't b/c my MacBook Pro is still running Snow Leopard. But my niece has Lion, and I think I'll be seeing her later today. So maybe I'll be able to buy it via her Mac.



It looks to me like the Mac App Store, unlike the iTunes store, does not cap the number of Macs that can be associated with a single Apple ID, and it's not even obvious to me that there is a way to de-authorize a Mac. I guess that means I could just leave a copy there. Not sure how I should feel about that. It's fine with me if it's fine with you, of course. And my niece wouldn't be able to share the program with her friends b/c she wouldn't be able to sign on with my Apple ID, so if she likes it you might well get additional sales by word of mouth.



If you have any thoughts on the matter, I promise to heed them.



—Ben F

[Deleted User]

That's something I've noticed too, Ben, no messing around with authorisations for Mac App Store stuff, which given the fun I've had recently setting up our new family Mac Mini I don't want to have to go through again!.



What you could do, on your niece's Mac, is install 1Password so you've bought it and then delete the app from her system if you don't feel comfortable letting her use it. I think the terms from the Mac App Store are that you can install a purchased app on as many Macs you own or control, so I'm guessing your niece's system wouldn't fall into that category.

benfdc

[quote name='stu' timestamp='1315759929' post='47789']

I think the terms from the Mac App Store are that you can install a purchased app on as many Macs you own or control, so I'm guessing your niece's system wouldn't fall into that category.

[/quote]

I don't know that Apple has ever defined what "control" means. Absent clear guidance from Apple in general, or clear guidance from AgileBits as regards 1Password specifically, I've decided to adopt what seems to me to be a fair working definition: any Mac for which I have an admin password is a Mac that I control. By that definition, I don't currently control my niece's Mac.

Ben

Our definition has always been "within the same household." If your niece lives with you, then I'd say go for it. If she doesn't, then I would say that might be stretching it a bit.

benfdc

Family Licenses are for 3.8.x and older. I understand that my niece can't use my 3.8.x family licenses for 1P/Mac or 1P/Win.



My 3.9 license will have nothing to do with my old Family License. Unless AgileBits is imposing additional restrictions over and above the Mac App Store license terms of use at the time of purchase (and I haven't purchased yet so I don't know whether you are or not), I don't see why your Family License rules are at all relevant.



My apologies if I'm coming across as combative or argumentative. I'm really just trying to think this through, and I greatly appreciate your help and input.

benfdc

Incidentally, under what I have just said is my working definition of "control," I won't be able to use 1P 3.9 on a friend's Mac unless my friend gives me an admin password, my friend also owns 1P, or AgileBits decides to afford its customers additional rights over and above the standard Mac App Store license.



Fortunately, my current 1P/Win and 1P/Mac family licenses will still be valid, so I'll still be able to use 1P anywhere I need it (except Linux, and maybe even there under Wine).

[Deleted User]

Hmm, I don't know if we can 'afford you extra rights' on the Mac App Store licensing, that's a good point though. The way I look at the Mac App Store licensing is that I can install the app on any systems I'm using for my own or family use. Where you couldn't use one purchase would be in a business setting.



I'm not sure Apple ever really clarified this one, maybe it's time for me to go do a bit of googling to find some answers.

benfdc

The default Mac App Store Product Usage Rules apply "[e]xcept as otherwise set forth herein." Therefore … [quote name='LICENSE OF MAC APP STORE AND APP STORE PRODUCTS']Your license to each App Store Product is subject to the Licensed Application End User License Agreement set forth below, and you agree that such terms will apply unless the App Store Product is covered by a valid end user license agreement entered into between you and the licensor of that App Store Product (the “Application Provider”), in which case the Application Provider’s end user license agreement will apply to that App Store Product. The Application Provider reserves all rights in and to the App Store Product not expressly granted to you.[/quote]

Not giving you legal advice or anything (I'm not licensed to practice in Canada), but I think that the above clause means that you and your customers can enter into an alternative EULA.



I'm just sayin' …

thightower

Interesting thanks for posting that.