DBDocumentor is distributed as shareware or trialware. This distribution model allows users to evaluate most of the functionality in DBDocumentor prior to actually purchasing it. During this evaluation phase, DBDocumentor is running under a trial license. If the limitations of a trial license are too restrictive for your evaluation, you may be able to obtain a temporary license key.
Once you decide to purchase DBDocumentor, you convert your trial license to a full, or permanent license. When you enter the product key and code obtained during the purchase process, the full functionality of DBDocumentor is unlocked.
If you then decide to upgrade your full license to a development license, you loose none of the benefits of a full license but gain additional access to development support for SQLDocumentation projects.
The trial license is a featured limited version of the full DBDocumentor™ product. Specifically there are the following limitations:
Temporary license keys are a new concept introduced with DBDocumentor™ 4.00. The idea is to provide a mechanism for full evaluation of DBDocumentor™, without the limitations of a trial license. Temporary license keys are available for 14 or 28 days, and if you decide to upgrade to a permanent license key before the temporary license key expires, the cost of the temporary license key is applied to the cost of any permanent DBDocumentor license key. While DBDocumentor is running with a temporary license key, you will have access to all the functionality of DBDocumentor. If the temporary key expires, DBDocumentor will automatically revert to a trial license. If you wish to learn more about temporary license keys, or obtain a temporary license key, please contact Pikauba Sales.
There are two types of full licenses, a single user license and a domain license. The single user license is for a single user and can be installed on up to two machines (e.g. a desktop development machine and a laptop machine), but only if the primary user of the license is the same. For each user in the organization who is using DBDocumentor as a tool, you'll need to obtain a single user license. Multiple single user licenses are appropriate for 5 users or less. Once you pass 5 users on a single domain (where a domain is an NT login domain), then a domain license is more cost effective. A domain license will cover an unlimited number of users within a domain at a given physical location (e.g. if you have two development centers, one in the USA and one in Europe, two domain licenses would be required). Licenses are only required for machines where the user has installed DBDocumentor. DBDocumentor HTML and CHM output can be used by any number of users without requiring a license.
There are three different types of upgrades with DBDocumentor. If you are a SQLHelp customer or are using an older full license version of DBDocumentor (defined as below the current major version) then when you start DBDocumentor, you will be presented with an option to upgrade your license to one usable in the current major version of DBDocumentor. The pricing for the upgrade is based on a number of factors, including when you purchased your license, the version of license you purchased, and in the case of SQLHelp upgrades, the product being upgraded. License upgrades must minimally be for the same type of license (i.e. if you have a domain license, you must upgrade to a domain license). Unless otherwise indicated, license upgrades are always below that of the current full product price, and you can purchase multiple licenses for the upgrade price. If you believe you are entitled to upgrade pricing, but do not see your pricing, please contact sales with you original order number and license key for more information.
Yes, licensing does impact the support process. License costs have been calculated based partly on the support overhead associated with each license type. For example, a single user license assumes that only a single user will be making requests for assistance. It is not required that the person purchasing DBDocumentor make any support requests, but only that for single user licenses the number of contact points equal the number of licenses purchased. This restriction is in line with the intent of a single user license being defined as applying to a person.
Domain licensing has a small change to this process. If a domain license is purchased, it may be installed on an unlimited number of machines in a given domain, with the restriction that the license only be used in a single physical location. Each of these users may make requests of support. However, since there is no enforcement of the physical location restriction in code, if requests for support are received from distinct geographical areas, you may be requested to obtain additional licenses.
No. When you obtain a license to DBDocumentor, this license permits you to make requests of support, including requesting new or changed functionality. Within a given major version (e.g. 4.x), you can upgrade or downgrade your application and continue to use the same license key. However, upgrades to the next major version may require the purchase of an upgrade license. Licenses can be transferred between machines using the "Deactivate License" tool, or by contacting Pikauba Support with a request to migrate the license. If you need to make a license transfer request of support, you will need to include the license key, machine name being deactivated and the domain the machine is in.
Development licenses are appropriate for users who are looking either to develop custom solutions based on the SQLDocumentation XML output, or for users who are looking for assistance in planning their documentation project. Development licenses are custom tailored to your specific requirements and require the minimum purchase of a single user license.
When you purchase a DBDocumentor license, you receive a license key and code to unlock the copy of DBDocumentor you have on your system. Beginning with version 4.00 of DBDocumentor, Pikauba Software has implemented a basic product activation system. In this system, when you attempt to unlock DBDocumentor, DBDocumentor opens an instance of Internet Explorer and using SSL validates that the key you entered is a valid one, and that you have not activated more copies of DBDocumentor than you have licenses for. This is a one time communication with the Pikauba Software web site. If you have any questions on this subject, or are experiencing problems, please do not hesitate to ask Support.
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