How to activate a Manifold GIS license

TRANSLATION NOTES: Please read some comments at the end of this post.

There I see the question in Google Analytics very often, so let’s talk awhile to smoke about this.

1. Download Manifold

Manifold can not be downloaded like any other brand, unless you pay with your credit card ($ 245 USD) the personal version, then before 30 days ended you can report that you are dissatisfied and they will return you the money.

So you have the installation program. Of course you are satisfied, because you’ve made a good investment.

Another way of acquiring it, is with those who have bought it, as it’s necessary to activate licenses for use I don’t see much trouble if someone share the program. But if you are seriously thinking about acquiring it I don’t see why you ask me for sending it.

2. Activate Manifold

Once you pay, what Manifold sends you is a link to download the program and “serial number”, like this:

B8384D8A1XXX-4942B549-2911DE16722FXXX7080800EE74RB274EXXXXXX5F1EA6025FECEAE

With which you are entitled to five activations, no matter in which machine you do so.

It means that each activation of the personal version will cost $49, nothing wrong considering that within 5 years a software will be obsolete and taking into account that bastard Windows will work but will force you to format the machine from time to time… once a year would be the last straw.

To enable an extension, install the program and when running it for the first time you get this window.

In the first blank write the “serial number” that Manifold delivers in the purchase, the second line is a blasphemous number that only Manifold knows how it is generated where the machine’s data are identified. Viewing the “help / about” I see that shows the CPU model, type of installed Windows and I don’t know what other things.

Once entered the “serial number” press the button “get activation key via the web” and that makes that in the third space a number will be generated. Also this process can be done on this Manifold’s page, entering data manually, and here you can see how many activities are available.

Keep in mind that if you uninstall the program activation is not lost, so when you reinstall the system recognizes that there is already activation available, however it is advisable to keep a file with the three elements.

If the machine is formatted and Windows reinstalled, it loses the activation but I learned that you can recover that activation…

If you missed your five activations, I recommend you wait to get Manifold 9x version, scheduled for late 2008. Migrating from one version costs $ 50 during the first 60 days of launch and that will make you again have five activations … good tactic to go cleaning up obsolete licenses.

3. Activate extensions

To enable the extensions you can apply “help / activate extension” as they are numbers that are received when buying extensions for geocoding, survey tools or business tools.

What Manifold always sends is a number, but you want an original CD, request for it and by $11 it will arrive to your house for showing off (*). This CD which ironically has only a page of instructions with three red phrases that says:

Install

Active

Learn

3. Hacking Manifold

Negative, that makes no sense. If you are going to make GIS and charge for the product or your company is interested in Manifold for profit, I do not see why not purchase a license that costs $ 245, especially if you work on a computer that cost $ 500.

So for removing this bad practice, I do not recommend hacking Manifold. To avoid this problem, the hairy creators of this application ensured that anyone who shares their “serial key” will be selling his soul to the devil because all of your activations will be stolen. Again, to my knowledge no one has made a keygen to hack Manifold, and I hope you do not.

If we respect this principle, all ensure that Manifold will remain inexpensive.

Ah … so it seems to you very high $ 245, then use GvSIG that won’t cost you anything to install it, you’ll need to learn how to use it.

TRANSLATION NOTES:

(*) pintear: In English, this jargon means boast, show off.