snow leopard family pack-please explain how many installs on how many machines?

[robfilms]

3 machines at home are running 10.5.8

2 additional machines are running 10.6.6

(there are 4 of us and we have 5 macs-what can i say except why didn't i buy the darn stock!)

i'm thinking snow leopard family pack for everyone to get up to speed and access the app store. i want app store access so i can put the $80 aperture on 3 of the machines (buy once but all machines registered get software, that's right isn't it?)

i thought the apple store site says i get 5 installs of snow leopard.

or does it mean on 5 machines in use at same time.

sorry for being such a dunce.

i'm sleepy (got up at 4am) and have been grouchy all day.

:eek2:

thanks in advance

be well

rob

[jdc]

Technically, a single user OS X disc could be used to install OS X on every single mac in the USA -- theres no physical limit because OS X doesnt have a serial number.

However, legally, only one.

Same sorta rules apply to your "family" disc (which I suspect is a single disc with just different packaging).

Legally, its = 5 different computers all under the same roof/family. Technically it can be installed as many times as you want on as many different mac as you want, over and over and over.

[silvarios]

robfilms wrote:
or does it mean on 5 machines in use at same time.

This one. As mentioned by jdc, there's nothing stopping you from installing Snow Leopard on thousands of Macs, except your sense of fair play.

I'm a sucker, I actually buy family packs of software and stick to the "up to 5 Macs" policy.

[M A V I C]

Reading from my SL family pack packaging: "for up to five computers in one household"

[rjmacs]

robfilms wrote:
i'm thinking snow leopard family pack for everyone to get up to speed and access the app store. i want app store access so i can put the $80 aperture on 3 of the machines (buy once but all machines registered get software, that's right isn't it?)

Which machines get App Store apps is a function of whether those machines are "authorized" on your iTunes account. Each iTunes account can be authorized on up to five machines, and software can be installed and used simultaneously on those five. Just thought it bore mentioning that this isn't strictly speaking tied to your SL licensing.

[M A V I C]

rjmacs wrote: Which machines get App Store apps is a function of whether those machines are "authorized" on your iTunes account. Each iTunes account can be authorized on up to five machines, and software can be installed and used simultaneously on those five. Just thought it bore mentioning that this isn't strictly speaking tied to your SL licensing.

I haven't been following the appstore much, but that sounds completely messed up. I have iTunes "authorized" on several machines, a couple of which are Windows machines. To have them count against the application authorization count makes no sense at all.

[silvarios]

M A V I C wrote: I haven't been following the appstore much, but that sounds completely messed up. I have iTunes "authorized" on several machines, a couple of which are Windows machines. To have them count against the application authorization count makes no sense at all.

Neither does requiring Home Sharing to easily media content over the LAN to the Apple TV 2 (yes AirPlay is alright, but not for media center streaming requirements, you would need an iOS device and Apple Remote software to make that solution function properly). That's right, the Apple TV 2 requires an Apple ID in order to stream media from iTunes, even if none of the media was purchased on the iTunes Store. Very weird.


Nathan

[rjmacs]

M A V I C wrote:
[quote=rjmacs]Which machines get App Store apps is a function of whether those machines are "authorized" on your iTunes account. Each iTunes account can be authorized on up to five machines, and software can be installed and used simultaneously on those five. Just thought it bore mentioning that this isn't strictly speaking tied to your SL licensing.

I haven't been following the appstore much, but that sounds completely messed up. I have iTunes "authorized" on several machines, a couple of which are Windows machines. To have them count against the application authorization count makes no sense at all.
Actually, after looking into this again (thanks for the impetus!), i stand corrected. You are permitted to authorize and use Apple App Store apps on any Macintosh computer in your household, for personal use. It is not limited in the same 5-machine way that iTunes media is restricted. Much like other Apple software licensing, it's an honor system. However, they can track on how many machines are authorized, and can crack down on abuse of the ToS (say, for example, you tried to site-license your company by giving 100 people use of a single Aperture purchase). Hope that helps!

[silvarios]

You still need to authorize with the same iTunes account.

[rjmacs]

silvarios wrote:
You still need to authorize with the same iTunes account.

Yup, if you want the Apple App Store to download/install/manage your apps. Is this a problem?