From: "Lisa A. Ferrara" <ferrarla@drexel.edu>

Date: August 16, 2012 7:56:03 AM MDT

To: Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com

Subject: Re: [Astro_IIDC] Re: Astro IIDC Golden Key

Hello Milton,

Please include me on the list for the Golden Key!

Thanks and best regards,

Lisa

On Aug 16, 2012, at 9:48 AM, jjkastro@mac.com wrote:

Milton

You can count me in.

Have you considered charging users an annual subscription price to help maintain/develop the software and for technical support? I know some folks would be allergic to this model, but they're likely already paying for subscriptions to Sky& Tel, Astronomy, and countless other magazines which are more transient in nature.

I'd be willing to pay a reasonable fee.

Best,
John

--- In Astro_IIDC@yahoogroups.com, "milton_aupperle" <milton@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Folks;
>
> Since I'm not sleeping much anyhow, I have been working through how I can do a "Golden Key" for Astro IIDC that won't wind up on a warez site and still will be usable in the future (assuming Apple still makes Macs that aren't completely locked down going forward).
>
> What I have come up with still has a hardware component (a registration application that resides on a locked USB Flash Drive), but it will create an unlimited number of Mac unlock keys.
>
> Basically all you would do is stick the Flash Drive stick into the USB 2 port of the Mac you want to register, run the App and it will generate a Astro IIDC Mac license key for that Mac.
>
> The Flash drive will not be needed EXCEPT to generate the unlock key - so once it has generated the unlock key for that Mac, it is not needed again and can be safely stored somewhere else - like a vault.
>
> Since this is a one off thing, and each one has to be hand created for each Flash Drive, it has to be physically shipped to you and your getting an unlimited site license for Astro IIDC, I am looking at a price of $500 USD per "Golden Key". If I have to ship via courier, then extra costs will be incurred as I have several pieces of paper to hand fill out for each product shipped (i.e. custom declaration, shipping declaration etc.) - as well as the cost of the courier itself.
>
> So I need a show of virtual hands (email me at support@...) on whom is interested in purchasing one before I go to the expense of purchasing the needed hard ware and developing the software. I'll make this announcement on the Astro IIDC home page this morning.
>
> And to the six of you (that's all that stepped up) that have paid for extra licenses to try and keep Astro IIDC alive, the amount you have paid will be credited toward you purchasing a "Golden Key" - assuming this goes forward. A little thank you present for those that care.
>
> So let me know if your interested soonest so I can make the decision on whether to proceed with this.
>
> And lastly the nearly final version of Astro IIDC 4.09.00 with full updated manual should be available late today. I just have to finnish updating the page numbers this morning, generate the pfd, build the final version of Astro IIDC, create the final .dmg and upload it to the web site.
>
> TTYL..
>
> Milton Aupperle
>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lisa A. Ferrara,

Lecture and Lab. Technical Support Coord.

Drexel University - Department of Physics 

3141 Chestnut Street

Philadelphia, PA  19104

USA

TEL: 215.895.2733

FAX: 215.895.5934

e-mail: ferrarla@drexel.edu