Use one Mathematica 'Personal License Service' for two computers?

Questions
,
1

I am interested in Mathematica. So I will purchase the Mathematica License that contains ‘the Personal License Service’.
I know that ‘the Personal License Service’ allow me to install my license on a second personal computer.
If so, can I use one license in two computers?

2

Certain licenses come with a “Home Use” activation key which allows you to have Mathematica instealled on Machine A (ideally a work machine) and Machine B (with the Home Use key, ideally a home machine).

For specifics on which license is best for you I would recommend reaching out using this form: Contact Wolfram

3

With the Mathematica Home Edition and Personal License Service you should be able to run MMA on two different computers.

http://www.wolfram.com/mathematica/pricing/service-plans/personal-license-service.php

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4

Thank you for your reply. I purchased the Mathematica Student Edition(Personal License Service).
I used my license in the first computer. and then I tried to use it in the Second computer.
But, I saw below picture. What is the problem?

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5

Thank you for your reply.
But, I can’t use the license in two computers. What is the problem?

1077problem.jpg
1077problem.jpg649×490 69 KB

6

Each activation key only works on one machine. If you have questions about the capabilities of your specific license I’d email customer support using this form: Contact Wolfram Support by Email or Phone

7

I understand it.
Thank you for your reply!

8

This highlights a common problem these days in the software industry. Locking software down to a single computer is bonkers. And is an increasing problem for me. It’s like buying a car and being told you can drive it only on one road. I work on several computers depending on what I’m doing and where I am, and find this means of license control incredibly inconvenient. In the good old days we’d use dongles. Which were ideal beacuase they allowed any driver to drive the car on whatever road they wanted. But for whatever reason dongles are a rare find these days. Some software I use (e.g. Autocad) uses software licensing which works over the web and allows me to install on as many computers as I like, but permits me to run only one instance of the application at any one time. Like the trusty old dongles this also works perfectly well. Some other software I use also provides for this form of licensing, but the vendors charge a disproportionately large premium for the privilege (I’m not sure whether Mathematica offers this option). I don’t understand why the premiums are so high - if I buy a car, it’s my car and I can drive it on any road I want or even permit anyone else to drive it on whatever road they want without having to hand over more cash to the vendor.

In the context of Mathematica, I personally would welcome a move towards more flexible licensing arrangements which would allow me to run the software on whatever computer I happen to be working on at a given time. And at no extra cost. To a degree Mathematica Online caters for this. But that service incurs additional charge and, for many applications, running over the Internet can be unusably slow.

Appreciate this rant may be a little off topic, but the question highlights a real bug-bear for me. And if anyone from WR is reading, maybe it’ll stimulate some disucussion/action.

All the best,

Ian

9

Ian,

Some software I use (e.g. Autocad) uses software licensing which works over the web and allows me to install on as many computers as I like, but permits me to run only one instance of the application at any one time. … Some other software I use also provides for this form of licensing, but the vendors charge a disproportionately large premium for the privilege (I’m not sure whether Mathematica offers this option)

Wolfram offers a Network License that works this way. You install a “license server” on your network – any machine that is always on will do-- and you “check out” the license on any machine.

If you have an unusual licensing situation (like you describe), I have found Wolfram to be very accommodating. You should contact your sales representative. They have helped me in the past on multiple occasions.

Regards,

Neil

10

This is because the license is not the same thing as the activation code. You’ll need a different activation code for your second installation. Contact Wolfram Support at Contact Wolfram Support by Email or Phone and they’ll sort it out for you.

11

Thanks Neil,

I wasn’t aware of the Network license. It may have been mentioned when I first purchased Mathematica, several years ago now. But if the cost was hugely inflated, which is usually the case with network licenses, I would have moved on fairly quickly. I will, however, ask my sales rep when I next speak to him.

I agree that Wolfram can be accommodating, so maybe there could be some flexibility on a case-by-case basis in the way licenses are managed. However, I’d much prefer to see more flexible arrangements in place across the board. Something along the lines of the AutoCad model, which I mentioned earlier in this discussion, would be ideal as this works really well and doesn’t lock down the software to just one or two computers.

All the best,

Ian