I usually buy directly from the developer because they immediately have my serial number (I've been verrrrry slow about mailing them in, if ever), and the time I need customer service or handholding is often immediately, too. (My Mac is a working machine and it is not connected to the Internet, so serial numbers have to go via post.) Example, I upgraded PhotoShop 4 to PS6 on the Mac. Did the disk-swapping bit to get the upgrade installed and working. No go. Swapped a few more times. No go. But there was a note saying to call aparticular number if there were installation troubles, and the nice lady on the line knew immediately that I was a proper customer of long standing (I'm on a separate upgrade path for the PC, so there have been many purchases over the last decade) and walked me through the workaround upgrade process. Sure, I could have saved a few bucks going through Amazon or MacMall, but getting service would have been delayed.... Carolly