I once held a position at another site that enabled me to strike deals with CL (E-Frontier may be different in this case ),as well as other developers.

 

They would send me a dozen or so Boxed, copies to redistribute to staff or friends for promotional use. They were, for all intents and purposes NFR's (Not For Resale), and I never sold them but gave them away.

 

These were not upgrades, but full blown, legal, register-able copies of Poser 5.

 

Unless those copies serial numbers were flagged as NFR, there would be no way to tell the difference.

(Other companies may set aside a block of special serial numbers to use just for promotional copies, contest prizes,etc.and would make sure it was known,said software was NFR by flagging the serial numbers, and slapping stickers on the boxes,and manuals)

 

But my Poser copies had no such stickers... The recipient would register the copy as if it was purchased, and was eligible for upgrade pricing,as well as any other support that came with being a registered user.

 

I don't think EF minds so much the putting of legitimate copies in the hands of others in the interest of promotion...but when someone else is "profiting" from it...that is where they have a problem.

 

For example, If I had SOLD those copies to others,rather than giving them away...I'm sure they would been upset with me for "Profiting" from their software, that they gave me to redistribute in the interest of promotion.

 

Your case is different obviously...You acquired it as a result of a mistake, in which they said "Keep it".

 

And because there is no transfer of license involved...You have found yourself in a unique position to either find some poor artist that could really use that upgrade and give it to them, or maybe hold a mini contest and let someone win it.

 

Sure...you wont get the few bucks it might yield on eBay...but you would have done something that enables you to give back to the community.

 

Again..just some info and my opinion.

 

Note: I took a personal beating in shipping costs getting those NFR's to others...Be clear about who absorbs the shipping costs if you decide to give or contest it away.

 

Good luck.

 

Tom

 

“The fact that no one understands you…Doesn’t make you an artist.”