Quote - Just for my curiosity, what's the problem in activating software online? It's just a step in the installation process, as easy as the input of a serial number. Did you try e-on's activation process? It's very easy and fast.
 

Let's say you go to McDonald's and buy yourself a coke but then the waiter says "Hey, you can't drink that coke just like that. You have to activate it first. But its simple. You just have to enter all of your personal data and hand over to McDonalds the full controll about where, when and how you drink it."
Maybe I am just too old to get used to this.

But there is more: what happens if the activation server is switched off permanently? People who own such software normally can continue using it on the computer where it is installed but once they have to change, their well payed software becomes worthless. This has already happened  in the past and it will become a frequent bother in the future. I bet it is just a matter of time when, for example, Microsoft refuses further activation of XP. Or (smaller) companies may just close down. This closes down all of their software, too, if it runs only after activation.

With Vue its kind of amusing. They give it away for free but you can't use it.
And by the way - the documentation on the e-on site about this topic is really poor. In the end I had to downlod all of the trial version just to get the manual and to find out how it is supposed to work. The feature list is endless (and quite impressive) but information about licensing and activation is really hard to get.
Vue used to be a really great piece of software, but activation is a no-go for me.