So have a scene set up to render for a project I am working on.

Poser prompts me to download SR3.

Down load SR3 and it prompts me for my serial number.

No problem says I, I paid for this let me just find the DVD.  

No serial number on the DVD.

Let me look on the back of the DVD jacket, No serial number.

Oh maybe I got it in an email let me check my order receipt that I have saved in email, no serial number.

Now this wouldn't have bothered me if SR3 prompted me BEFORE shutting me out of my paid for software.

Anyway my copy of Lightwave 9 came today.  Was still planning on using poser an was thinking I would upgrade to poser 9.

But I think Smith Micro is trying to tell me they don't want me to spend anymore money with them.

order number was **20090817_0080

They did something similar with stuffit's FREE demo.  Then next thing I know paypal is taking money from my bank account even though I told them not to.

If you google I think my experience is not all that unique.
**
Darrin

I save any and all serial numbers, activation numbers, activation codes for activation numbers, and whether or not I have to de-activate software before un-installing/re-installing it on my hard drives and USB memory stick as ReadMe files.  I used to write everything down in the manuals when printed manuals came with the apps.

 Shawn 

SR2 didn't give me this same problem.  I think it E-filed for the serial number.  I am thinking that I have never had a physical copy of the serial number.  Smith Micro has deleted the entry in their online help files even though I have the confirmation email from then when I purchased it.

All unnecessary.

I could have to keep the numbers and have them ready thats true.

But they mass produce these its very easy for them to solve this problem for ALL their customers.

If they are going to have an online database and not send me the serial number then they should actually maintain it and not cause me grief for every update.

If the serial number was where it should have been on their DVD or inside the cover I would be set.

If they had given it to me via email I would be set.

If they just assumed on SR updates that I legally owned the software or checked my mac address against a database that would have been fine.  Or had me log in to get serial number like they did before that would be fine also.

Its like windows answer to problems is always well you should have known to do this or that contrasted with apples answer which is to eliminate the problems.

if smith micro insists that i sign up with them then they need to keep my serial number.  Renderosity can do that, Daz3d can do that.

I am to blame I agree in the same sense that I am to blame every time I want my windows box to do some thing trivial on my mac because I don't know the key sequence that would have taken a real education in their software instead of being obvious on a mac.  Was trying to change font size in adobe writer today, you would think something like that would be obvious right?  wrong lol.

But I won't buy their software again unless I have to.

When I got Poser 7 the serial was on was a sticker on the DVD sleve.  Did you perhaps return the DVD to the wrong sleeve?

It does note on the download page that Mac users need to reenter the serial number after SR3 installation.

I would have thought if you registered it they would have your serial on file...

To be fair to Smith Micro:

I buy online, not physical DVDs since Poser version 6. But having said that, I've ALWAYS gotten a serial number. Not sometimes, not once in awhile, but ALWAYS. Smith Micro is a professional software company. They are not going to send you software that requires a serial number to install and then not send the serial number. It's ludicrous. You've misplaced it. Poser 8 is installed, so you obviously have HAD the serial number at some point. And it's not SM's responsibility to make sure you don't lose your serial number either.

Normally, I don't lose patience this fast, but it sort of insults my intelligence to say that you bought a piece of software from an established company and then didn't get a serial number.

Have you called or emailed SM about this at all? Why post it in the forums? We can't help you.

Laurie

^^What Laurie said.

You bought the software, they gave you a serial number, you lost the serial number. Instead of whining about what a pile of crap SM are, why not do something constructive? Find your Order Confirmation email. That has details of what you bought, how much you paid and your Serial Number.

Can't find the email? Didn't make a note of the Serial Number? Contact SM. Be polite and constructive. They might turn out to be quite helpful.

to the poster.

I'm not sure what you expect ppl on this forum to do about this?
contact SM support. they're the ones you want to talk to. all we can do is comment. we can't actually help you.

I had the same problem and called SM.  The serial number of your Poser 8 is obtained from the tool bar.  Help/About Poser 8, lower left corner of the window.

 I realize people lie on the internet so I have included a pic.

I am on my 5th go around with tech support.

Their position as currently explained to me is that they will not provide the serial number.

I have paid $1600 buying renderosity content which is why I am posting here (order numbers are visible in the photo).  You the forum may not care about wether poser 8 SR3 killed my computer.   I completely understand that.  But I am a paying customer of Smith-Micro that has had their software stolen by a routine patch.

I understand most of you are conditioned to view that as normal.  Like when your bank screws you on fees etc.  

But the facts remain yesterday I had working software I paid for in full and today I don't because I followed smith-micro's patch advice.

Would you accept your car not starting until you can scan in your pink slip based on advised minor bug fixes in the software?

OK problem fixed.

Solution on mac

HD:Library:Documents:Poser:8.0:

You will find two files

Poser.dta and PoserReg.dta

Copy these two files to 

HD:Library:Application Support: Poser: 8.0:

Still not impressed with the sloppy update from smith-micro that could have done this automatically

Baaa?
baaaa!

I suggest now that Poser 8 is running that you copy your serial number someplace where you can find it again.

And reread WandW's post above about the serial number needing to be reentered after SR3 for Mac users being NOTED on the update download page.

Laurie

 LaurieA

added the serial number to my case.

This episode has reduced dramatically the odds of me keeping current with poser software in future though.

Quote -

This episode has reduced dramatically the odds of me keeping current with poser software in future though.

Well that's spoiled my day.

 cspear lol

Order confirmation did NOT have serial number on it

Professional companies have a database with all this information in it for customers and any piece of information that uniquely identifies you as a customer is usually sufficient to get them to treat you like a customer.

I had the confirmation email and I am using the same email address and remembered my smith micro login.  All insufficient to get the serial number.  Instead I had to manually move files around because their programmer forgot to have the updater do it and SM wouldn't give it to me even though they KNEW I paid for the software.

If this was 1980 I wouldn't be complaining it was too expensive for companies to do what companies should do back then.  Its 2010 any way to uniquely identify yourself should be sufficient to get your software working especially if SM was the ones who broke it.

I know none of you care, and most of you love poser (which in many ways is a nice program) but their update just cost me a bunch of hassle that they didn't need to cost me.

The technology for companies to not break their customers software has been around now for ages.  My mac gets updated all the time and I don't have to re-enter my serial number.  

Its not like I am any better a customer to apple than I am to smith-micro.

Smith-micro chooses to not value the hassle they cause their paying customers.

Quote - [...] especially if SM was the ones who broke it.

I'm sure it's also Smith Micro's fault that I frequently lose one sock when I put two in the washer.

Get a grip, will ya. WHO in the world buys software and do NOT write the b**** serial ON THE CD as the first thing ever?!

Well I guess that question was just answered above. But quit blaming SmithMicro because YOU lost your serial number somewhere. Obviously you had it when you installed the original version of Poser 8 - so it's not like you never got it.

I don't get it.  Didn't anyone read my memo this morning.  The serial number actually shows up twice. Once at the bottom of the log in window and in Help/About Poser 8 on the top tool bar.  Good point, TrekkieGrrrl, I also checked my Note Pad with Passwords etc and there were the serial numbers for Poser 7 and Poser 8 also, Then I checked my DVD case and there it was again plastered on the disk.  I didn't have to call SM in the first place.  Something tells me that SN's are important.

Oh, I have two single socks as a result of the "washer bandit".  Maybe we could match them.

Nauerth

I had already clicked on update.  Once you do that you can't go back and the serial number doesn't show up anymore just a popup requiring the serial number that denies access to the rest of the application.

If they had put in a step of  ok now write down your serial number which you can get from the about page...

Or this will erase your serial number do you want that?

it would have been workable.

Quote - Nauerth

I had already clicked on update.  Once you do that you can't go back and the serial number doesn't show up anymore just a popup requiring the serial number that denies access to the rest of the application.

If they had put in a step of  ok now write down your serial number which you can get from the about page...

Or this will erase your serial number do you want that?

it would have been workable.

Now I see.  That installer  program needs rewriting,  It sure isn't customer friendly.  I was able to start over on my SR3 update or I couldn't have gone to the serial number.  Weird!

I could imagine how frustrating it was though to be in the middle of something and be unable to save.