Same here, I refuse to buy software that has a dongle or has a security and registration package like CL is using on P5. This is the very reason that I did not move from W2k to XP. This is an unfortunant situation for CL, I understand that they fear losing money, however, they have lost my business and they have lost it for as long as they insist on this security package. The warez folks have very likely, already popped the code for P5. And yes, I am a licensed owner of P4. Mercate

jval - "...I also find it a hypocrisy to say in the same post "it's already been cracked!" and "what if you go out of business".

While these words may have appeared within my post I did not say them. They formed a direct quotation of your words. Next time you accuse me of hypocrisy I would appreciate it if you first attempt to get your facts straight."

Actually my comment referred directly to the points raised in the "petition" itself. YOU were not accused.

jval - "The fact is that copy protection is intended to reduce or eliminate an illegal activity."

Well, to be technically correct the protection is intended to increase sales. Something it could do even if it was not effective. But yes, ON THE WHOLE it is supposed to reduce piracy...a nd it loosk liek it is.

WiNC - "3) To some people a hobby is sometimes a very important aspect of their lives. It is rude to just flush their feelings and hobby away with a statement of unimportance. Just because it isn't valuable data, does not make the program any less important."

Of course hobbies are important, and users should weigh the risks.

JHoagland - "(Two computers, 2 copies of Poser, possibly running at the same time.)"

That would be a violation of the EULA (running at the same time) and a valid thing for CL to prevent if it chooses.

I'm signing just because I don't particularly WANT to have to re-do my registration. So there...how's that?

soulhuntre, ...Actually my comment referred directly to the points raised in the "petition" itself. YOU were not accused. Fine. As your posting segregated various individuals' comments and your accusation was confined to the area of my words it was easy to arrive at my interpretation. As others may easily arrive there also I could not let it pass. Perhaps you could take greater care with your juxtapositions. ...Well, to be technically correct the protection is intended to increase sales. In the pursuit of even greater technicality that would be a "proximate" effect of an immediate cause rather than a "direct" effect. You may as well say that copy protection's purpose is to let Kupa buy a new car or increase corporate equity or put more money in the government's coffers via increased sales taxes or... All true to a degree. But this chain of reasoning is without limit and therefore pointless. I prefer the direct approach. I also tire of pointless weasel words so will say no more on this subject. ...But yes, ON THE WHOLE it is supposed to reduce piracy...a nd it loosk liek it is. Considering that Poser 5 has only been available for a few days I applaud your courage in leaping to such a conclusion. I'd like to believe this was true. But whenever I try I remember that my parents lied to me about Santa Claus and the dentist promised I wouldn't feel a thing. - Jack

"But whenever I try I remember that my parents lied to me about Santa Claus..." You mean your parents told you Santa didn't exist? Wow!

Is this a "partition" or a "petition"? Two entirely different words with two entirely different meanings. If it is a petition; I have to agree with it as I usually reformat my harddrives several times yearly which means the software will last me one year. This means no disrespect to anyone at CL it merely means I disagree with their present locks. I would be quite satisfied with registering the software everytime I install, but make it always as the first three attempts. I do not want to have to call anyone regarding anything. I'm deaf. I sign

...You mean your parents told you Santa didn't exist? Wow! Not quite. It was some time ago but as I recall my father said SC was a jolly old fat guy in a red suit. My mother insisted SC was a non-caucasian independent female of a non-christian denomination. I'm still very, very confused but my analyst just bought a new house. But she refuses to discuss Santa Claus with me. I think she and her husband have issues about the Easter Bunny. - Jack

I feel that the current security is a real problem! I bought the damn software and should be able to reinstall it as many times as is neccessary to always have it available for use! consider my names signed!

Quit whining about the "partition...petition" thing !!!!!

I can see registering online as an option, but it shouldn't be make/break an installation (especially for reinstalls!). If they plan on keeping this security, I'll just have to keep my installation copy of Poser 4 handy.

Well I for one was going to purchase Poser 5 From Curious Labs but upon reading the info on the security system I have decided not to i have purchased too many programs and found out that the Company has gone belly up (I.E.Dungeon Keeper) and have been stuck with a worthless program that i spent a large amount of money getting. With the Very High price for Poser 5 I would have bought it but now it isnt worth it I only use it for a hobby as i beleve 90% of the poser user base does and with the program priced for Company's to use (for whom the price is minor) that leaves us in the Pot hole that is a BIG hit for us users and a small one for companys but I run on what I mean is that if they go belly up i cant afford to invest that kind of mony to then have a worthless program. CL if you want to make a massive Finantial Leap then find a way to release this programs in stores and priced for home Everyone will have it! I sign the petition!

For what it's worth I also sign this petition.

Was max cracked. 3-D studio max r4, the same as CL which was cracked. An aversion for 3-D studio r3 was also cracked. What I was trying to point out with this statement that max 4, has been cracked and poser 4 has also been cracked. And I have also noticed max 5.0 has also been cracked, by the Chinese. Its just a matter of time until poser 5, will be cracked as well. As far as I know it has not been at this time. Now remember, I purchased all the programs I use. And I did by a copy of poser 5, which I found it is a big mistake. Crash, crash, crash, crash. Technical support what a joke, I received more information from here than from CL, which was very helpful. However I still have crash, crash, crash, crash, crash. And I have just switch from, Pose, to Comtent, lockup, and crash. Basically my computer is a dual Pentium III 1.00 GB, with 3 GB of memory as well and a Elsa GLoria III. You would think with these resources it would be stable. Maybe too much for it. And I do support this petition.

Add my name onto this petition as well. I purchased P4 from Curious Labs, and was originally very interested in P5, but instantly knew I wouldn't purchase P5 (or use it ... I don't steal software) once I became aware of the "activation" system it uses. This objection is primarily out of concern that the company will eventually not be around anymore (all too common an occurrence in this industry) and my software will thereafter become useless, but also it is because of the annoyance factor ... this is why I don't plan to upgrade to XP either. The very idea of having a limited number of installs on OSes that practically require periodic reinstallation of the entire OS to run properly, even without consider computer hardware upgrades ... well, it seems to me that adding such a scheme to software is much like intentionally building in a time-triggered virus. Also, I have never purchased and never intend to purchase any software that requires a dongle either (I'd have to disconnect other hardware in order to attach it). Nor will I touch software schemes that write strange stuff into corners of your hard drive like Pace ... that's just asking for system trouble, as most anyone with a Pace-infected system can tell you. Serial numbers are just fine by me, though, if CL must have some sort of security device. But they won't see any more of my business with the current security scheme, nor with the hinted-at dongle idea. Too bad for both CL and me, I guess. I'll get by well enough without upgrading Poser ... but will they? As has been said before, the dumbest element of this whole deal is that hackers will undoubtedly find ways around any security device, so those slimeballs who really are stealing Poser won't be hindered much or at all by this security scheme. Instead, it is only legitimate current and/or potential customers whom CL will end up having punished and pushed away. David Sandberg

Ohhhhhhh! Boy I have a dozzy here. Ahem how do I start this off. Mad at Curious labs is an understatement. Let's just say it totally trashed my computer system or my copy of IE 6. I just rebuilt from a bad motherboard and after two weeks to get it up and running again I installed poser 5 excitedly hoping to check out this new great program. This is my experience. One I had to enter my code to get it activated, which of course transported me to the poser 5 web site. I then had to enter my previous poser 4 serial no. but instead of getting a your cleared......yes you have an original poser verified installation enjoy your new program I got a....their is a problem with the verification please contact tech support. I then went back to the program to check it out and found it 20 times slower than poser 4 at rendering and did not like the interface at all. The file garbage has to go! I finally gave up and went to or tried to go to renderosity only to find out that I can now no longer get into renderosity. I keep getting a Error including template."/home/poser/public_html/gallery.ez". I can go anywhere on the web it seems but not renderosity.... What has Curious labs done to my access to renderosity? I am typing this out on my other machine that thank god doesn't have the latest version of poser on it. I have uninstalled IE 6 back to 5 and reinstalled IE 6 only to find out I still have the same problem. Hmm a total system reinstall after all this work just to get it back up and running.......Grrrrrrrrr. So as a warning to anyone running windows 2000 beware! And to you beta testers.....shame on you I was under the asumption you had this version checked out and yet you none of you ran into any problems of this magnitude! I don't like my system being toy'd with. My system is dual 1 ghz proc's .....1 gig of ram and the latest 3d labs graphics card. It did not come cheap and I don't appreciate curious labs messing with it! To whomever I read about comparing Curious Labs Poser to the programs used creating Final Fantasy........please give me a break. It costs over $300 and it doesn't work ok......! Final Fantasy worked but they went bankrupt right where I see Curious Labs Going. Following the footsteps of Final Fantasy....except Final Fantasy actually worked. And where is the freakin phone no at curious labs......been disconnected? They trash my browser trying to register the darn program and leave me with no way to contact them besides e mail or fax...Which by from what I have been reading from other forums they don't even answer anyway! So I'm back to poser 4 and stickin with DAZ and I just would like to say Meta Creations Great product wish you hadn't went away........! Oh and has anyone noticed that Curious Labs has not done any upgrades with poser since the buyout from Meta Creations and now this trash they call no 5!...............Yeah I'm pissed!

I strongly support this petition. What sense does it make to hassle legal users where warez users can use it un disturbed? To CL: take a look at how (i.e) Maxon handles this: They deliver with a timely limited serial, and a piece of paper. In this you fill in you adress and OS, send it to Maxon and recieve the unlimited serial a few days later via mail.

Sign me up.

Sign me up too!!!