Hi,
We would like to install Photolab on a computer in our photo club to help the members process their images (instead of using Lightroom & Photoshop).
But we’re concerned about how easy it is to “steal” the activation code as it’s showed in two place in Photolab, once in the splash screen and once in the Help/About dialog.
Having the option to hide them or protect their access with a password would be nice for associations or photo clubs.
The EULA does not grant you the right to share a license in this way, see here:
specifically Section 2 .1, a):
2 SOFTWARE LICENSE
2.1 Subject to (i) for Commercial Versions of the Software, payment in full of the amount set-out in the Invoice and (ii) for the Trial Versions of the Software, compliance with the Restrictions indicated during the download, we grant you a single user, non-exclusive and non-transferable license to:
(a) use the copy of the Software and the Documentation in the version set out either in the Invoice or during the download and in the Designated Environment for your sole own personal needs;
Well, that’s right…
I’m sad to say it but we’ll stay with Adobe.
@yarc It might be worth approaching DxO.
It is an opportunity to spread the word about the software to a potentially new and wider audience @Musashi some of whom may then be encouraged to purchase the software for personal use rather than one of the alternatives.
So what does Adobe’s licence say? Unlimited public use? I think not. Please post a quote from their licence.
but intent here is not to spread the word but instead run one copy to serve multiple users for indefinite amount of time… this is different from spreading the word or educational purposes or sharing work on one installation between spouses/parent-child ( which is OK purely IMHO ) in the same household … here is the clear goal to simply save the money for multitude of unrelated users …
PS: as a side note it is not a good idea to display any license codes openly regardless
Agreed not even in the forum.
As for your scepticism about it not being an opportunity then I would suggest that the chances of increasing the user base is 0 if DxO is not being used and ? if it is.
As for the “multitude”, the hordes that will descend on the Photo club, particularly when they hear that PhotoLab is on offer, I do feel that this is being somewhat sensationalist but understand your comment.
I ( subjectively ) do not consider this as a real intent… as for an opportunity - just go and install a trial version
enough unknowns to warrant an “owner” to be concerned about “them” stealing some license code…
Hello @yarc, this is not legal advice, however I would like to point out the the EULA mentions “legal agreement between you (either an individual or a single entity – hereafter “you” or “your”) and DxO”
From my understanding your club is a single entity and the members are part of it.
I’d write to support and ask.
EDIT: + what @George said below to block the licence from being stolen and used elsewhere.
I think one must read ‘a single user’ as ‘a single pc’. Only one user can be on that pc at the same time.
If you’re afraid that the license code will be stolen, just install the software on 3 pc’s. That’s the maximum.
Changing an installation has to be done through the DxO website/server. One needs a password for that.
George
Umm, it can’t mean a single PC because the EULA allow you to install the software on up to two PCs (if using PL Essential) or three PCs (if using PL Elite). Also there’s the bit that I’ve already quoted that says::
To me that’s unequivocally a single person. So if the copy of PL that @yarc is thinking of installing was bought using the credit card of a single person I can’t see the EULA allows the software to be shared at a club.
But I’m not a lawyer so I’m happy to be corrected.
Well let’s settle some facts :
First, our intent isn’t to save money. What we were considering is replacing the couple Photoshop/Lightroom by Photolab on one computer which is exclusively dedicated for printing and soft proofing photos before printing them. Mainly to show our members Adobe alternatives, in the same spirit we also have Darktable & The Gimp available on this computer.
(Do I have to mention that only one member at a time can use this computer ?)
Second, Adobe has special offers for non profit organisation (which is our case) through techsoup.org and they seem to have both single user or single seat licences (honestly I don’t really know which one my club own, as I only use Photolab on my personal laptop to print 
)
It’s just that we’re around 100 members and I’m pretty sure that at least one of them will think something like “Oh the club paid the licence so I can have it on my personal computer”
That means having to contact the support for a new token each time I have to reinstall the computer… not really a “no go” but a bit annoying…
I bet there is a better software “dedicated for printing and soft proofing photos before printing them” than PL unless you mean to use it for raw conversion as well
Not many of the regular posters on this forum go anywhere near the print features of PL. I certainly don’t. I find even an ancient version of Photoshop (CS2) is far superior for printing.
I don’t think so. Your pc is registered. Beside that you can make an image of the drives.
George
PL print module is simple, accurate and I never failed a print with it…
I personally don’t need more.
And finally even if we keep Adobe products on the computer, some members will experiment PL on my laptop when I’ll supervise their prints 
I did it, and here the answer (translated from french) :
You may use Photolab on a single computer station in your club and make it available to all club members, provided that the license itself is not shared or used to install the software on multiple computers.
This means that as long as the software is installed and used only on a single club computer and is not copied or installed on other devices, it complies with the terms of our EULA.
So my initial request is still valid : Having an option to hide or restrict the access to the licence activation code would be nice.