Software·43,882 discussions

Change Registered User?

Locked

While I am quite comfortable hacking a terminated registered user from the Windows (XP) registry, changing a registered (terminated) user to his/her replacement for applications – such as Microsoft Office – is another thing entirely. I really don’t want to uninstall/reinstall the application(s) just to change a registered user name.

I know all the rest of you IT-types are in the same boat. This is only one of several problems that I have with virtually all software registrations.
1. The Company usually buys the application, it is primarily the Company’s responsibility to enforce licensing adherence, so why do the registration processes require a named individual when the user for a particular PC changes for whatever reason?
2. When a PC’s user changes, the new user is not forced (by the software) to accept adherence to the license agreement. So why require it at all?
3. Most registration processes prompt for the “user” name – making the user the first point of contact. Organizations which perform software installations via a designated “IT” person or department usually don’t direct licensing or registration concerns to the user. Who do they usually go to? IT.

These are just 3 of the basic, common issues that occur on a regular basis throughout industry. It seems to me that it would be in everyone’s best interest – application developer and consumer – that an option to change this registered user information should be easily done via the (usually) standard “Help/About” screens where the registration information is usually displayed.

Additionally, (objectively) it seems to me that for a registration process that there should be more contact information to include some – if not all – the following:
a. Consumer’s Company name, address, main phone #
b. Primary consumer contact information for product support
c. Position/department responsible for software installation, and, if different, license maintenance, enforcement, monitoring, etc.
d. Registered user(s). It is the legal responsibility of each software user – even on a multi-user PC – to use the software IAW the license agreement. However, registration processes do not take this into account. Each user accessing a PC should actually be required to accept the license agreement for each application used.

I know this creates more work for the developers and installers, but I believe that additional investment in this matter will pay for itself in “after-installation” maintenance.

I know it would make MY job easier…

Topic

Agreed…

In reply to Change Registered User?

For years I always just inserted First-“User” last-“User” and then the company information as PC’s are workstations accessed by many, and employees are changeable (and in this time period, always changing) so the company who has bought the software owns the license to be used by whatever “User” has access to that workstation on any given day. If the license verifiers ever check, the software is owned by that company and resides on that one PC.

You know, come to think of it, over the years I actually have had users think they owned the software because their name had been inserted in the name part of the registration….go figure!

Reply To: Change Registered User?

In reply to Change Registered User?

I just use the position as the name. So any registrations are for FIRSTNAME Systems LASTNAME Administrator at COMPANYNAME Company name.

That way when Bubba leaves, then Bob still gets the contact. Also register with a generic email account that you always check or get forwarded like an info@companyname.com account.

At the end of the day the Sys Admin is responsible for the control of licensed software so this idea of the title name makes sense to me.

This might work

In reply to Change Registered User?

You can try a little tool (freeware too!) that i just found.
Magical Jean Bean Keyfinder

[Author]

Replies