Prepressforums.com

kcoleman · #1 (**permalink**) 07-26-2006, 05:42 AM

Be aware that if you upgrade version 6 to version 7, you will no longer be able to activate your old version 6. I tried this yesterday, and received the following email from Quark when trying to reactivate:

"Thank you for contacting Quark.

The serial number XXXXXXXXX which you have sent us for version 6 is void. This serial number has been upgraded to version 7 serial number which is XXXXXXXXXXX.

So you can install version 7 and get it activated.

For activating your copy of QuarkXPress 7, we would need the ‘Installation Code’.

To get the ‘Installation Code’, Launch your copy of QuarkXPress and get to the activation screen where it will ask you to “enter activation code”
Then it’ll prompt you to activate your copy and give you two options either to activate Over the Internet or Over the Telephone.
Here choose to activate over the phone and click on ‘Activate QuarkXPress’.
You will get the code on the next screen.
It is a long string of numbers on top of the 7 blank boxes.

As soon as we have required information, we will be please to send you the Activation Key.

For Online Activation: http://www.quark.com/products/xpress...ctivation.html

For Email Submittal : http://www.quark.com/service/desktop...activation.jsp

Activation Team
Quark"

So I email them back asking if I understand them correctly. It seems to me that they are saying that once I upgrade a particular serial number to a new version, I can never re-install that old version again. I explain to them that as a commercial printer, I have to support various older versions of a given application, as well as the latest-and-greatest. The response I receive:

"Thank you for contacting Quark.

Please note that once you upgrade the serial number, you will not be able to use the old version of QuarkXPress as it gets void.

I hope this information proves helpful. Please write back incase you need further assistance.

Activation Team
Quark"

So, if you upgrade to version 7, don't make any plans to ever re-install version 6 to support your customers. Especially on an application with a userbase that infamously puts off upgrading for as long as possible (I've still got a significant number of users on ver. 4!).

Quark cannot die quick enough.

gig0 · #2 (**permalink**) 07-26-2006, 07:40 AM

Oh man, I can't thank you enough for this info! We were about to order the upgrade. Thanks!

RosieHS · #3 (**permalink**) 07-26-2006, 10:34 AM

I was in the process of activating our QXP v7 upgrade when a co-worker pointed out this thread to me. Yikes!!!

I immediately got on the phone with QXPs's "India" activation support team and their response made me aware that since purchasing the v7 upgrade I have ALREADY lost the activation support for that particular QXP v6 licensce. !!! WTF !!! And I haven't even gotten around to activating the new upgrade!!!

I suppose this won't be a problem if we were to purchase full versions of the latest QXP v7. $$$

Message for Cory:
Can you please make a poll thread to find out how many prepress technicians rely on older application versions to get the job done? And, how many techys stick to using only the latest application versions? I need feedback... thanks!

kcoleman · #4 (**permalink**) 07-26-2006, 12:52 PM

I would highly advise anyone caught in this situation to not take "no" for an answer. After fighting with Quark pretty much all day, they finally gave in and sent me an activation code for QXP 6. I pointed out that I needed to support their customers, and that there was no way in Hell I was going to go back and purchase additional full versions of either ver. 6 or 7 (this was seriously their suggestion!).

Don't give in and stick to your guns. They obviously don't believe that they really have a leg to stand on, or else they wouldn't have given in.

Good luck.

RosieHS · #5 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kcoleman

I would highly advise anyone caught in this situation to not take "no" for an answer. After fighting with Quark pretty much all day, they finally gave in and sent me an activation code for QXP 6. I pointed out that I needed to support their customers, and that there was no way in Hell I was going to go back and purchase additional full versions of either ver. 6 or 7 (this was seriously their suggestion!).

Don't give in and stick to your guns. They obviously don't believe that they really have a leg to stand on, or else they wouldn't have given in.

Good luck.

I was told that if I wanted activation support for v6 then I would automatically lose support for v7. So I pressed further and the lady on the support team said, "Sorry, I can't help you any further." So I thanked her and hung up. :evil:

David · #6 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 05:48 AM

Quarks stance on this is:
you have a version of their software, you purchase an "upgrade". If you read the EULA, it states you cannot have more than one version of their software running. The upgrade takes the place of the older software. So, if you are running (on one computer): Quark 4, Quark 5, Quark 6, and Quark 7, you are in violation of the EULA.

But...
as long as your computer or the software doesn't crash (something that may cause you to reload or re-install), you should be fine.
You can, rant to Quark, and if you get the right person on the phone, they may give you the activation code to get you back running, maybe.
If you haven't made the switch yet, you may want to consider buying the full blown package, not the upgrade.

BTW, this has been in the news since before Q7 was released.

my .02,
David

BTW...
I have just gotten our 1 copy of Q7, I asked for the full package, not the upgrade for this exact reason, but guess what I got...
the upgrade.
sucks

Zombi · #7 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 07:22 AM

It may have been news before Quark 7 release but I bet most of us have never heard of it.

I have been able to use the previous version of Quark after EVERY upgrade. Why is this being changed now? :evil:

I made a post aboout this on the official Quark forum.

http://www.quark.com/service/forums/viewforum.php?f=12

mc_hristel · #8 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david_maberry

Quarks stance on this is:
you have a version of their software, you purchase an "upgrade". If you read the EULA, it states you cannot have more than one version of their software running. The upgrade takes the place of the older software. So, if you are running (on one computer): Quark 4, Quark 5, Quark 6, and Quark 7, you are in violation of the EULA.

This makes sense (I guess). But using the same logic, you should be able to run any 1 of the versions you have a license for if that is the only one you have installed on your system. Voiding the previous serial number is just draconian. A better way to handle it would be to have the installer check for other versions and only allow for 1 copy on the system, no matter what the version. :evil:

Luckily, at this point we have no plans to upgrade but still...

-MC

David · #9 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 08:15 AM

yeah, the EULA makes sense...
as long as you don't work in a prepress environment (in most cases, we have to have all versions of a particular software active due to customer/client demands).

Joe · #10 (**permalink**) 07-27-2006, 09:21 AM

Okay, I agree this policy sucks but shouldn't the new Quark 7 open all Quark files from version 3 up through version 7? I guess the biggest problem I can see is if you need to downsize back to version 4 in which I guess you need 6.5 to save to 5 and you would need 5 to dowsize to version 4. Or can Quark 7 downsave to versions earlier than 6.5?