Kubotek Forum

KeyCreator CAD & CKD Viewer Technical discussion of CAD/CAM and integrated partner products
Customer Forum > KeyCreator CAD & CKD Viewer > License transfer without current maintenance? View modes: 
User avatar
Advanced member
Advanced member
Dana - 12/11/2023 7:40:27 AM
   
License transfer without current maintenance?
I'm anticipating retiring in the next couple of years.  As someone who's position is fairly far along the engineering spectrum (isn't that a psychiatric disorder?) I use Keycreator a fair amount for home projects, so I'm grateful for the home license.

Having used the software since Cadkey 2.0 in the 1980s, I really don't want to switch to one of the free or low cost alternatives, besides which, I have a lot of files.  I always figured I'd bite the bullet and purchase a copy for myself when I retire, but paying for continuing maintenance isn't something I could justify for occasional hobby work. 

So say, 4 or 5 years down the line, I could need to move the license to a new computer.  Can this still be done even with expired maintenance?

A related question:  The company I work for has several seats of KC, but I'm the last engineer actively using it.  I expect I'll be doing some part time support work for them as a contractor after I retire.  I can certainly move a license to my own computer in that scenario since I'd still be working for them, but can I transfer actual ownership of that license if they are willing to give it to me?

Of course, Kubotek could institute a gift or deep discount program for retiring engineers who've supported the company for three decades... :)  Cadkey Corp. gave me a free copy back in the 90's because I was a well known and active supporter and 3rd party developer.   Anybody remember the old Compuserve Cadkey group?

User avatar
Advanced member
Advanced member
Hans_Winkler - 12/11/2023 5:02:38 PM
   
RE:License transfer without current maintenance?

Dana,
I started learning on Cadkey 3 at the company I worked at. I bought my first own license starting with Cadkey 7 and have paid the maintenance ever since.

Anybody remember the old Compuserve Cadkey group?
Must have been before my time :).

I hope Kubotek will treat you well in your upcoming retirement! You have been a great asset to the Cadkey/KeyCreator community.

Thank you,
Hans

User avatar
Advanced member
Advanced member
francis.marcoux@ipexna.com - 1/16/2024 3:19:38 PM
   
RE:License transfer without current maintenance?
Dana,
To your question I have no idea what can be done. I guess it is a question only Kubotek can answer.

For the other topic, I've just started learning and using Cadkey/Keycreator starting with version 7. I do remember the old forum being more active and I still have some of Cadkey Magasize around. These days, I wonder if I'm not the last KC user; I don't see much activity on the forum, no videos on Youtube, no promotional events... I feel Keycretor is slowly dying and only a smal group of long time users are still active... 

Francis Marcoux
IPEX Technologies
Latest KC version

User avatar
Advanced member
Advanced member
Hankwt - 1/16/2024 3:44:55 PM
   
RE:License transfer without current maintenance?
I too am an old Cadkey guy ........ I wonder the samething about KC   Not much seems to happen anymore - at least not in the direction I would like to see

User avatar
Advanced member
Advanced member
jmccullough@kubotek3d.com - 1/17/2024 9:34:12 AM
   
RE:License transfer without current maintenance?
Dana, 

Congratulations on your pending retirement. I hope you stay involved with KeyCreator for many years to come. You may have already spoken to Nate or Andy about your price question. Calling them is the best route to go. 

Permanent licenses can be checked back into and then activated to a new PC from a support account anytime. Home Use licenses do require active maintenance. It is possible that over time our activation system could require changes with which software versions released in the past can't remain compatible. I recall that happened around 8 years ago (circa V12?). Kubotek now controls all of code for this system so that scenario repeating does not feel likely to me - but we can't make a guarantee.  

Francis & Hankwt, 

Recent activity level on the KeyCreator forum is minimal compared to the hay days of internet forums. It is not an indicator of use of any software program. Forum use has died off across the internet. Social media sites are often sited as the main reason, but I think the optomization of crawlers and search engines to find answers in websites, blog articles and web help are even more significant. It is unfortunate, because those tools don't do much to build a sense of community like forums did. These same trends are also changing the nature of events like trade shows. 

Following the News and Blog sections of our website are probably the best way to gauge activity level now. You'll see we get out to events regularly and have had more releases in the last 5 years than the previous 12. This steady pattern of service packs is primaility to keep translators as up-to-date as feasible.

If there are features you are looking for please ask!  Watch the last annual user meeting video (https://www.kubotekkosmos.com/education/webinars/keycreator-annual-meeting-2023) to get a sense of the work we have been doing to address requests from others. 

Best,
John




John Wright McCullough
GM Marketing, Kubotek3D

1
Login