License for Users in a Household?

[Zaxx81]

I am exploring my options to cancel the overpriced Adobe Creative Cloud subscription, from Affinity's terms of use, it states the following:

Quote

As a private individual, you can download, install, use and run for personal use, one copy of the Serif Software directly on each computer running either (depending on your purchased license) Microsoft Windows (“Windows Computer”) or macOS (“Mac Computer”) that you personally own or control.

 

Is only a single license required for multiple users in the same household (e.g. my son wants to use the software on his computer too). If allowed, any issues with the software being used at the same time?

[StevenS]

Hi Zaxx81,

Welcome to the Affinity forum.

The licence does require that each individual would require their own copy of the software. Although if purchasing the Mac version through the Mac App Store, family members can use the same licence using Apple's Family Share feature.

[walt.farrell]

2 hours ago, StevenS said:

Although if purchasing the Mac version through the Mac App Store, family members can use the same licence using Apple's Family Share feature

Is that restricted to Mac? The Windows Store also has a family sharing feature which is supposed to allow installing an app on multiple machines used by different family members.

[Alfred]

8 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Is that restricted to Mac? The Windows Store also has a family sharing feature which is supposed to allow installing an app on multiple machines used by different family members.

And there’s the Affinity Store version for Windows users, where you get a downloadable installer file and a product key to go with it, which means that multiple users in your household are covered by the same licence as long as no one other than the licensee is using the product for commercial purposes.

[walt.farrell]

3 minutes ago, αℓƒяє∂ said:

which means that multiple users in your household are covered by the same licence as long as no one other than the licensee is using the product for commercial purposes

Perhaps

I've always thought that it depends on how one interprets the "personally own or control" clause in the license agreement.

If my son purchased a Windows PC then technically he can't use a copy of an Affinity app that I purchased from the Affinity Store, as i don't open it control his PC. But if I purchased the app from the Windows Store then he would be able to use it via family sharing.

Frankly, that seems like a silly difference, but it is what the license says, in my opinion.

[Alfred]

3 minutes ago, walt.farrell said:

Frankly, that seems like a silly difference, but it is what the license says, in my opinion.

I’m inclined to agree, Walt! It would obviously be a different matter if you simply allowed your son exclusive use of a Windows PC that you had purchased, since you would still be the owner.

I can’t help wondering why they included the phrase ‘or control’, since it just seems to muddy the waters. The head of a household may have the final say about the software used on PCs used by others living under his or her roof; conversely, an employee may be the one who makes operational decisions about the use of a PC owned by his or her employer.

[Zaxx81]

7 hours ago, StevenS said:

Hi Zaxx81,

Welcome to the Affinity forum.

The licence does require that each individual would require their own copy of the software. Although if purchasing the Mac version through the Mac App Store, family members can use the same licence using Apple's Family Share feature.

Can you clarify if I purchase through the Windows Store if family sharing is allowed? As a software developer, I prefer to follow guidelines. I "own" several computers and MS Surface Pro tablets in my household. My son has some graphics classes in high school, and I'm trying to wean off of Adobe products.

[Alfred]

1 hour ago, Zaxx81 said:

Can you clarify if I purchase through the Windows Store if family sharing is allowed? As a software developer, I prefer to follow guidelines. I "own" several computers and MS Surface Pro tablets in my household. My son has some graphics classes in high school, and I'm trying to wean off of Adobe products.

Sharing Windows 10 Store Apps with your Family

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, αℓƒяє∂ said:

Sharing Windows 10 Store Apps with your Family

Yes, but the question may be what the Affinity license allows. I haven't found the Mac version of the license to see if it's different in some relevant way.

[carl123]

15 hours ago, αℓƒяє∂ said:

I can’t help wondering why they included the phrase ‘or control’, since it just seems to muddy the waters

A lot of businesses will lease computer equipment rather than buy it outright.  In these cases they never actually own the equipment but they do control it.

In a household I could buy a computer as a birthday present for my 16 year old son. He then owns that computer but if I "dictate" what he can use the computer for, or what software can be installed on it, etc, etc (whilst he is still living at home) then I effectively control that computer.

[carl123]

8 hours ago, walt.farrell said:

Yes, but the question may be what the Affinity license allows

Usually you would have to comply with whatever licensing agreements you sign up to  (i.e. all of them)

So if a company's license says multiple use is allowed but the Windows/Apple store says it is not, then it is not (and vice versa)

but if the Windows/Apple store imposes strict multi-use (etc) policies on companies that want to sell via their stores, then only those terms are valid and would supersede any standard contract terms that a company selling direct to the end-user would have.

[Alfred]

5 hours ago, carl123 said:

A lot of businesses will lease computer equipment rather than buy it outright.  In these cases they never actually own the equipment but they do control it.

Good point, Carl. I obviously hadn’t thought of that scenario.

Quote

In a household I could buy a computer as a birthday present for my 16 year old son. He then owns that computer but if I "dictate" what he can use the computer for, or what software can be installed on it, etc, etc (whilst he is still living at home) then I effectively control that computer.

Yes, just as I wrote yesterday:

20 hours ago, αℓƒяє∂ said:

The head of a household may have the final say about the software used on PCs used by others living under his or her roof; 

I guess the thing about my counter-example

Quote

conversely, an employee may be the one who makes operational decisions about the use of a PC owned by his or her employer.

is that an employer still has ultimate control over the PCs, owned or leased, that their employees use in the course of their work.

[StevenS]

I can only advise that if users have specific licencing questions, that they email us (affinity@serif.com). The answers we provide via email, may be more tailored to your circumstance than they would be on a public forum.

I hope this helps 

[Alfred]

6 minutes ago, StevenS said:

I can only advise that if users have specific licencing questions, that they email us (affinity@serif.com). The answers we provide via email, may be more tailored to your circumstance than they would be on a public forum.

I can’t see why any ‘tailoring’ should be required, since there are only a few scenarios that the licence agreement needs to cover:

1. The licensee is a private individual or a sole trader, using the apps for personal and/or commercial purposes.

2. The licensee is the head of a household, with other members of the household making personal use of the apps on computers owned by the licensee.

3. The licensee is the head of a household, with other members of the household making personal use of the apps on computers that they personally own.

4. The licensee is an employer whose employees use the apps for commercial (and potentially, with their employer’s permission, personal) purposes.

5. The licensee is an employee who uses the apps for their own personal and/or commercial purposes on a computer owned or leased by their employer.

 If I’ve overlooked anything, I’m sure my fellow forum users won’t hesitate to point it out!

[StevenS]

15 minutes ago, αℓƒяє∂ said:

I can’t see why any ‘tailoring’ should be required, since there are only a few scenarios that the licence agreement needs to cover:

Indeed, and the number points you raise are true. However our EULA does not go into the same details, so we try to keep it as black and white as possible when asked publicly to avoid any misinterpretation.

For example; "Can my son's Tom, Dick and Harry who live with me, use the software too?" would receive a more informal version of "Yes, the licensee is the head of a household, with other members of the household making personal use of the apps on computers owned by the licensee." via email.

However you can be sure that on a public forum someone somewhere in the world will only read "Can my son's use the software too?", and the "yes" part of our answer. By tailoring our answers, we are able give a specific answer to a specific users circumstance.