Free MA3 promotion

henemly · 10-19-2010, 10:23 AM

(Today), I saw a major company giving away free ma3 keys!? Are they authorized?

Jim Sachs · 10-19-2010, 11:50 AM

Where did you see that?

henemly · 10-19-2010, 12:04 PM

Original site here:

http://www.techgravy.net/2010/10/fre...reensaver.html
Links to:
http://register.avanquest.com/ABSOFT....cfm?idcgd=499

Socrates · 10-19-2010, 12:58 PM

Man that looks fishy.

Ralph · 10-19-2010, 03:22 PM

Well it does seem to work... risking a flood of emails I went through the motions and received a serial. I have not tried to see if is valid and wonder if it is the same number for every application.
The first section of numbers is AVBKF-24AVR-ZE652 if anyone wants to compare

Jim Sachs · 10-19-2010, 03:25 PM

Prolific will look into it.

feldon34 · 10-20-2010, 02:14 AM

Avanquest is an official partner/distributor of Marine Aquarium 3. However I don't think giving away the product to any Tom, Dick, or Gerhardt is what Jim or Prolific had in mind. I will be watching this intently.

Terry Kennedy · 10-20-2010, 04:04 AM

Originally posted by Ralph:

I have not tried to see if is valid and wonder if it is the same number for every application.
The first section of numbers is AVBKF-24AVR-ZE652 if anyone wants to compare

I didn't see if it was valid (I already have a purchased serial), but I got the same one, unless the last piece differs.

Jim Sachs · 10-20-2010, 09:56 AM

Avanquest was meant to be our hard-copy manufacturer and distributer. Unfortunately, they also have the right to do electronic sales, which has proven disastrous for me.

They buy a block of Key Codes at a greatly reduced price, then can do whatever they want with them. If they want to give the keys away as some kind of advertising promotion, we can't stop them.

If anyone notices that they are giving away the SAME key to more than one person, we can definitely stop them.

henemly · 10-20-2010, 10:42 AM

Yes Jim, the keys are all the same. (the ONE key, that is)

I tried 3 different dispose emails, and the key was the same. Also the same as
Ralphs AVBKF-24AVR-ZE652-XXXX one.

BTW, it's completely different than the key you gave me for beta test.

Jim Sachs · 10-20-2010, 02:01 PM

Prolific has sent a Cease-and-Desist order.

rctneil · 10-23-2010, 06:10 AM

I also got the same product key.

henemly · 10-26-2010, 12:15 PM

Maybe a blacklisting on the key for next build:

http://www.raymond.cc/forum/freebies...tml#post216656

Jim Sachs · 10-26-2010, 12:36 PM

Yes, it will be disabled.

10-19-2010, 10:23 AM	#1
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Free MA3 promotion (Today), I saw a major company giving away free ma3 keys!? Are they authorized?

10-19-2010, 11:50 AM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Where did you see that? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

10-19-2010, 12:58 PM	#4
Socrates Sage Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: West Hills, CA Posts: 1,529	Man that looks fishy. Bat rays? We don't need no stinking bat rays!

10-19-2010, 03:25 PM	#6
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Prolific will look into it. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

10-20-2010, 02:14 AM	#7
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Avanquest is an official partner/distributor of Marine Aquarium 3. However I don't think giving away the product to any Tom, Dick, or Gerhardt is what Jim or Prolific had in mind. I will be watching this intently. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

10-19-2010, 12:04 PM	#3
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Original site here: http://www.techgravy.net/2010/10/fre...reensaver.html Links to: http://register.avanquest.com/ABSOFT....cfm?idcgd=499

10-19-2010, 03:22 PM	#5
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,443	Well it does seem to work... risking a flood of emails I went through the motions and received a serial. I have not tried to see if is valid and wonder if it is the same number for every application. The first section of numbers is AVBKF-24AVR-ZE652 if anyone wants to compare

10-20-2010, 04:04 AM	#8
Terry Kennedy Registered Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: NYC Posts: 16	Originally posted by Ralph: I have not tried to see if is valid and wonder if it is the same number for every application. The first section of numbers is AVBKF-24AVR-ZE652 if anyone wants to compare I didn't see if it was valid (I already have a purchased serial), but I got the same one, unless the last piece differs.

10-20-2010, 09:56 AM	#9
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Avanquest was meant to be our hard-copy manufacturer and distributer. Unfortunately, they also have the right to do electronic sales, which has proven disastrous for me. They buy a block of Key Codes at a greatly reduced price, then can do whatever they want with them. If they want to give the keys away as some kind of advertising promotion, we can't stop them. If anyone notices that they are giving away the SAME key to more than one person, we can definitely stop them. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

10-20-2010, 10:42 AM	#10
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Yes Jim, the keys are all the same. (the ONE key, that is) I tried 3 different dispose emails, and the key was the same. Also the same as Ralphs AVBKF-24AVR-ZE652-XXXX one. BTW, it's completely different than the key you gave me for beta test.

10-20-2010, 02:01 PM	#11
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Prolific has sent a Cease-and-Desist order. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

10-23-2010, 06:10 AM	#12
rctneil Registered Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 239	I also got the same product key.

10-26-2010, 12:15 PM	#13
henemly asdf Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Hiko, CommieFagnia Posts: 278	Maybe a blacklisting on the key for next build: http://www.raymond.cc/forum/freebies...tml#post216656

10-26-2010, 12:36 PM	#14
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Yes, it will be disabled. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium