1.5. Planning and Managing Client Licensing and Activation

Software developers have been battling software counterfeiting (often called pirating or software piracy) since the very first operating system or application was sold. When it's easy to copy the software without paying for it, some people do just that.

Client licenses, product keys, and activation work together to help ensure that a software program that is being used is a valid copy. The goal is to make it more difficult for software counterfeiters to copy and sell the software to unsuspecting users while also making the process smooth for users who have purchased valid versions.

With this in mind, administrators have a responsibility to their company to help it develop sound licensing ...

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