Macromedia Free Trial products, Flash, Dreamweaver Fireworks, ect.

I have a question about Macromedia products.... specifically Flash.

A few questions and I aplogize in advance if these questions are borderline asking about cracking software illegally, I want it to be known that that is not my intention whatsoever.

In regards to FLASH 8 specifically but i am doing the same thing with dreamweaver.

1) Does anyone know of, at the end of the 31 days free trial period, it is possible to reinstall the program again and start back at 31 days?

2) Also, What are the differences between the free trial and the real thing? Do they watermark your work in freetrial? Can something made in the freetrial version open up in the real version and vise versa? I am running the freetrial right now and don't see anything that is different from my the version on my school's computer but might be missing something.

In regards to Macromedia Fireworks

3) i downloaded the freetrial, and unlike the dreamweaver free trial and the flash trial it did not ask me if I had a serial number if i wanted to just try it, it is just running and i think i have the full program. ANy one of any idea how on earth that would happen??

 

If you're looking for cheap...there's an alternative to Macromedia Flash. I've been using Swish for awhile now and I like it. It's still only $99 I believe to register and does great flash work.

 

The Flash installer is too smart to be fooled by a simple reinstall. However, during the 30 trial, there are NO restrictions at all. It's 100%.

If all you intend to use Flash for is simple web development or cartoon type stuff, you should shop around eBay for Flash 5. Flash 8 offers many advanced features, but most of them come in the form of video or Action Script 2.0, which many people don't even utilize.

I know... I have been a Flash developer for a living for years. Plus, I've produced more than a few animation. Most of what I know I learned in 5. I only use 8 because the companies I work for have upgraded. Otherwise I could likely get by without it.
On the other hand, I'm more of a programmer with Flash than anything. And I AM one of those nerds that uses the hell out of Action Script. So, I probably would miss 8.0 if it came down to it.

Dreamweaver is crap. Learn how to code HTML in a text editor. You'll be far better off.

I've never used Fireworks. Never had a need. I have nothing to say about that...

 

For me flash is the one I've never really used. I usually just create rather simple html sites with some php thrown in. But I really don't like fireworks. All it really is a drastically downgraded version of photoshop. I do like using dreamweaver, because it does simplify the process a bit, and I can very quickly switch between code and the final product, but it might not be worth the price tag I guess. But Photoshop is really what you should be looking at for web design. I would say probably 70% of my work on websites is all done in photoshop. I'd check out Pixel 2 Life for some great design tutorials, and they have one massive tutorial on slicing that will likely be a huge help.

 

Yeah, I'd have to agree with that. Photoshop/Image ready are essential tools for web design. But, if cost is an issue, GIMP is a great open source alternative to Photoshop.

As far as Swish goes... It may be a fancy program. But it is no replacement for Flash. It may create a SWF file in the end... But, it's nowhere near what Flash is.

My problem with DreamWeaver is that it really bloats the hell out of the code. It tries to allow for every situation when a simple streamlined approach would work just fine. What you end up with is loads of totally unnecessary code that does nothing more than slow down the loading of your site.
Really, you're much better off using a text editor like EditPlus to do your HTML/PHP/ASP coding. Oh, and your VBS or JavaScript coding too. It has syntax coloring for all of those languages. And it has built in FTP functionality so you can connect directly to the site you are working on.

 

I've worked with all those things, back in the day I used Fireworks exclusively, it's good enough, didn't have the kind of functionality photoshop had though. Still, as a web designer because i've lived with other graphics apps i've never used photoshop in web development, though have started to include it into my workflow just lately.. which is difficult when used to doing it other ways. I've actually designed a whole site in AE. Flash is a great tool, and I wish i knew a little more about it than i do atm apart from messing with flvs and slideshows, another thing on the todo list. Dreamweaver is like Durb said, and is sometimes useful for putting a layout together quickly, so you can see something sliced together and get the css done, then re-work the code in a text editor and take out all the crap Dreamweaver puts in, it's not a bad referance just to check how things look. Apart from that, use an editor.

 

The reason that people usually use Photoshop is the same reason many pieces of software are popular. It's become a standard. I've been working in the web design/graphics arts industry for like 12 years. And throughout all that time Photoshop is as necessary a tool as Microsoft Office.

In both cases, you can use whatever you're comfortable with. But when it comes time to deliver something to someone else, and you can't give them a 100% compatible file with THEIR software, it's going to cause you problems.

For what it's worth, at least as far as Photoshop goes, I support it being a standard. Throughout all the different types of graphics packages I've used, I still think it is head and shoulders above the rest. Just my opinion, of course. But, to me it's an indispensable tool.

 

Graphically i've rarely had to share data that's going to be edited by someone else, so it's not been a problem. But i agree that Photoshop is definitely an indispensible tool, and if someone had made me use Photoshop instead of Fireworks about 8 or 9 years ago when i started with websites, i'd probably appreciate it now. Still, i've taken a slightly harder path and managed pretty well without it, though like i said, it's something i'm changing in a big way atm. Alongside a bit more familiarity with Flash and more 3DS Max work work work.

 

Right... And there's nothing wrong with that. If you can produce 100% with your favorite tool, then there's no reason to switch. It's just a matter of preference. If the future holds a need for a change, deal with the learning curve then. But, until that point, there's no need.

Sort of like why I've been using Bryce for all this time rather than a more, uh, functional package. It's mostly because I don't have time for the learning curve to teach myself something like Blender. And I don't have the money for 3DStudio. But, I'm more functional than most people with Bryce, and therefore, I continue to use it.

 

Cool guys, thanks for the help.

So basically I already own PhtotShop CS, Image Ready CS, MOHO.

Moho has always served me well but it has since been upgraded and changed to ANime Studio pro. Is anyone familiar with MOHO? Its a good program to make flash animations and I'm already pretty good with it.... My intention is to get good at the professional style software. FLASH 8 is this. I have Flash 8 at my school but I'm getting real sick of coming all the way to campus to work on it, i would really like to work on it on my laptop late at night and stuff.

Anyway. I can't afford to buy it and i really want to learn on it. 30 days isn't a long time.

How does the installer know that my computer has installed it before? Can't I wipe out all Flash related files from my computer and then just reinstall. What if I downloaded the installer all over again as well?

Basically I'm trying to find a legitimate way to keep flash on my computer indefinitly without payig for it.... haha.... I'm not going to crack it. Honestly i was tempted to and researched it a bit and apparently MAcromedia security web server can check to see if your compputer stole it or bought it??? Scary stuff, I'm far too parnoid.

ANyway. yea. I would look for Flash 5 but I'm trying to learn the programs that are used by companies, I'm in college, I'm trying to make myself well rounded and hirable and can certainly pay for the software once I feel I'm good enough at it for it to be worth it.

 

Essentially renewing the trial is probably about as illegal as cracking it anyway. As for Macromedia checking if you bought it or not, that's not going to happen, it's not like people who crack software allow said software to access the internet. You can't renew the trial by reinstallation because the software leaves traces of itself on your PC even after uninstall in the registry, yes you could try and remove those traces through registry editing and so forth, and dongles. Years ago you could have tried things like you mentioned, even things as fundamental as turning your PC's date and time back repeatedly, however, definitely not advisable and much of which wouldn't work these days anyway. But whatever way you play it, cracks, keygens, or even managing to reset the trial as you've said, won't make it any more legit. The trial is there for a reason in the end, and trying to trick it isn't going to be playing by the rules. Your best bet is to go with something like ebay (make sure you get the appropriate license and so on) and then you can be happy in the knowledge of things being legitimate.

Play safe

 

It's done, usually, by making an entry in the registry. An entry that is so completely ambiguous that it's literally impossible for you to figure out how to find and remove it. And there's usually more than one.
So, even if you removed every file on your machine remotely related to Flash, the registry entry would still be there. They write the Uninstaller to purposely leave it behind.
And the installer catches that first, if you try to re-install...
Changing the date won't work either. Because the original installation date is written with the registry entry.

They made the mistake of making ONE product that changing the date would allow you to beat it. But they learned their lesson from that about 8 years ago. And every installer since then has been much smarter.

Are there ways to hack the registry? Sure.
Are there ways to possibly beat the encryption, and figure out your own way to beat it? Sure.
Can I tell you about it? Absolutely not. Partly because I don't really know. But, mostly because it strickly goes against TOS in this place to discuss piracy.
And I'm afraid that hacking trial versions of software is piracy.

That's impossible. It's actually such a contradiction in terms I'm amused by how blatantly you stated it. There is no legitimate way of owning it unless you pay for it. Sorry... The word for that is piracy.

 

Sorry, my intention isn't piracy. My intention was to just reuse the trial version, i didn't think that was piracy if there was a way to just redownload it. But i guess my definition of piracy is off.

So i guess I'll work real hard to learn the program in 30 days.... i probably shouldn't have downloaded them oth at the same time right? dreamweaver and flash? darn. If i uninstall it now will the clock stop ticking until i install it again?

 

I'm afraid not. It goes by the moment you did the initial installation.

I don't mean to come down so hard on you. That wasn't my intention.

But, look at it this way. The '30 day trial' thing used to just be a good faith kinda thing. Lots of companies have been doing it for years. But, people started taking advantage of it. Many of us still do. Many companies started writing safeguards into their trial versions to prevent that. Many other companies still don't even bother.

Macromedia happens to be one that got burned pretty badly by people taking advantage.

In the end, though, when you install the software, the license agreement, it makes you agree to, states very clearly what you are entitled to do. And of of those statements says, when 30 days is up, you either pay for it or uninstall it.

To continue using it, no matter how you do it, even if it is for lack of their safeguarding, you are effectively pirating the usage of the software.

So, yeah, I recommend you get cracking and learn the stuff quickly.

 

Are you SURE that's what you mean?

 

Cracking <> Hacking.

Two different things.


Or as you would say it in Flash:

function Am_I_Being_Bad(Flash8){
if (Flash8==true){
if (Cracking<>Hacking){
Result="Continue along. Nothing to see here."
}else{
Result="Go directly to jail. Do not collect $200."
}
}
}

//I don't even know what that meant. It seemed funnier in my head.

 

While there are benefits to doing everything manually, and I'm all for learning the raw code, Dreamweaver is not "crap" as a whole. It's a very functional piece of software that nicely balances coding and design. Sure it's not the same as doing it by hand, but it's perfectly usable and CAN produce good results.

Let's not go any farther with that please - can't discuss that here. Talking about the limits of the trial version is okay, but we can't discuss ways to get around it.

 

Yeah, well I think I about explained the heck out of that anyway...


As far as Dreamweaver and my comment about it's "usefulness". I guess if you have no interest in learning how to do things the right way, it's probably the best of the WYSIWYG editors.

But, in the real world, that is just the wrong way to go about it. It's the lazy way. And quite frankly, once you design something that is more functional than a "hey look what I built" personal page, it is too bloated to be taken seriously.

If you were to use that to design, say, a shopping cart with a database (which it is capable of), you would end up with a site 5X larger than it needs to be.

So, generally speaking, I don't like to advise anyone to go down that path unless they have no interest in keeping things neat and tidy.