FS Auth - Authorisation and license types for JAWS/Zoomtext/Fusion/Openbook

FS Auth - Authorisation and license types for JAWS/Zoomtext/Fusion/Openbook

Problem

A prospective user of Freedom Scientific product JAWS/ZoomText/Fusion/Openbook wishes to understand the different types of license available.

Applies to

  • JAWS/ZoomText/Fusion/Openbook

Resolution

Authorisation is a proces by which a Freedom Scientific product gains a license to run as a fully funcrtional and unlimited product.  Without a license the product will run in 40 minute demo mode and may have certain other restrictions. 


Related articles
  1. Freedom Scientific product launch authorisation scenarios
  2. Checking ILM Authorisation for a Freedom Scientific product
  3. Check dongle authorisation for a Freedom Scientific product

License form factors

There are two main license form factors available to authorise a Freedom Scientific product:
  1. The first is the ILM (Internet License Manager) which is a purely software-based license activation system that uses the Internet to retrieve a license from Freedom Scientific activation servers. 
  2. A second license form factor (excluding network license) is a plug in USB dongle that takes the place of a software license and is required to be plugged into the workstation to allow the Freedom Scientific product to run, removal will shortly thereafter result in the product going back into 40 minute demo mode.

ILM authorisation (software)

This ILM (Internet License Manager) license is the most commonly found and in most cases the most convenient.  It consists of a serial number used only for identification that is linked to a 20-digit authorisation number which can be throught of as a product key.  During activation this is submitted to the Freedom Scientific activation server along with a Locking Code to generate a unique activation key to unlock the license when the product is run. ILM authorisation is available for single user, multiuser non-network and multiuser network licenses.


Example ILM license

Serial number: 12345678**** (for identification purposes only)
ILM authorisation number: abcdef0123456789abcd

Information about the license type of the above may be obtained through use of the FSActivate website to check the license.  Please visit www.fsactivate.com and choose to get a detailed display of your license by unputting the serial number for the license.

USB Dongle (physical)

A USB dongle is a physical form of license that takes the place of the software ILM license and whilst plugged into a free USB port allows the Freedom Scientific product to run.  If the dongle is removed whilst the Freedom Scientific producg is run the product will lose its license and revert to 40 minute demo mode.  In certain cases a dongle might be prefferable where ther customer owuld like physical control of the license or where they need to access a large pool of machines wit their license.  The downside is that the dongle must be used at all times.  If a Freedom Scientific product user wishes to change from ILM to dongle license please contact Technical Support to discuss your requirements.   A USB Dongle cannot be used for subscription or network license products.


License types

Having dealt with the two main forms in which a license may come. different license types are available to support different user scenarios. 


Single user (Home user or professional)

A single user is the most straightforward tyhpe of license where one user has the user of the software.  A single user license entitles the user to maintain up to three active installations of the software with ILM authorisation.  Dongle users must move their dongle to the PC they are currently about to use with their Freedom Scientific product.

Multiuser none network-network

This license type suports a number of users concurrnt use of a product license (brought in blocks of 5 users).  These user either have a single ILM authorisastion key or a dongle that represents their license.  

Multiuser network

In organisations it may become tedious to manage a large number of ILM licenses as machines break down or software re-deployed.  To cater for this scenario one may use a network license by deploying a Sentinel server within the network to distribute a network license to client workstations.  The Sentinel software is supported in Windows only and the clients should be witin the same network.  The number of users (seats) are normally purchased in blocks of 5 concurrent users.  For further details about how this works please see Freedom Scientific Sentinel network license deployment.

Checking your license

Please find below relevant information for checking a license:

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