I spent something like $3000 (zero educational discount, btw) on a wireless analyzer software package from Airmagnet two years ago and installed it on my laptop. It binds to the physical MAC address of that machine. I saw nothing suspicious about their licensing or support policies at that time. Later, however, I found out that if you want to move that software to another machine, or bind it with a removable wireless network card, you HAVE to buy their annual support contract.
Airmagnet requires continuous support contracts also. This means that if your machine is refreshed or dies 25 months after your first year support contract expires, you will be required to buy 3 years of support contracts in order to get the software you already purchased working again on another machine. For purposes of that example, it would cost me over $1800 just to reinstall the software on another machine.
License for use of the purchased software is perpetual—it is NOT an annual subscription agreement like some products. You simply can't move it to another machine or network card, ever, unless you have a full support contract. Imagine if Microsoft required you to buy their newest operating system if you wanted to move the operating system you purchased to another machine. Imagine if dealers sold cars with locking lug nuts that could only be taken off if you service your car with them and have an extended support contract.
I spoke with technical support and they said "it's a sales policy." I talked to sales (license renewal) and they said "it's a company policy" that internal auditors require them to follow. I said there should be an exception for license rekeying/reassociation, and they said the MAC license-key can't be changed, because it would require a current support contract and the most current version of their software. I neither need nor want the current version of their software, nor do I need or want "technical support" for the product. I just want to install it on another machine or use it with another wireless card and get it to work, like 99.999% of other software products in the market allow you to do.
I told Airmagnet that I could see where this type of policy would be good for generating revenue, but strongly implied that it's not a very honorable practice, in my opinion, and that it does not reflect very much respect for paying customers. They essentially said "tough beans" and sent me yet another quote for a renewal contract. I do not like being strongarmed into buying a support contract for a critical function (MAC rekeying/reassociation) that has essentially been turned into crippleware. Their competitor Omnipeek provides a comparable product that is not crippled (is not tied to MAC address or a support contract), and actually allows installation on two machines "out of the box."
I believe this insidious attempt to sell annual support contracts (and essentially lock customers into it for the lifetime of the product) is not a fair business practice, and I personally do not consider it very ethical or admirable. If you only need this software for one year, and can afford it, or don't mind buying a support contract for every year that you use it, it's a good product. But if you think, like I do, that software you purchased with a perpetual license should be able to move to another network card or computer without spending $600, then it is NOT a product I can recommend, in any way, shape, or form.
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