How does trial software know when the time limit is up?

[Ryan Dorfman]

Ok so, I am wondering. Let's say I download an application off the Internet. And this application gives me a one-week trial and then it expires. Hypothetically, if I try to download it again, it knows that I have already used up my trial. How does it know this? And hypothetically where could I delete the files so it doesn't know I have already downloaded the application?

 

[honestone]

I don't think you can "cheat" the system and re-download it again. (You might be able to do it if you have more than 1 account on your Mac, but not sure about that). In my case, I can do it twice, but I have 2 Macs.

As for getting rid of all files associated with any application, you can use a freeware program like AppCleaner (can get it from http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/25276/appcleaner), or AppTrap (can get it from http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/25323/apptrap).

 

[Ryan Dorfman]

In this day and age? There's gotta be a way

 

[honestone]

In this day and age? There's gotta be a way

If you find a way, let us all know!

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

Unfortunately, you are actually asking if there is a way to bypass the trial security features put in place by the software developer, in order to extend your use of the application without paying for it. That breaks the trial software license agreement and is technically piracy/theft by definition. In some places/countries, that is actually against the law, and can be grounds for legal action.

If you like the software and want to continue using it, then you have to pay for it.

C