Product activation

Product activation is a license validation procedure required by some proprietary software programs.

Once activated the license continues working on the user's machine with no further communication required with the vendor's systems.

The program generated a unique serial number which then called the author's BBS via a dialup modem connection.

Despite independently developing its own technology, in April 2009 a jury found Microsoft to have willfully infringed Uniloc's patent.

However, in September 2009, US District Judge William Smith "vacated" the jury's verdict and ruled in favour of Microsoft.

Software that has been installed but not activated does not perform its full functions, and/or imposes limits on file size or session time.

Unactivated software typically reminds the user to activate, at program startup or at intervals, and when the imposed size or time limits are reached.