Obtaining a NEW license key in exchange for OLD key ?

[captainslarty]

Hi Lester et al.
My USB Dongle has been suffering from many years of use.
It has never been exposed to water etc, however, it is getting a wee bit 'unreliable' - down to - I think, worn connections on the key itself and a generally corrosive atmosphere being on the yacht !

I dismantled the key around a year or so ago and cleaned it with servisol and a toothbrush, sprayed the PCB with PCB Laquer etc, it still works fine most of the time.. (It WAS a bit corroded and green lol).

When it doesnt, I have to remove and re-insert it - often several times - again probably simply the usb connector contacts ? - nothing more since cleaning and protecting the pcb. The computer is only 3 months old so the usb ports and contacts are fine -

Is it possible to exchange the unit ? and if so, what sort of cost -
I am sure I am one of a very limited number of users who use it in a marine environment and have done since it was first introduced ?

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Could you please advise ?
Preferably, and hopefully you trust me in this ?? (we have known each other a long time !), I could get a new one and send you the old one back on receipt as I am working full time coding for a UK Company at the moment and would preferably not want to be without my key...

Many thanks
Joe.

[W4GNS]

Here it is in plain Brit English http://www.protonbasic.co.uk/showthr...t=loose+dongle

Consider buying a USB hub and just leaving the dongle plugged in, Hubs are a tad cheaper
I use a powered hub, as not to strain my puter when hooking up Dev boards

[captainslarty]

Thanks Gary
I have just initiated a workaround using a short male to female usb cable and 'hot glued' the usb key onto the female end so it cannot move, seems fine.
Unfortunately with lack of psace on the yacht we cannot leave the laptop out on a desk every day with something always connected as the one single work area has mutiple uses - oh for my old radio shack haha ! - the above works based on the hub idea.
Many thanks for the input Sir.
Joe.

[Lester]

Hi, sorry i missed your posy earlier.

Your request seems reasonable, I'm surprised that we have not received such a request before.

The concept behind the license key, is that is SHOULD be portable and therefore it WILL be inserted many times in different machine, thus at some point it will physically wear out.

Clearly, we have missed a sales opportunity here, exchange keys, £99.00, yipeee!

Seriously, if its worn out, we'll exchange it.

Contact me via email - lester @ crownhill co uk - to make arrangements. We will charge only for postage and hardware - no profit !

[Lester]

Note that the thread Gary referred to is VERY old and a tad out of date:

We do not encourage users to ask for replacement keys, however we do support the replacement of lost USB keys.

If you require a replacement USB license key (exchange keys are a different matter) , you may order one online.

• We will check that you are registered as a licensed user on our system.
• You may be asked to provide proof of purchase. (for example, if you did not purchase direct from Crownhill)
• We will issue ONLY 1 (one) replacement license key per user, If you loose the replacement key will will NOT issue another key.
• If you did NOT purchase PDS, or received it as a free sample or complimentary copy, we reserve the right to decline your request.

This information is published on the web site, in the Online Ordering section.

[Lester]

The Crownhill on-line sales web site has been updated to show replacement / exchange license key options within the Proton Development Suite section. previously they were in the misc category, which we directed people to only after they made an enquiry.

[captainslarty]

Hi, sorry i missed your posy earlier.

Your request seems reasonable, I'm surprised that we have not received such a request before.

The concept behind the license key, is that is SHOULD be portable and therefore it WILL be inserted many times in different machine, thus at some point it will physically wear out.

Clearly, we have missed a sales opportunity here, exchange keys, £99.00, yipeee!

Seriously, if its worn out, we'll exchange it.

Contact me via email - lester @ crownhill co uk - to make arrangements. We will charge only for postage and hardware - no profit !

Hi Lester (and thanks for the Posy - I think it was Carnations lol )
this is what is called 'Customer Service' !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - in the best sense !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, it is not a 'lost' key - purely - as you put it and probably the best description - a worn out key
the key is there. It can be produced as needed. - a 'lost' key can be difficult to explain and problematic for youselves, but a replacement one for one is a different matter.
I guess my key is now - errrrrrmmmm - well - it was one of the first ever issued lol - so it is well used !
Also, I am definitely the non - normal user as to the marine environment - salt water and electronics produces green gunge as the saying goes ho hum

I will send you a private mail re this and details, and i thank you personally and Crownhill as to the superb response.
When you get my poor old key back, it HAS had the case forced open, cleaned with servisol, sprayed with laquer, put back together, and now uses a very pretty piece of insulating tape to hold the thing in one piece haha...
I was even a Beta tester as you may know for the Key or no Key -

BTW, the insulating tape is RED, to compliment the BLUE of the key.......

To ALL users of PDS with KEY, this is the kind of support you NEED, and EXPECT.
Kudos Lester !

Details to follow.. simply a hard worked and original USB Key lol.. in a salt water environment - not missing, not lost - just getting - 'worn out' - a bit like me haha...

[Lester]

Maybe we should have an image gallery... PDS users keys -

[Lester]

I propose:

Kplanking, an activity consisting of placing a PDS license key in a unusual or incongruous position and having a photograph of the key taken and posted on the PDS web site.

PDS users may compete to find the most unusual and original location in which to Kplank

The term Kplanking refers to mimicking the human act of Planking, with a PDS licence Key.

[Lester]

Ooops, I think i've totally lost the plot........