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In response to customer feedback, we have removed the technology from TurboTax 2003 products. In addition, Intuit is changing its policy and updating the TurboTax software license agreement, enabling customers to use TurboTax software to install, prepare, file and print multiple returns for themselves and their family from multiple computers.

Can I install TurboTax for 2003 on multiple computers?

Yes. TurboTax for tax year 2003 can be used on multiple computers to prepare, print and file multiple returns for you and your family.

I still need to install my tax year 2002 product on multiple computers.

We've made it possible for customers to install and use their current 2002 version of TurboTax software on multiple computers. The anti-piracy technology is still included in the current software but the restrictions are not being enforced.

Too often companies hear only negative things and don't hear from customers when they do the right thing. They boned up, apologized, and have said they won't do it next year. So why not let them know they did the right thing? At the bottom of their page with the activation numbers is a rating and comment box for how effective the solution was.

Intuit has a massive FAQ here, linked directly off their front page. This is still a terrible way of doing business, but they aren't being as covert as people seem to think.

Thank you for contacting Intuit Inc.

We received your e-mail concerning TurboTax(R) Product Activation. Product Activation is designed to help reduce unlicensed use of TurboTax software. It ties a single copy (a license is tied to a pc, not a copy of the software) of TurboTax to a single PC. Product Activation is completely anonymous; no personal data is collected or transmitted to Intuit. Product activation does not prevent TurboTax customers from preparing tax returns for themselves and their family members or from giving the CD to someone else who can then purchase their own product license. TurboTax customers can prepare their return from more than one computer but will only be able to activate, print or e-file their tax return from a single PC.

However, you may install the trial version on other computer and work on your returns but you can Efile and print from the computer where you have first installed the program.

Product activation helps to ensure TurboTax customers use the product in accordance with the license agreement. The key terms of the License Agreement have been the same for the past several years. It restricts the licensed use of TurboTax software to a single computer. With product activation your privacy is safe. We do not transmit any personally identifiable information about you or your computer.

Product activation transfers nothing but a Product Key and Request Code. The code and key are matched together and a confirmation is sent to Intuit which enables TurboTax to be activated on your computer. Product activation does not monitor any activities on your computer such as what Web sites you visit, etc. It will not prevent you from using your CD-R or CD-RW drives.

You can still prepare multiple returns from your computer and prepare your return using multiple computers at no additional cost. You can remove/delete Macrovision SafeCast (C-Dilla) folders and components associated with TurboTax.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. We hope new arrangements will not affect our business relationship in any way but will continue to grow. We have forwarded your comments to the TurboTax Management and Development Teams for consideration. Although we cannot guarantee that your feedback will result in a change to our guidelines, we assure you that we take all advice seriously because it contributes to the improvement of our products and services, and we appreciate your honesty.

To obtain additional information about product activation, please visit us at http://www.turbotaxsupport.com/default.asp?platfor m=1&docid=815.

Further, Intuit respects and protects customer information. We integrate privacy in to everything we do. That is why privacy and security were key considerations when implementing the product activation technology in federal TurboTax for Windows desktop products for Tax Year 2002.

The Macrovision SAFECAST(R) product activation technology used by Intuit installs files on your computer when you install TurboTax. These files serve as your product license; in addition, they also manage and protect that license. These files interact only with TurboTax and with each other. Macrovision SAFECAST does not gather any personally identifiable information. It does not examine, modify, or gather information about your computer, your computer's contents, or your activities or behavior, nor does it transmit any such information to Intuit, Macrovision, or any other party.

C-Dilla is a company that was acquired by Macrovision in 1999. Some of the Macrovision SAFECAST technology used in TurboTax is derived from earlier C-Dilla products. "Spyware" is jargon for hidden programs that transmit user information to others (usually advertisers) without the user's knowledge. C-Dilla is not spyware.

If you have additional questions, please visit us at www.turbotaxsupport.com. We appreciate your interest and look forward to serving you in the future.

There is a new uninstaller for Macrovision Safecast/c-dilla. This requires that you first complete your taxes, uninstall TurboTax normally, and follow the process located here. http://www.turbotaxsupport.com/default.asp?platfor m=1&docid=836

If you need further assistance, or if there is any other way we may be of service, please contact us at http://www.intuit.com/service.

Respectfully,

Nidhi

Intuit Customer Service

Thank you for contacting Intuit Inc.

We received your e-mail concerning TurboTax(R) Product Activation. Product Activation is designed to help reduce unlicensed use of TurboTax software. It ties a single copy (a license is tied to a pc, not a copy of the software) of TurboTax to a single PC. Product Activation is completely anonymous; no personal data is collected or transmitted to Intuit. Product activation does not prevent TurboTax customers from preparing tax returns for themselves and their family members or from giving the CD to someone else who can then purchase their own product license. TurboTax customers can prepare their return from more than one computer but will only be able to activate, print or e-file their tax return from a single PC.

However, you may install the trial version on other computer and work on your returns but you can Efile and print from the computer where you have first installed the program.

Product activation helps to ensure TurboTax customers use the product in accordance with the license agreement. The key terms of the License Agreement have been the same for the past several years. It restricts the licensed use of TurboTax software to a single computer. With product activation your privacy is safe. We do not transmit any personally identifiable information about you or your computer.

Product activation transfers nothing but a Product Key and Request Code. The code and key are matched together and a confirmation is sent to Intuit which enables TurboTax to be activated on your computer. Product activation does not monitor any activities on your computer such as what Web sites you visit, etc. It will not prevent you from using your CD-R or CD-RW drives.

You can still prepare multiple returns from your computer and prepare your return using multiple computers at no additional cost. You can remove/delete Macrovision SafeCast (C-Dilla) folders and components associated with TurboTax.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. We hope new arrangements will not affect our business relationship in any way but will continue to grow. We have forwarded your comments to the TurboTax Management and Development Teams for consideration. Although we cannot guarantee that your feedback will result in a change to our guidelines, we assure you that we take all advice seriously because it contributes to the improvement of our products and services, and we appreciate your honesty.

To obtain additional information about product activation, please visit us at http://www.turbotaxsupport.com/default.asp?platfor m=1&docid=815.

Further, Intuit respects and protects customer information. We integrate privacy in to everything we do. That is why privacy and security were key considerations when implementing the product activation technology in federal TurboTax for Windows desktop products for Tax Year 2002.

The Macrovision SAFECAST(R) product activation technology used by Intuit installs files on your computer when you install TurboTax. These files serve as your product license; in addition, they also manage and protect that license. These files interact only with TurboTax and with each other. Macrovision SAFECAST does not gather any personally identifiable information. It does not examine, modify, or gather information about your computer, your computer's contents, or your activities or behavior, nor does it transmit any such information to Intuit, Macrovision, or any other party.

C-Dilla is a company that was acquired by Macrovision in 1999. Some of the Macrovision SAFECAST technology used in TurboTax is derived from earlier C-Dilla products. "Spyware" is jargon for hidden programs that transmit user information to others (usually advertisers) without the user's knowledge. C-Dilla is not spyware.

If you have additional questions, please visit us at www.turbotaxsupport.com. We appreciate your interest and look forward to serving you in the future.

There is a new uninstaller for Macrovision Safecast/c-dilla. This requires that you first complete your taxes, uninstall TurboTax normally, and follow the process located here. http://www.turbotaxsupport.com/default.asp?platfor m=1&docid=836

If you need further assistance, or if there is any other way we may be of service, please contact us at http://www.intuit.com/service.

Respectfully,

Nidhi

Intuit Customer Service

I am sorry that it took us so long to respond to your e-mail. You expressed concern about how product activation will impede your ability to access your tax files in future years.

• If you reinstall TurboTax after October 15, 2003, you will not need to purchase a new product license. TurboTax 2002 products that currently require product activation will be activated free of charge, thus allowing anyone to install TurboTax on any computer without needing to purchase a product license. (Example: You activate TurboTax on your home computer and complete your taxes in March of 2003. The following December, you install TurboTax on a new computer. Because you installed TurboTax after October 15, you will not need to purchase a product license.)
• If you purchase a new computer or a new hard disk for your current computer, Intuit technical support agents can assist you in reinstalling and reactivating TurboTax at no additional cost.
• If you reformat your hard disk or replace your current operating system, in most cases reactivation will take place without you needing to contact Intuit.
• If you reinstall the same version of TurboTax on the same computer that it was previously activated on, you do not need to purchase a new product license.
• If you install TurboTax on another computer before October 16, 2003, you need to purchase a new product license only if you want to print from within TurboTax, electronically file, or save your tax return as a .pdf file from that computer.

You are a valued customer and your opinion matters. If I can answer any additional concerns that you may have, please let me know.

Sincerely,

AnnabelG
Tax Development, TurboTax

Check out this on the turbo tax support site.

Here is the
link to send Intuit feedback on the new Product Activation Scheme in Turbo Tax Deluxe.

Here is a sample of what you might like to send them. Also, you might want to mention the spyware:

Due to the unobtrusive (sic) " Product Activation " features in this years Turbo Tax Deluxe, I will not be activating or using the CD you mailed to me this year. Not being able to move the software from computer to computer is just plain annoying. As a consumer I refuse to tolerate any more annoying product keys, stupid cards, or obnoxious 25 digit product ids. As the consumer or product licensee, it is my responsibility to save all this information, just in case I ever need it again, then call the vendor's tech support rot on hold and beg for new keys if/when I have to re-install. This is pure garbage and effluvia. Also, I am ignoring other products like Windows XP and the new MS Office upgrades which have obnoxious product activations. It probably won't take you long to figure out that these boneheaded moves cost you both market share, customer loyalty, and revenue. Anyway, I am voting with my wallet and so are many others. If you decided to stop this nonsense, feel free to mail me a CD next year, if not, don't waste the postage. youremail@domain.com

Do I need to activate TurboTax again if I reinstall the program? Whether or not you need to reactivate TurboTax (that is, purchase an additional product license) depends upon your particular situation:

If you reinstall TurboTax to the same hard disk that it was previously activated on, you do not need to activate it again.

If you install TurboTax on another computer, you need to activate it again only if you want to print or electronically file your tax return from that computer.

Example: You activated TurboTax on your home computer and attempt to electronically file your tax return, but for some reason you start to experience problems with your Internet connection. The next day, you install TurboTax on your computer at work, along with a copy of your tax file. In order to electronically file your tax return from your work computer, you must activate TurboTax on your work computer. Note: If you need to reinstall an activated copy of TurboTax on another computer because of a hard disk failure, or if you are reinstalling an activated copy of TurboTax on a newly purchased computer or hard disk, please contact a live agent to obtain a second activation code.

If you install TurboTax on another computer without activating it, you can make changes to your tax return using the EasyStep Interview, but you will not be able to print, electronically file, use the Forms Method, view tax forms, or save your tax file as a .pdf file from that computer.

Example: After activating TurboTax, you electronically file your tax return and print copies of the return for your records. Shortly thereafter, you replace your original computer with a new one. You install TurboTax on the new computer in case you need to refer to your 2002 tax file, but you do not intend to electronically file or print your return again. In this case, you do not need to activate TurboTax on your new computer. Product Activation lets you print or electronically file tax returns from any computer that TurboTax is activated on; it does not prevent installing the program on another computer.

Below is a transcript of my chat with online support. They were very helpful in easing my fears of product activation. I have bought (and deducted) the tax software and I love how it makes my tax time less arduous. Hopefully, tech support will live up to their claims of transerability should I upgrade my computer... which I will. I still like H&R Block's approach better, but I am a little more at ease now. Please read on...

JOhn

You have been connected to G. Cylon.
G. Cylon: Hello John, how may I help you today?
John Peterson: hi, i read an article today on slashdot.org about intuit's product activation for turbo tax. i am a long time customer and i am worried about computer upgrades and my use of turbo tax.
John Peterson: I do not want to pay for the product twice and that is what I am worried about.
G. Cylon: You shouldn't have to pay for the product more than once after it's installed and activated okay on the first computer
John Peterson: ok, lets say I upgrade my computer, which I often do... how is product activation handled there?
John Peterson: I do plan on upgrading my computer within the next month or two, but I also want to start on my taxes ASAP
G. Cylon: Upgrading the computer shouldn't affect product activation unless the harddrive is changed
John Peterson: ok, if there is a dispute can i fax in a receipt of my purchase?
G. Cylon: Can you give me a moment to check it please
John Peterson: thank you
John Peterson: I hope you understand my concern. I am a hardcore computer user and I often change out components of my hardware. In addition, I own my own business and I love how your software makes it easier for me to file my taxes accurately. It used to be a nightmare to compute all the deductions. However, this new product activation has me very worried that my software is not really mine and that I will be forced a "double taxation" on my tax software. If this happens, I can guarantee I will no longer purchase your product. This will be a sad event for me because I love your product, and I have used it for over three years.
John Peterson: I understand the need to reduce piracy, but I'm worried I will be falsely targeted.
G. Cylon: Yeah i know what you mean, but the product shouldn't be affected
G. Cylon: unless for major hardware change
John Peterson: It would make me much more comfortable if I could speak with a product activation specialist to make sure there aren't any loop holes.
G. Cylon: Can you give me a moment please
John Peterson: ok
G. Cylon: only changing hard drives will cause you to be asked to reactivate.
John Peterson: ok, so if i upgrade my hard drive i cannot transfer the license?
G. Cylon: If that should happen,you should just contact us with the original date you installed on the old hard drive and we will be able to get you activated again.

John Peterson: hey, thats great!
John Peterson: now, i would also like the number for an activation specialist so i can confirm this.
John Peterson: the price of the software is usually around $75 so its not something I want to throw away
G. Cylon: I don't have a number for a PA specialist.
John Peterson: ok, i'll look around then
G. Cylon: But that is what our business rules say and you confirmed it with my supervisor
John Peterson: ok
G. Cylon: i've confirmed*
John Peterson: gotcha :)
John Peterson: Thank you for your time.
G. Cylon: but if there is any problem quote this case id *******
John Peterson: Thank you once again. Take care.
G. Cylon: I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for visiting our TurboTax Support Chat.

The most frustrating is the powerless feeling it gives a user. People will come to HATE software because of the frustration and agony of not being able to control something they feel they own. This will make consumer less reluctant to throw down $100 or $200 bucks for their next software purchase. Not good. Someone needs to find a better way.

somewhere to start reading about the issue: the tech they use and a few words on how it works.

I used to use TurboTax each year. I always bought my own copy and I never shared it. A number of times I've needed to print my return out later on a different machine; but now I wouldn't be able to. Experts always suggest you save your return and papers and stuff forever...but now Intuit would expand that advice to "also save your old PCs and hope they continue to work years later". But, the main annoyance for me is simple: Intuit doesn't need to know I exist just because I might use their software. It should be as insignificant an event as if I used notepad.exe. I understand their troubles...but I don't care. So, I'll just find an alternative. Goodbye dear Intuit.

But...I might just ask a buddy who has bought the thing if I could please take a peek at his HD's sector 32 before and after the install. Just out of curiosity.