I am late to the party I see.
My two cents on this issue is that I too purchased this software shortly after its release and read clearly that it was a personal license, for my personal use was the impression I remember, and had no limit on the number of my machines I wanted to install it on. I am a technologist, love technology. I have many flavors of computers, OS's, and devices. Its what people like me do as a hobby. That being said I have previously installed Start8 on all my (legally purchased) Windows 8 and server 2012 boxes (file servers and HyperV for playing with new stuff). Maybe 5 total Start8 installs across all the machines.
$5?? Not a big deal. Until this morning that is.
Not knowing about this change I fired up a VM that runs a vulnerability scanner software package and I get an activation message for Start8. Thinking that's odd, I enter my reg info and it tells me I've reached my maximum number of activation's. That was unexpected. So I jump onto the forums to see what's going on and find this discussion.
I will purchase the additional copies. No big deal. But the change to the licensing scheme seemed odd and not communicated properly. An email to all owners of Start8 would have been easy to do, a nice courtesy, and gave us time to purchase additional licenses or uninstall it where its not needed, in advance of the change in activation policy.
Lesson learned here Stardock... don't surprise your customers like this in the future. An email message would have prevented all of this confusion and frustration.
Otherwise keep creating great software for us!!!
PS. If you ever need closed alpha or beta testers I live a mile from your HQ. Could meet over coffee at McDonald's next door.
