I'd thank you for the WinSnap program, if only I could get it to work! Spent the last 2 hours making sure that I had all the Windows 2000 requirements, then installing it from its zip file. At the end of the wizard, I had the box checked to launch it when I hit finish, and got sent to the home page. When I tried a manual launch, my PC says I'm missing the .dll files, and the program cannot be started. I understand that I did all this knowing that the product would not be supported or updated, but can I at least get some help acquiring it in the first place?

After all this wasted time and effort, I'm reluctant to take the final steps of completely deleting all traces of it. Doing so will just be a time-consuming venture, in and of itself, and I probably will not use this website again...

Appreciate any assistance.

That would make things a lot harder WeAreWatching, GAotD uses a wrapper so that software authors do not need to recode their entire software protection system.

Built into the application again would make it harder for the software author. Problem is it IS still available for download - quite a few of the programs here are unmodified versions of what the publisher has on their own sites (with some exceptions depending on offering). If you can extract the registration info then you can take it home with you anytime.

So from what I am getting (from your point of view), is that every publisher that wants to have a GAotD offering needs to have a special build of their software and have to rewrite or modify their protection routines to participate in this program.

The time limit is part of the "thrill" as well as part of the incentive for marketing I would think. Who ever said advertising had to make sense as long as people came and the desired result was reached?

Well a fat lot of good that does those of us who aren't able to have internet access at home!!

There are far more convenient (and even more secure) ways to register software. For example, set-up a page where people can receive an auto-generated key (any programmer worth their salt can easily adapt their software to support this!).

Or here's a thought, have the activate page available for AT LEAST a couple of days, with an internal activational module/script (either built-in to the appkication, or inside its main folder)! This way it gives everyone an equal opportunity to experience the giveaway (they can't steal it if it's no longer available for download!)!

There are literally LOADS of other ways, which don't require an internet connection, or a frickin' time limit (and again,, are more secure)... It's just plain common sense!!

I use Virtual PC all the time. It's really quite useful. You do , however, need Windows XP Professional at least.

No, it is no glitch. BillW50 is totally right, here. It is a way of copy protection.
I think it is mentioned somewhere on this site, because I've noticed it before I downloaded any software.
@BillW50: Microsoft Virtual PC is in a Beta phase , right now. I have tried to install it myself, but run into so much troubles... I wouldn't recomend it to anyone right now. Maybe when the stable version is out (or the old version).
This is a quote from Microsoft's site:
"Virtual PC 2004 (***too old) is a powerful software virtualization solution that allows you to run multiple PC-based operating systems simultaneously on one workstation, providing a safety net to maintain compatibility with legacy applications while you migrate to a new operating system. It also saves reconfiguration time, so your support, development, and training staff can work more efficiently."
Download link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=6D58729D-DFA8-40BF-AFAF-20BCB7F01CD1&displaylang=en

Oh and if you want to get really fancy. There is the free Microsoft's Virtual PC. This is a portable Windows that you can run on other PCs (Windows XP or higher, I think). Thus you can install all of these giveawayoftheday programs into that. And then take them anywhere. I never ran it myself, but I heard a lot about it. :(

A and B are correct. Although if you install them on a portable device, they will only work on the Windows OS you did this on. The reason being is the Windows registration which they were installed on contains the activation data. Which your portable device doesn't have this information. Thus it reverts back to trial versions when you copy them to another computer. You can think of this as a form of copy protection.

Yes folks, yet another problem with GAOTD! (hey, I'm only stating the facts!)

After my horror at discovering you had to a) be connected to the internet, and b) install the software before the end of the giveaway (both of these terms were NOT mentioned on the website!!), I invested in an external hard drive, so that I could install the software immediately after download, then transfer the program files to my own PC. Sounds simple, right? Except, once I transfered the files (and yes, I used the activation file & both programs I installed were then licensed to GAOTD), they seem to have reverted back to their shareware license?!? As I transfered the entire folder, including the activated license, I can only assume it's down to a glitch in either the activation process, or the license file!

Anyone have any idea how to re-revert them back again to their registered state???

Cheers,

WaW