Not allowed to activate older version of AutoCad LDD

[Anonymous]

My office uses version 2009 of LDD. We like this version and DO NOT LIKE newer versions of the software.  One of the computers we use needed to be reformatted.  We were just told that they will not or can not give us an activation code for the SAME copy of the software that has been on that computer for years.

How is it fair that our company which has spent well north of 30k in software and licenses over the years can not use the software WE PAID FOR!

Just because you put out a new version of your software every year does not mean it is better than previous years.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

First of all..  The way I read your posting..  It sounds like you are speaking to Autodesk..  Well this is mainly a peer to peer network.   We the users have no control over what Autodesk can do with activation.   Speaking of activation..  Activation is only possible if the serial # for your product is still active.  Just because it was activated on a machine for many years doesn't mean when you go to activate it again after a machine failure that its going to work.  Also who informed you that they were not going to activate it?   Remember its all about the history of that serial #.. 

[rkmcswain]

@Anonymous - who told you all of this?

If you have a perpetual license of LDT2009, you can continue to use it as long as technically possible (i.e. at some point, you won't be able to get a supported O/S to run it....)

Did you just come here to vent, or do you have a question? We are users like you so we might be able to point you in a direction, but without knowing who you have talked to and what your actual question is... we can't help.

[Anonymous]

You are correct that my post is a rant at Autodesk and a cry for help!  My employer has been an AutoCad purchaser since release 12.  When they switched to a subscription service we followed.  We use Land Desktop almost exclusively.  After 2009 they merged Land Desktop into Civil 3D and we did not like it at all so we stayed using 2009 while still paying the subscription fees.  Every so often we would get a call from Autodesk asking why we don't take advantage of the new software and every time we would tell them that we did not like the way they changed the software around and were content with the last version that kept Land Desktop separate from Civil 3D.  We did stop the subscription service in 2015.  My employer couldn't justify paying the fee anymore without benefitting from it.  

Now that one of our computers had a problem with it that required it to be reformatted we are in our current situation.  We contacted a new vendor and were told if we paid a lot of money to get back into the subscription service they can try to get a key for us but they don't know if Autodesk will do it.  No guarantees but they are more than happy to take our money.

The issue my employer has is how is it fair that we have paid for the software over and over again yet we are not allowed to use it?  Just because Autodesk puts out a new version every year to justify the subscription service does not mean it is better.

[Anonymous]

I apologize that I never really asked a straightforward question.

we want to use Land Desktop 2009 and we can not get an activation key for it.  

[rkmcswain]

Minor correction. Civil 3D and LDT were never merged. They were and are two separate applications that share virtually nothing except the .DWG drawing format.

I get your sentiment, but what else have you done besides contacting this one reseller?

I'll try tagging a couple of the Autodesk supports staff here and maybe they can help.

@natasha.l

@Anonymous

@Karsten.Saenger

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

Without knowing your history of your product and only speculating at this point..  But it sounds like your organization is a non-compliant state.  For example if you went off the maintenance plan in 2015 you are only entitled to use the release version of the software when you went off that plan.  If the 2009 version was never upgrade or put on any plan than yes you are entitled to use it (just remember newer OS and Autodesk support will not exist).

Anyhow my first concern would be (if you are - remember I'm only speculating at this point) to get your organization in a compliant state. 

[Anonymous]

This is where I am confused.  As far as I was told we enrolled in the subscription service in 2004.  I believe that was when they started it.  Are you saying we could have continued paying the subscription service but told Autodesk we were stopping at 2009?  If we were told that they would still have supported our license of 2009 we probably would have kept the subscription.  No clue if it was the vendor or Autodesk who my employer talked to that told us otherwise.

I understand that software will change with the times.  I started on release 10 and used the Softdesk add-on and Eagle point add-on.  In 2001 we started using Land Desktop and loved it.  We did not like Civil 3D and were told that starting in 2010 Land Desktop would go away and it was Civil 3D only.  This is why we stopped at 2009.  We deal with companies that still work in 2001.

[rkmcswain]

What you are calling “subscription service” in 2004 is commonly called maintenance today. (Subscription today refers to the only option you have today of essentially renting the software).

Again, the presence or absence of paying maintenance fees does not change the status of your perpetual license. You might have been better off stopping your maintenance payments in 2009, not 2015 since you had no intention of ever using the newer software.

As @Mark.Lancaster has said twice now, we do not know the history of the serial number in question. Get with Autodesk directly and see what they have to say. We are users just like you, and cannot give you an activation code.

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

Even if you continued to pay your subscription (maintenance plan) you are still not entitled to continue using those legacy versions.  However without know your software path/upgrade over the years I can't give you an answer but..

Lets say I had AutoCAD 2008 on a maintenance plan.  I used my AutoCAD 2008 license and I upgraded to a better package.  At that point my AutoCAD 2008 license no longer exist and I'm not entitled to use it anymore.  As I continue to use my newer license, over time legacy versions drop off the radar.  For example if I had a active maintenance plan in 2015, I could only use the 2012-2015 version.  If I don't renew my maintenance plan than I'm only entitled to use the release version..  So if you want off in 2015 than most likely the 2016 version was released and that's the only version I can use.

Your reseller should've notified you of this (and not worry about money)..  They should be telling you what you are entitled to..  You should be speaking to them and demanding answers because if you are in a non-complaint state and getting Autodesk evolved through this forum could trigger an audit.   And you don't want that.   Meaning you could be fine (only speculating) based on software purchased dating back to 2009 and etc.   That's 7 to 9 years worth of being non-complaint..  Are you willing to take that risk?   Yes I'm being negative about it but at the same time only speculating..  We the users cannot determine what state you are in.  But if I was you..  I would be on the phone with my reseller demanding answers and getting myself into a complaint state.

[rkmcswain]

It does not sound like @Anonymous ever upgraded from the LDT 2009 since there was no LDT 2010 or later version and they never wanted to use C3D.

It *sounds like* they simply kept paying maintenance for the next 6 years for whatever reason.

It *sounds like* they would be compliant since they have a perpetual license of LDT 2009 and never upgraded it.  

I hope @Anonymous comes back and finishes this story for us when it's all said and done.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the information everyone.   to correct some of my terminology and answer a few more questions.  Our company had purchased three seats of 2001 back in 2001 through a reseller.  In 2004 we upgraded and started the maintenance plan on the three seats we had so our serial number was a valid, current copy.  We had no desire to go past LDT 2009 but kept the maintenance plan going because our reseller told us we needed to.  Based on what I am reading it sounds like we should have stopped back then since we were just wasting money at that point since we weren't going to go past 2009.  I wish the reseller was still around to discuss that with!  

I will have to get my employer to call Autodesk and talk to someone there.  Worst case they will tell us the same thing the new reseller we talked to said.

i will update when I get some answers.

Thanks!

[Mark.Lancaster]

@Anonymous

Just a heads up...  I know you need Autodesk assistance to get this resolved since your reseller is out of business but getting Autodesk evolved may lead to your organization being audited and perhaps fines..  But I'm only giving you a heads up and speculating.. 

In the end if you don't have rights to use AutoCAD LDD 2009 you will need to upgrade..