Activation: Difference between revisions

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==Disadvantages==

~~In order to use a purchased product, users must share their personal data with the manufacturer{{Citation needed|reason=Unverified statement}}.~~

For online activation it can be unsafe to connect a device to a network before it has the latest security updates. However, getting and installing the latest security updates can be difficult without a fully functioning device. For example with Windows, if you have a computer with a functional current version of Windows you can download security updates for offline installation. They make this very difficult for those who do not yet have Windows.

* The activation of purchased products often require users to transmit hardware identifiers and product keys to manufacturers for verification purposes, though the extent of personal data collection varies by implementation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 Sep 2001 |title=Windows Product Activation Versus Software Registration |url=https://www.informationweek.com/it-leadership/windows-product-activation-versus-software-registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527000836/https://www.informationweek.com/it-leadership/windows-product-activation-versus-software-registration |archive-date=27 May 2024 |access-date=2026-05-13 |website=Information Week}}</ref>

* For online activation it can be unsafe to connect a device to a network before it has the latest security updates. However, getting and installing the latest security updates can be difficult without a fully functioning device. For example with Windows, if you have a computer with a functional current version of Windows you can download security updates for offline installation. They make this very difficult for those who do not yet have [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]].

* Given that services shut down all the time, activation services can be lost, leaving the user with an unusable product.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voit |first=Karl |date=2016-11-12 |title=You Can't Control Your Data in the Cloud |url=https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202071758/https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=Public Voit}}</ref> When the manufacturer regards the product as reaching end of life, they may stop providing activations. However some products may be in service for decades after the manufacturer ceases support.

* Due to many parts of the world having no/slow internet access, some users can be incapable of activating the product they purchased.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Okemwa |first=Kevin |date=13 Apr 2026 |title=Microsoft explains why you can’t activate Windows 11 without the internet anymore |url=https://tech.yahoo.com/computing/articles/microsoft-explains-why-t-activate-102310527.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-13}}</ref>

* Providers can limit activations or arbitrarily revoke access. For example, [[Xiaomi]] only allows one bootloader unlock per person per 30 days and four phones per year, in addition to a week-long delay after purchase.<ref name="xiaomi" /><ref name="Insta360" />

~~Given that services shut down all the time, activation services can be lost, leaving the user with an unusable product.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voit |first=Karl |date~~=~~2016-11-12 |title~~=~~You Can't Control Your Data in the Cloud |url~~=~~https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |url-status~~=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202071758/https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=Public Voit}}</ref> When the manufacturer regards the product as reaching end of life, they may stop providing activations. However some products may be in service for decades after the manufacturer ceases support. Specialized or orphaned devices may only work with particular versions of software, it may be impossible or impractical to replace the device.{{Citation needed|reason=This is not a theme article}}

==References==

~~Some places in the world have limited Internet access. This can cause difficulties when activating~~{{~~Citation needed|reason=Improvised reasoning~~}}.

Providers can limit activations or arbitrarily revoke access. For example, Xiaomi only allows one bootloader unlock per person per 30 days and four phones per year, in addition to a week-long delay after purchase.<ref name="xiaomi" /><ref name="Insta360" />

~~==References==~~

~~<references />~~

[[Category:Common terms]]

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 ==Disadvantages==
-In order to use a purchased product, users must share their personal data with the manufacturer{{Citation needed|reason=Unverified statement}}.
-For online activation it can be unsafe to connect a device to a network before it has the latest security updates. However, getting and installing the latest security updates can be difficult without a fully functioning device. For example with Windows, if you have a computer with a functional current version of Windows you can download security updates for offline installation. They make this very difficult for those who do not yet have Windows.
+* The activation of purchased products often require users to transmit hardware identifiers and product keys to manufacturers for verification purposes, though the extent of personal data collection varies by implementation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 Sep 2001 |title=Windows Product Activation Versus Software Registration |url=https://www.informationweek.com/it-leadership/windows-product-activation-versus-software-registration |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240527000836/https://www.informationweek.com/it-leadership/windows-product-activation-versus-software-registration |archive-date=27 May 2024 |access-date=2026-05-13 |website=Information Week}}</ref>
+* For online activation it can be unsafe to connect a device to a network before it has the latest security updates. However, getting and installing the latest security updates can be difficult without a fully functioning device. For example with Windows, if you have a computer with a functional current version of Windows you can download security updates for offline installation. They make this very difficult for those who do not yet have [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]].
+* Given that services shut down all the time, activation services can be lost, leaving the user with an unusable product.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voit |first=Karl |date=2016-11-12 |title=You Can't Control Your Data in the Cloud |url=https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202071758/https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=Public Voit}}</ref> When the manufacturer regards the product as reaching end of life, they may stop providing activations. However some products may be in service for decades after the manufacturer ceases support.
+* Due to many parts of the world having no/slow internet access, some users can be incapable of activating the product they purchased.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Okemwa |first=Kevin |date=13 Apr 2026 |title=Microsoft explains why you can’t activate Windows 11 without the internet anymore |url=https://tech.yahoo.com/computing/articles/microsoft-explains-why-t-activate-102310527.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-05-13}}</ref>
+* Providers can limit activations or arbitrarily revoke access. For example, [[Xiaomi]] only allows one bootloader unlock per person per 30 days and four phones per year, in addition to a week-long delay after purchase.<ref name="xiaomi" /><ref name="Insta360" />
-Given that services shut down all the time, activation services can be lost, leaving the user with an unusable product.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Voit |first=Karl |date=2016-11-12 |title=You Can't Control Your Data in the Cloud |url=https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260202071758/https://karl-voit.at/cloud/ |archive-date=2026-02-02 |access-date=2026-02-02 |website=Public Voit}}</ref> When the manufacturer regards the product as reaching end of life, they may stop providing activations. However some products may be in service for decades after the manufacturer ceases support. Specialized or orphaned devices may only work with particular versions of software, it may be impossible or impractical to replace the device.{{Citation needed|reason=This is not a theme article}}
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
-Some places in the world have limited Internet access. This can cause difficulties when activating{{Citation needed|reason=Improvised reasoning}}.
-Providers can limit activations or arbitrarily revoke access. For example, Xiaomi only allows one bootloader unlock per person per 30 days and four phones per year, in addition to a week-long delay after purchase.<ref name="xiaomi" /><ref name="Insta360" />
-==References==
-<references />
 [[Category:Common terms]]