ok... I knew I could search out your previous discussions pretty quickly with only 6 posts to look through, but I thought the suggestion of a link to a previous post would be good advice anyway. Now I see that the other post is locked, while a link to a locked post could still be done, it may be considered inappropriate, so maybe it's best to forget that idea on this one.
I'm a long time user of casmate, although I quit using my copy 3 years ago. I still own it and don't plan on selling it, but I do know a bit about it. I also have Inspire Sign, made by the same people. I have the CD's, manuals, original box, (I think) and the security dongle. It is a legal, registered software package that I've virtually never used. I'd sell it for $500 if you were interested.
On a hunch, I also did a search on ebay & found someone selling casmate 6.52 for $250. The listing doesn't offer much info, like any mention of a dongle, which is usually a bad sign, in my mind, however the seller does have around 600 transactions & a 99.5% good reputation, so maybe it's a good deal.
I just sent him an email asking about the dongle, and manuals. I don't want it, but I thought you might. See it
HERE!
Each copy came with a dongle, and to legally run it, it was
originally required to be run with the dongle.
I personally
believe that Casmate holds a rare position among the sign software requiring use of a security device, with regards to the US copyright law.
Where it
may differ, due to the discontinuation of support & the lack of functionality in either of the 2 newer operation systems XP, and Vista... I
believe that a circumvention of the security device is justified in the fine print of the
DMCA in the specific case of an ALREADY LEGAL authorized software package being forced to work with today's technology, by circumventing the intended security measures of the dongle.
In your case, if you had bought the software yourself, years ago, from the manufacturer... then, and only then would you KNOW it was an authorized "copy" ...in which case I
believe it would be legal for you to find a way to run it without the dongle.
BUT, since you bought it from someone who was already running it without a dongle, you have no knowledge to assume it was ever a legal copy.
As a big fan of casmate, I think it is an excellent tool that could take you far in the vinyl cutting field, other then the issues relating to running it on a contemporary OS. If the ebay guy has the dongle, it would be a great deal if you could get it for $250.
I think many laws in the US are difficult to understand only one "right" interpretation, which is why so much time is spent in courts across the land... deciding how to intrepret laws, even when the "facts" of an alleged violation are clear. Different scenarios always demand a different perspective of the letter of the law, and it's intent. Over time, different intrepretations are handed down by different judges... so there is not ONE determination in the U.S. regarding this law, or any other law.
On the flip side, signs101 is not a democracy, it is Fred's property, and his rules govern the site... so as much as I like a philosophical discussion of the various nuances of a complex issue... I defer to Fred if my perspective of how the DMCA applies to circumvention of a legally owned Casmate security key, differs from his.