"Silicon Sam" <SiliconSam@gmail.com> wrote in message 1113621402.419778.100750@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com">news:1113621402.419778.100750@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com... > Probably some kind of hardware "key" that must be inserted in the > machine in order for the software to work. Very common on high end > applications. Yeah, probably so the publisher could keep "tabs" on unauthorized use.