I had Final Draft 8 installed on a Windows 7 laptop that I purchased strictly for writing. I recently upgraded the hard drive, memory and reinstalled the operating system. Then I discovered that FD8 can't be reinstalled due to forced obsolescence.
I'm hoping to purchase a Final Draft 10 activation code from someone who upgraded or simply isn't using it anymore. It was the last version compatible with Windows 7. Is there a place online where it can be purchased? I've been searching to no avail, so your help will be appreciated.
Yes, I'm aware it can be downloaded, but I need to purchase a code to activate it.
They only offer the current version. Once someone purchases it, updates are available, but subsequent versions must be purchased. Thank you!
Sooo... anyone?
Hi Meg Stone, being that everything else is working as expected, purchasing a new laptop due to this one issue seems excessive. I was going to purchase Fade In, but first contacted them to assure it functions properly on Windows 7 and their reply was the following: "We don’t directly test on Windows 7 any longer, but technically it is still compatible with that version of Windows." Apparently, their version 3 was designed to work with the older operating system, but the current version 4 may or may not have glitches with it.
Meg Stone I wish to make sure I'm understanding, you're running version 4 of Fade In on Windows 7?
Sorry, that's sorta advanced for me. If it's working flawlessly on your setup, does it mean it will too on a regular Windows 7 laptop?
Someone had previously stated they were running version 3 on Windows 7, but you're the first person to confirm running version 4 on it.
I'm running Final Draft 11. FD 12 has been released, but, I haven't delved into too many of the features of 11, so I won't be upgrading quite yet. I think v11 is quite powerful as is. Right now, I'm only using FD for short films, so I don't have the need for the more elaborate features quite yet.
Once again, I appreciate your explanation and I'm feeling better about Fade In's compatibility.
I've read that Final Draft has placed most of their development efforts on Mac versions, so I'm certain it's not any better.
It's definitely not a financial issue. It's simply that purchasing a new laptop for one piece of software seems excessive. There have been no issues with any of my other programs. Anyway, it seems the issue is resolved.
As computer technology advances, so does the operating systems that run within them. With advancements in OS, you get code changes that don't carry over. It's the nature of the beast. One of my earliest Macs was the G4. It was a great computer that ran well for years. Unfortunately, 99.99% of the software that exists today wouldn't run on it now. There will always come a time when you have to get a new computer just to keep up with technology.
Meg Stone Thank you for your comment and understanding.
Todd Groves I understand and accept that technology marches on. What's unconscionable, is that Final Draft replaced their servers without transferring activation information, thereby leaving many users of their software without the ability to reinstall the software which they purchased. To be clear, I wasn't attempting to install a newer version of their software on an older computer, I was simply attempting to reinstall the Final Draft software that I purchased, onto the operating system for which it was designed.
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Maybe someone already said this, I didn't read all the responses; but if you still have your old code, contact final draft; you should be able to get the upgrade at a reduced cost
Ah, I see. What Jerry said. Reach out to FD. I'm sure they'll have no problem getting you back up and running again.
I reached out to them, which how I learned of their callous decision with the servers. Of course, they offered a discount on yet another purchase, which is useless because it can't be installed on Windows 7.
I'm moving on to Fade In, which offers more features anyway, can be installed on Windows 7 and imports/exports in .FDX format.
I'm able to purchase new software and/or a new computer, but there are countless struggling writers who purchased Final Draft and don't have the ability. Final Draft built their business on the backs of these customers and therefore should show some consideration. Even Windows 7 can still be reinstalled and updated to the point of the last release.
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Sorry to hear about that, Vic. Let us know how your experience with Fade In goes.
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Hi Meg, it sounds like the Flexera software is a Windows thing. I use FDv11 on my Mac, and it requires no such connection or additional software. It may be because of past pirated Window versions of FD floating around, hard to say for certain.
What about Fade In do you like in particular? What features make it easier to use?
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Hey Vic. If you still need it, I have a license key.
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Hi Meg, it sounds like the Windows version of FD has some issues. I have FDv11 for the Mac and it doesn't ask for a connection or any third party verification process. I also have an iPhone version of FD as well. I haven't used it that often, yet. But, it's there if I need it. I haven't had to deal with support that often, so I couldn't speak to your support issues with FD. I looked at Fade In, and I wasn't a fan of its interface. To each their own. For now, I'm sticking with FD. Best of luck to you and your future projects. I hope you find a lot of success. Cheers.