Our GroundSchool for PocketPC software can help you prepare for your next FAA written test. It's good stuff. However, it is sold with what some people may initially consider to be an unusual license (though as we will describe, it is actually quite common and reasonable). Specifically, when you purchase a copy of GroundSchool for PDA, we stipulate that you are purchasing a non-trasnferrible license for one device only.

What we will explain to you here is that this is a very reasonable way to sell the product and allows you to get what you need at the best price.

First, let's make it clear by what we mean when we say "a single device." This means a single physical PDA. If you buy, for example, two identical iPAQ PDAs, you need to purchase two licenses in order to use the software on both.

What this means (assuming you bought a single license for one PDA) is this:

• If your PDA breaks and you get a new one, you will need to purchase a new license to continue using the PDA software.
• If you lose your PDA and you get a new one, you will need to purchase a new license to continue using the PDA software.
• If your PDA undergoes (truly) significant repair or upgrade (the upgrade would really need to be quite significant for this to happen) such that from the standpoint of the PDA it is now a different "device", you will need to purchase a new license to continue using the PDA software.

Please note that you will need to purchase a new license regardless of whether this happens 10 minutes or 10 years after you purchase / register the software. This is a simple and fair policy.

• This is fair because in practice most people keep their PDAs for at least 2-3 years. Given that, the PDA software works out very inexpensively per year for most people.... considerably more inexpensively, on average, than other pilot logbook PDA software out there . And, if you happen to keep your PDA in good shape and keep it longer, it's cheaper still. Even if you keep your PDA for only one year the cost of the software is still very reasonable.
• It's also fair because it's consistent with the way much PDA software (and much PC software) is sold. Excepting certain games and other entertainment products, a great number of vendors have made this an industry standard way of selling software. One device, one license - simple and fair.
• It's also fair because it keeps everybody's costs down by being simple and effective while keeping software piracy to a minimum. The purchase process for the PDA software as we have it now is automated and automatic. Automated means less work for you and for us.
• It's also fair in because it allows us to ask our users to pre-install the software on their PDAs before purchase. This is a win-win in that is both ensures that we won't have to deal with time-consuming technical support queries from people who have purchased the software for a non-compatible machine. The low price reflects this - do not underestimate this. For PCs, roughly 70% of our technical support time is spent with users who are trying to re-install the software on a new or updated PC. PCs are relatively simple. For PDAs, the situation would be much, much worse.

What are our alternatives to selling this way?

• provide a time-limited license. for example, we could sell a "one year" license. Technically, for PDAs this is tricky to administer and implement fairly, which makes it more expensive for all involved.
• provide an unlimited license. The cost would skyrocket. We are entitled to charge a fair amount for reasonable use of our software. This we do (we consistently charge below the rest of our competitors and have higher quality stuff). An unlimited device, unlimited device license is simply not feasible and opens the door to software pirates.

Unfortunately, a certain percentage of you will experience some catastrophe, like a PDA that breaks or is stolen within a few weeks of purchase. Look - sorry - this will inevitably happen. Please consider that risk when you decide whether or not to purchase the software. But, for most of you it will not, and, if you care for your PDA and keep it even for an 'average' amount of time, you will find that our software works out to be much cheaper.

Thank you for your understanding! We hope you can understand that we are committed to making a quality, inexpensive product. This "per device" way of selling the PDA software ultimately benefits you, the user.