EULA, access to multiple platforms and number of installs

Unity Engine
1

I own a MacBook Pro with which I plan to develop iPhone apps for fun and profit.

I also own a Windows-based desktop PC that has most of my 3D authoring software on it, including Softimage, as well as 2D tools like Painter.

Adobe and many other packages allow you to install the same software on a desktop machine and a laptop machine, provided that you don’t use the software on both machines at the same time.

I would prefer to do most of the asset creation and baseline Unity project creation on the PC, then bring the project over to the Mac for iPhone app development.

There are two potential problems. First, it is not clear whether I am required to commit to a single platform when I purchase Unity (for example, a Lightwave license gets you access to Win, Linux and Mac OS versions, but Adobe typically makes you commit to either Mac or Windows at purchase). The second problem is that it is not clear that if I have access to multiple platform versions that I can install on more than one machine.

Any help will be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

2

Luckily, this question is covered in the FAQ of the very forum you are posting in:
http://forum.unity3d.com/viewtopic.php?t=20410

Rune

3

Both can be answered relatively easily:

  1. When you buy a license of Unity is meant for use by a single developer, but that developer can in fact install on two machines as per the Unity 2.x EULA (see section 1, Grant of License).

  2. When you buy a license of Unity you are not buying a Windows nor a Mac license, as such it’s up to you how/where to use your two installs. Two Macs? Go for it. Two Windows? Go for it. One of each? Go for it.

4

First, thanks, Rune, for pointing me to the FAQ. I should have looked harder for it. I previously searched for the EULA to read it for myself . . .

Second, the answer to the Mac and Win installs was not explicitly addressed by the FAQ (as I doubt it is a question that is frequently asked), so thanks to HiggyB for answering that question.

5

The FAQ says:

I agree though that this answer could be made even more clear.

Rune

6

Fixed. :slight_smile: Under the above question is now the following separate question:

Q) Can I use my license on Mac? Windows? Both?
A) Unity licenses are not tied to a particular platform, given that each license can be activated on two machines it’s up to you which platform(s) to use. You can install both on Mac OSX, both on Windows or even install one on each platform.

This does get asked reasonably often and it’s worth having clearly explained in the FAQ post.

7

So much for my reading comprehension skills! :frowning:

Thanks again.