Mashon

Description of Work: In 2008 MashOn, Inc. then known as Planetwide Games, sold a software product called Comic Book Creator 2. Having purchased Comic Book Creator 1 and enjoying it, I purchased the second version and have used it since 2008. In 2009 Planetwide, now Mashon, ended support for their software products. I wasn't too concerned since the product performed well and to my expectations. However, on 10/30/11, the software program ceased to function. The error message indicated that it could not activate. It seems that the serial number, received in the software box when purchased, needs to contact a computer server over the internet to properly activate and be used. Contact with Mashon has resulted in the advice to "contact the reseller I purchased the product from". Retailers do not have access to the information necessary to handle this type of problem, it is essentially a programming decision to 'protect' the software from illegal copying. All companies do this, and all companies eventually move on with different products, however, I still have a copy of Windows 98 that will still install and work even though Microsoft no longer supports this product. The same goes for several other software products I own. Essentially, there are going to be lots of customers so stranded.