Bill, When RDSS downloads the new data files from TrackMaster, it will encode them so they can only be used on the computer which downloaded them. If you have multiple computers and multiple RDSS installations, just download the same card for each computer, e.g. scheduled overnight, or whenever - it's pretty painless and you're only charged once by TM for downloading the same card on the same day.
If you want to share a downloaded RDSS file with a buddy, RDSS will not load that shared file on the buddy's computer. If your hard drive crashes or you replace it and your Operating System, if it's still the same computer (CPU), when you reinstall and reactivate RDSS, it will recognize your old cards or your old database (if you backed them up). If you're adding (or replacing) a computer, just send a previously encoded data file and you'll be back in business.
For folks who choose to share a common TrackMaster data account instead of paying for a separate account, a) the racing gods will chastise them with lower mutuels
and b) TrackMaster will do a periodic audit to identify sharing and act accordingly. IMO, a far happier approach to this wonderful game (and to life in general) is to acknowledge value (in data and software, if you find it so) then profit from the tools at the Win Window
. I will always do my very best to make the software valuable to someone who takes the time to learn it and use it well.
I try to not focus my energy on negative outcomes, that way I don't contribute to creating them.
Hope that was a good answer!
yours,
Ted