Bought my software (GC II - Collectors Edition) in a shrink-wrapped box from a reputable retailer (Walmart).
Played around with it off and on for a period of time. Found that it had MANY shortcomings, including not having a number of the features mentioned and shown in the Manual.
Finally got fed up enough to go out to the web site. Read a lot of posts that said the software that I paid GOOD MONEY for was little more than an inadequate demo, and that I had to download updates from the GC II website.
Set up a GC account. While I was doing it, the site asked me to put in the software serial number, which I did. HOWEVER, after I was though, I got cautions that I still needed to register my software to get the downloads. The "Registrations" tab said that I had no software registered.
THEN had to go through the hassle of downloading and installing the glorified spyware package "Stardock Central" to get the ability to TRY to register again.
I put in the number CAREFULLY -- SEVERAL times. Kept getting an "invalid serial number" message.
In summary, I was sold a SORRY product that did NOT have the features and capabilities represented in the manual. Then, when I tried to update it at the CG2 website, the site refused to do it.
In summary: SORRY product and SORRY service -- what a waste of my time and money.