Patent ID: 7092908

Claim:
A method for enabling access to a software program comprising a plurality of different features, the method comprising: loading the software programs on to a hard drive of a computer, one or more of a plurality of different features of the software programs being at least partially inaccessible to a user without a password, the loading being performed by a first entity, the software programs being created by at least a second entity distinct from the first entity; selling the computer to a user; receiving a request from the user to access one or more of the plurality of different features of the software program, which request includes an identifier from the software program, the identifier being based at least in part on a characteristic of an entity to which access to the software program is linked, different such characteristics being usable to provide access to different ones of the plurality of different features of the software program; and forwarding, to the user over a communications network, a password for accessing one or more of the plurality of different features of the software program, the password generated using at least the identifier.