*sigh* There’s a reason you don’t usually find *used* course CDs and such in campus bookstores: the activation codes required to use said CDs can usually only be used one time. The idea here is any subsequent owners have a fairly useless product in their possession and the publishers make more money. My campus bookstore, however, just sold me a used LabSim (for an online computer course). And I (foolishly) assumed that if they were selling it used then the activation code (if there was one) would be usable multiple times…otherwise why would they be reselling it, right?

Wrong. I tried to create my account only to be told that someone had already used the activation code. So, now I’m trying to find out if I can purchase *just* the activation code I need at a discounted price (because there’s no way I’m paying $75 AGAIN when all I need is a little 16-character “permission slip” to use their software — unless the school bookstore will give me a full refund). If this theory doesn’t pan out, the bookstore had better relax their return policy a bit from their usual “no returns/refunds unless you drop the course” because they really shouldn’t even have sold it “used” in the first place. Lucky for them, I have the weekend to cool off and/or get this sorted out.

</rant>