Something on the rec.video.desktop

post says :
If you’ve bought Photoshop CS and have noticed a new service called “Adobe LM Service”, this is Macrovision SafeCast spyware.

This spyware cannot be disabled. When the startup type in WinXP or Windows 2000 is set to “disabled”, SafeCast re-enables itself the next time Photoshop is started.

Just an FYI for anyone considering upgrading. Adobe has finally fallen over the edge.

responses were:
Not quite a virus, but SafeCast does a lot more than advertised.

Each time Photoshop is started, SafeCast takes an inventory of the machine it’s installed on, and will refuse to load the application if it decides too much has changed. The copy protection appears to be analogous to that found in Windows XP:

and The most frightening part of SafeCast is that the licensing terms can be changed AFTER THE PRODUCT IS PURCHASED. So, for example, if Abobe decides to make Photoshop a pay-per-use application and customers do not agree to these terms, Adobe can remotely pull the plug on these customer has anyone heard things like this. First i have come across it. I haven’t upgraded and things like this give me food for thought for sure.