Activation keys and Serial Numbers are exactly the same thing: the one and only "code" you need to activate a product.
It's just that Esellerate used to call those "Serial Numbers" and QLM calls them "Activation keys".
The issue is, Esellerate closed at the end of June 2019, so if you have orders made before that date, you'll have a purchase receipt calling the code "Serial Number" and it would start with FSDT-, but all orders made July 1st 2019 onwards, would call them "Activation key", because that's how QLM names them, and they would all start with an A.
During the last days of Esellerate, we migrated all existing Esellerate orders to QLM, and QLM has a feature that accepts also what they call a "Legacy Key" so, not only orders have been migrated, but your old Esellerate Serial Number IS present on the QLM server, but a QLM Activation key has also being associated to it.
This means, you can use EITHER the Serial Number OR the QLM Activation key, and it will work exactly the same. Except for one case: the QLM License Wizard, which sometimes comes out if the firewall is blocking access to our software, or the sim itself, since in FSX or P3D, you can activate within the simulator, through the Addon Manager. The Addon Manager IS programmed to accept BOTH an Esellerate Serial Number or a QLM Activation key, but if for any reason the Addon Manager can't connect directly to the activation server, the QLM License Wizard will pop-up, and THIS only accept QLM keys!
The FSDT Universal Installer also accepts both Esellerate and QLM keys, and since for some reason it seems that firewalls/antivirus are more friendly to it, perhaps because it doesn't run inside the sim, it's less likely the QLM License Wizard would pop-up if you Activate with the FSDT Universal Installer.
Basically:
- The Addon Manger accepts both kinds of keys, but only if it's not blocked by the firewall, otherwise the the QLM License Manager will come out.
- The QLM License Wizard only works with Activation keys, it doesn't recognize Legacy keys.
- The FSDT Universal Installer also works with both kinds of keys, and it usually doesn't trigger the License Wizard.
The result is, if you always use the new-style keys, it's less likely you'll run into issues. That's why the new style of keys are the only ones you'll ever find in the order retrieval email.
