I had the same problem.  You aren't doing anything stupid.  Here's what
fixed my problems:

1. First make sure you down load the file License.key.   Save it as a text
file and THEN GO BACK AND FIX THE EXTENSION!  Damn NT operating system will
save the file as License.key.TXT and that won't work.  So rename it to
License.key.
2. When it asks for the the path to the directory where you have the file
give it the entire path PLUS THE FILE NAME!  In other words C:\aakirk\eagle
won't work, but C:\aakirk\eagle\License.key will work.
3. Open License.key and copy down the ten character key "spkv.....".   You
will need that the first time you fire up Eagle.

I still haven't got it to do anything, but as you can tell I have a hostile
attitude to software that makes me work instead of helping me work.  So
maybe with a couple more hours of cursing I will be creating printed circuit
boards.
 Good Luck: John Kirk

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Montaigne, Mike [SMTP:montaignem@AECL.CA]
> Sent: Friday, August 14, 1998 4:05 PM
> To:   PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> Subject:      Re: Cadsoft's Eagle Price
>
> I just downloaded the demo, The Light is free (according to their
> literature),
> all you have to do is also download a small file called licence.key.
> I could not get the key to work, and I sent them an email.
> I may be doing something stupid or they have canceled the offer.
> I hope I'm just stupid.......  : )
> Mike
> > ----------
> > From:         Gaston Gagnon[SMTP:gagnong@TOTAL.NET]
> > Sent:         Friday, August 14, 1998 3:24 PM
> > To:   PICLIST@MITVMA.MIT.EDU
> > Subject:      Re: Cadsoft's Eagle Price
> >
> > On the same subject,
> > does anybody know if Eagle' differents versions require a dongle or some
> > other kind of annoying protection scheme?
> > A dongle is a hardware key that needs to be connected to the computer
> for
> > the
> > software to operate properly. There was an interesting discussion in
> July
> > on
> > this kind of copy protection method.
> > Gaston Gagnon.
> >
> > Rob wrote:
> >
> > > I checked out their website today and it says they have a 50% off sale
> > on
> > > their programs until Sept 30.  However, I don't see what the price is
> > for
> > > the Standard or Lite editions.  Anyone know offhand?
> > >
> > > >From the little bit of playing around with it I like it.
> > >
> > > Rob
> >