nom internet

Perhaps download the manual patch onto one computer, put it on a removable media (flash/USB/thumb drive, floppy disk, external HD, etc), connect the removable media to the laptop, then copy the file onto the laptop? I figure there must be a way to network the laptop to whatever computer you are using to post here, too.

If you have portable media that you can write to from the laptop and a connected machine both, you can patch and activate.

First install the latest patch to the laptop, then follow these steps:

1) Start the game; you will get a prompt for your serial and email. Provide them and continue.
2) It will fail to activate (of course) and ask if you'd like to activate by email. Click Yes.
3) Copy the subject line and big block of letters into a text file, or into your email program, and save it off to portable media (CDR, USB drive, floppy, etc).
4) Take it to a web-connected PC and send an email to [email protected] with that subject line and content.
5) You should receive a reply with a file and some instructions; take the file back to the non-connected PC and you should be set to go.

How long is this process supposed to take? I would figure it is an automated system. Anyways, it's been about a day now since I have sent my request e-mail, but I have yet to receive a reply. I made sure it was in plain text, so that shouldn't be the problem.

Hmm, in case it's not automated, keep in mind that it's weekend right now.

I got it to work. I do still wonder about the collectors edition.
as well as what it acualy contains.

Collectors edition content is included and enabled in the 1.2 update and later. It provides additional jewelry for ship designs. There's a little exe floating around in the downloads section that enables it in earlier versions. However, best just to update to the latest version of the game.