I hope not. Why I would have to pay any fee for something that now I have for free? I can install Cubase on 100 computers and use any of them, one at a time.Maybe they're coming up with a soft licensing system where you can activate a single license on up to three DAWs at a time -- full price for the first activation, and a nominal fee for additional activations. Internet access would only be required during the activation/deactivation process, but not while using the software.
Thanks, now i got it. I think i couldn't do that, i'd probably feel like a criminal.My original dongle wouldn't be missing a license. It would still have the old license on it. The old license would be invalidated by Steinberg, but the invalidation process would not reach the old dongle since the old dongle would remain offline.
The only problem I'd see is if I did go online and Steinberg checked the dongle without my knowledge. I might have to set up firewall rules ahead of time to prevent that from happening.
Steinberg is going subscription bruhs
I had a similar experience. About a year ago I had a new router and switched my PC from WiFi to Ethernet. Since I no longer used WiFi I thought I would simply disable the WiFi adapter on my PC.- Waves are usually the worst in that matter as if I remember correctly, their license app went crazy when I simply changed the internet provider or something as silly as that. Now I'm waiting for activation of new internet access and I'm keeping their plugins in the cloud in case if Waves Center will go mad again after I switch from the current 4G. This is ridiculous. I/we shouldn't be treated this way.
You do know you can activate Waves to a USB flash drive, right? Also if you have WUP active, they will reset your activation once with minimal questions - as in my USB flash drive is suddenly read only and my licenses don't work. I just emailed them and they did it.One thing that I like about eLicenser is fact that I don't need to care about deactivation on an old machine. It's a real headache right now to control all those license apps (I have 10 or more of them).
I had to make a list of every vendor and their activation system so when I'm changing PC I know which software I must deactivate and which I don't need to. It also applies to moving to a new place (and/or country). As I'm doing it once per year on average I'm bothered with knowledge of which license app is based on PC ID, motherboard ID, which on IP etc. etc.
- Waves are usually the worst in that matter as if I remember correctly, their license app went crazy when I simply changed the internet provider or something as silly as that. Now I'm waiting for activation of new internet access and I'm keeping their plugins in the cloud in case if Waves Center will go mad again after I switch from the current 4G. This is ridiculous. I/we shouldn't be treated this way.
- Recently I lost 1 activation slot for my Best Service libraries because I changed settings in BIOS!
- I also have memories of clunky Native Access (like waiting forever to open or download a forced update, crashes during installation etc.) - it took a while before they managed to make it stable. Now it's fine but I'm expecting a similar thing with Steinberg, that it will take time before their license app will work properly. I can't wait to participate in the public alpha release hidden under the 'official 1.0 version'.
- Roland Cloud? This is an abomination. I'm glad that I read about it before I gave them my money which they don't deserve to get for such horrible customers treatment.
- Acustica Audio: their Aquarius app is a joke. Deactivation is on the updates page I just lost 1 activation slot because I was stupid enough to believe that such an option should be on the owned products page.
So far Plugin Alliance is doing well. I can unregister anything I want on their website. No need to worry about a broken or stolen PC, about forgetting to deactivate in on an old PC or after major OS failure.
Arturia is the same.
I hope Steinberg will follow PA/Arturia activation system, not Roland Cloud or Waves.
Yes, that's the advantage of a dongle. But now let's say Steinberg allows soft licensing on up to three DAWs at a time. Joe Schmo and two of his friends will each chip in $200 to buy a single license for Cubase, which they will use on their individual DAWs.I hope not. Why I would have to pay any fee for something that now I have for free? I can install Cubase on 100 computers and use any of them, one at a time.
I understand, but the old dongle would remain 100% in your possession. All you'd be doing is making it more convenient for you, and only you, to use your legally purchased, licensed copy of Cubase on two DAWs you own.Thanks, now i got it. I think i couldn't do that, i'd probably feel like a criminal.
Of course, I know and I did it. Twice. In both cases, lovely Windows assigned a different ID to the same USB Pendrive after it was unplugged and plugged back to the same port so in the first case I had to recover licenses (Waves Center saw Pendrive as inactive), then in the second case a few days later it happened again and I couldn't reactivate licenses because I would have to pay for such amazing option (only 1 reactivation per year). I had to wait 1 year to use again plugins that I paid for.You do know you can activate Waves to a USB flash drive, right? Also if you have WUP active, they will reset your activation once with minimal questions - as in my USB flash drive is suddenly read only and my licenses don't work. I just emailed them and they did it.
I do love Toontrack and PA for letting me control activations from the Product manager. Makes it easy to switch to a new computer.
Ah, sorry that happened to you. I just have a little Cruzer drive. 1st one worked for about 5 years before I got the error messages. The second is still going strong over three years later. I leave them plugged into a hub that has my iLok, elicenser and codemeter. So all my dongles on a 4 port hub. I just move the hub between computers. been working really well for me.Of course, I know and I did it. Twice. In both cases, lovely Windows assigned a different ID to the same USB Pendrive after it was unplugged and plugged back to the same port so in the first case I had to recover licenses (Waves Center saw Pendrive as inactive), then in the second case a few days later it happened again and I couldn't reactivate licenses because I would have to pay for such amazing option (only 1 reactivation per year). I had to wait 1 year to use again plugins that I paid for.
So, no I will never ever try it again and for the same reason, I'll never buy the Waves plugin. Their anti-consumer behavior is unacceptable. Also, I found better alternatives in a meantime so maybe I should be thankful
Who cares if 5312 Russians and their uncles use a cracked Cubase?I understand and accept that companies need to safeguard their IP against piracy, but when they end up punishing loyal fee-paying customers with lockouts and cumbersome systems they are dumped. Simple as that.
Maybe, but nothing will hinder them from "sharing" with their ensnared Western brethren.Who cares if 5312 Russians and their uncles use a cracked Cubase?
They wouldnt have bought it anyway.
As long as you teach your western children not to take from strangers...Maybe, but nothing will hinder them from "sharing" with their ensnared Western brethren.
That's actually how 'bigger' (already having many users) software grew in the past: just look at Windows and Photoshop. Better someone uses your cracked software than (s)he pays for the competition. People don't like to learn new software, so get them to use yours as early and often as possible (getting schools and universities to use your software is the jackpot). But you have to be 'big enough' to use that strategy, at least somebody (companies at best, they're willing to pay more) has to pay for your software too.If someone just cant afford it or its not available to him and has no
other options, or for educational purposes, who will judge...
Not much doubt about it. Thats why Windows seems currently so semi-freeThat's actually how 'bigger' (already having many users) software grew in the past: just look at Windows and Photoshop. Better someone uses your cracked software than (s)he pays for the competition. People don't like to learn new software, so get them to use yours as early and often as possible (getting schools and universities to use your software is the jackpot). But you have to be 'big enough' to use that strategy, at least somebody (companies at best, they're willing to pay more) has to pay for your software too.
Apart from the debatable POV in general: Isn't it a bit cynical to measure multi-billion, globally tax-optimizing companies like Apple or Microsoft against comparably small entities in niche-markets that have a strong personal ethos towards their products, like most audio software manufacturers ...?If someone just cant afford it or its not available to him and has no
other options, or for educational purposes, who will judge...
Surely is? It may not be fair to "entities" who need to sell for bread and jam instead of new buildings to shovel their taxes on.Apart from the debatable POV in general: Isn't it a bit cynical to measure multi-billion, globally tax-optimizing companies like Apple or Microsoft against comparably small entities in niche-markets that have a strong personal ethos towards their products, like most audio software manufacturers ...?