KVR Audio

Mister Gibson · Post by **Mister Gibson** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:28 pm

Hi,

I keep seeing posts that say the darndest things about dongles like, 'I won't buy it if it has a dongle'.

I've got a ton of software and most of my primary apps and plugs use dongles. I've got two (iLok and Sycrosoft) plugged into the rear of my machine and I never see them.

When I buy a new tool that requires it, I use one of the existing dongles to hold the license. Though it may add an entire 15 seconds to the installation process, They don't affect my workflow or creativity.

Call me crazy but I can't see what all the fuss is about. Perhaps one of you fussers can show me what I've missed.

Thanks

Mister Natural · Post by **Mister Natural** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:34 pm

The only downside I can see is - your 2yr old gets his or her grubby little monkey-claws around it . . .

:=)

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:37 pm

People who uses a laptop seem to dislike them more than people with a desktop which is understandable.

buscemi · Post by **buscemi** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:37 pm

A: The thread that will ensue.

Ben H · Post by **Ben H** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:39 pm

What's wrong with doing a search first?

:bang::bang:

cryophonik · Post by **cryophonik** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:42 pm

I've got both the iLok and the SyncroSoft dongle as well. The iLok has never given me any issues, but I've two issues with SyncroSoft. First, I bent, and nearly destroyed, the SS dongle one day a few years back when I turned my computer on its face to get to something on the back panel and forgot to remove the dongle from the front. Totally a bonehead move on my part, but it still highlights a disadvantage of dongles - they can be broken (or stolen), which can be a huge headache. Fortunately, it somehow survived being bent at a 45-degree angle, and I've since purchased a USB hub and have my dongles connected to that instead. The second issue I've had is that the SS dongle occasionally "forgets" that it has licenses on it. The first time it happened, I nearly had a f@#$ing heart attack since it has my Cubase, Nexus, and Blue licenses on it. It still happens on occasion, but a system reboot remedies it every time. I've never had any NI, Spectrasonics, Tone2, Cakewalk, etc. synths "forget" that they were authorized.

Scot Solida · Post by **Scot Solida** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:46 pm

Last month, I went to pull my Cubase dongle out of the hub and it fell apart in my hand. I taped it back together and it still works, but it will need replacing.

It beats challenge/response, in my book, but I still don't like it.

djanthonyw · Post by **djanthonyw** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 3:58 pm

I've already stated my reasoning for hating them several times. I'm *probably* going to sell my Korg Legacy Collections when I get my hands on the Synth Squad...

meister eder · Post by **meister eder** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:11 pm

As someone who switches back and forth between a desktop and a laptop computer, and also works in different studios on collaborations, the ideal copy protection scheme (apart from pure serial number protection) is the one offered by Nomad Factory:
You get one dongle licence and one additional challenge/response license.

That way I can work on my laptop with their plugins any time and don't have to worry about the dongle.
When I work in another studio I can simply take the dongle with me and will be able to work with their plugins on those projects.

I think this copy protection policy should be considered by more companies!

ughnonumus · Post by **ughnonumus** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:12 pm

For one, they're not free (or cheap). FYI: I got the three that I have bundled with software that I bought. However, I never really examined how much they attributed to the cost of the product...assumed I got them for nothing. (Yeah, riiiiiiight.) As I'm not moving about very often, I've been lucky to keep mine in tact and in sight. However, I can certainly understand the concerns of those who travel, etc... Lose one of these buggers and your travel plans (i.e. gig) can get squashed.

From the operational standpoint, I haven't really examined how these ornaments tax the throughput. However, I don't feel a lag, so I don't bother. However, products that move to using this device (i.e. from a prior version that does not) might certainly incur a set of new problems that need to be ironed out through support and future versions.

mellotronaut · Post by **mellotronaut** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:14 pm

what's wrong with condoms?

ughnonumus · Post by **ughnonumus** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:15 pm

Scot Solida wrote:Last month, I went to pull my Cubase dongle out of the hub and it fell apart in my hand. I taped it back together and it still works, but it will need replacing.

I got one with SX; one with SL. However, one of these arrived bent. Fortunately, I don't move it much. If I did, I might incur the situation that you described...maximum drag. Who needs to spend another $25-$35 on a dongle that used to work- not to mention having to go through the license shuffle?

fceramic · Post by **fceramic** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:23 pm

Doesnt require much thinking to understand that dongles are annoying.
They cost money and they mostly require you to get a usb hub which also cost money. Also a lot of musician like me use more then one computer, and its pretty damn annoying having to worry about remembering or managing different dongles especially if you have laptops for performance.

Basically I dont want more stuff to keep in order. I recently read about elicenser software which seems a lot more logical. So basically a dongle software you install on the computer.

whyterabbyt · Post by **whyterabbyt** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:27 pm

fridtjof wrote:I recently read about elicenser software which seems a lot more logical. So basically a dongle software you install on the computer.

Ive used it at work, where we have Right Hemisphere applications. It kept expiring licenses when it shouldnt have, got f**ked up on systems installed from disk images, and is wholly unreliable when it comes to uninstalling licenses. Bloody awful system.

brok landers · Post by **brok landers** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 4:29 pm

Scot Solida wrote:Last month, I went to pull my Cubase dongle out of the hub and it fell apart in my hand. I taped it back together and it still works, but it will need replacing.

It beats challenge/response, in my book, but I still don't like it.

scott, noone likes dongles, they're always a handicap. but that's just one side, imo...
fact is, that the synchrosoft dongle:

a) causes least trouble, if any
b) has not been cracked since the backdoor was closed after cubase 3. all other dongles we're and are cracked in no time ...

in summary i can understand that more and more companies are going synchrosoft.
it's simply safe. and i myself only had issues with synchrosoft in the very early times, and only for a very short time period. it's rock solid now here since years. the only thing i still don't like is that synchrosoft protected software starts up very slow ... but that's about it ...

What's Wrong With Using A Dongle?