Eh. Psp going back to PACE.

[Burillo]

How does watermarking stop software being cracked and shared ?
By the time a watermark is being used to see who the files originated from it's already too late, is it not ?

with watermark protection, first of all there's nothing to crack - there's no activation mechanism whatsoever. it acts as a deterrent - i.e. since it's possible to know (by watermark) where a particular copy came from, you would think twice before sharing your copy on the interwebz. a watermark allows you to go after whoever leaked the copy on the internet, and i think it has happened (i.e. someone was actually busted using watermarks as proof).

that said, it's been known to be bypassed both by cutting out said watermarks and by purchasing stuff with stolen credit cards. so, it's not perfect. however IMO it's the most user friendly method of copy protection there is.

[Aloysius]

Post moved to other thread ...

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 5#p6791905

[MogwaiBoy]

Well I couldn't resist preQursor2 so I took the dive into installing a new PSP iLok-only plugin.

My revised thoughts are: It wasn't too bad - activation was ofcourse a bit slower but no problem. If PSP can guarantee no iLok transfer fees for their plugins, I guess I'm OK with this move. It's a minor annoyance and certainly not drastic enough to make me bail out and sell my PSP plugins over it, that's for sure.

Don't give up on PSP, dudes!

[robotmonkey]

Well I couldn't resist preQursor2 so I took the dive into installing a new PSP iLok-only plugin.

My revised thoughts are: It wasn't too bad - activation was ofcourse a bit slower but no problem. If PSP can guarantee no iLok transfer fees for their plugins, I guess I'm OK with this move. It's a minor annoyance and certainly not drastic enough to make me bail out and sell my PSP plugins over it, that's for sure.

Don't give up on PSP, dudes!

Just wait till the next Windows update screws your Pace installation.

[Kr3eM]

Don't give up on PSP, dudes!

Too late...

[soulone82]

Don't give up on PSP, dudes!

Too late...

Same here...

[punkfest2000]

The money they lose from guys bailing due to pace must be less than lost sales due to clown-pirates, in their opinion.

[Kr3eM]

The money they lose from guys bailing due to pace must be less than lost sales due to clown-pirates, in their opinion.

Well, according to PSP it has nothing to do with that.

...For the last couple of months, problems with our in-house authorization system has been our main cause for support requests, especially on macOS. It seems every OS update brought us new hassles and headaches. We are not a large company with dedicated support staff and programmers who just deal with authorization code; it was getting to the point that trying to keep our authorization system working was taking time away from PSP Audioware’s real mission: developing professional audio processors. We went looking for what technology is out there that other audio plug-in companies are using. The undeniable truth is that a lot of audio companies use PACE technology successfully. They’ve improved the speed at which they support updates to Windows and macOS considerably over the years...

Full quote is on page 9
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 0#p6765165

[Armagibbon]

Well I couldn't resist preQursor2 so I took the dive into installing a new PSP iLok-only plugin.

My revised thoughts are: It wasn't too bad - activation was ofcourse a bit slower but no problem. If PSP can guarantee no iLok transfer fees for their plugins, I guess I'm OK with this move. It's a minor annoyance and certainly not drastic enough to make me bail out and sell my PSP plugins over it, that's for sure.

Don't give up on PSP, dudes!

Just wait till the next Windows update screws your Pace installation.

Ah damn that's nasty shit...

I get that not everyone can do the two-fu computer setup for work and internet. It sucks being in a corner like that. But you know if music is your business I gotta say it's a damn good idea to kill auto updates and leave your daw offline if you can help it. Pick up a tablet or shitty laptop or whatever for internet you know?

So like ilok is a fact of life. It aint goin away. If you gotta use it, you gotta use it. And thank f*ck it's not hard to work with but problems can only happen if you let windows tell you when your shit gets to be f*cked. So don't let it do that right?

[Kr3eM]

... I gotta say it's a damn good idea to kill auto updates and leave your daw offline if you can help it.

...So like ilok is a fact of life. It aint goin away. If you gotta use it, you gotta use it. And thank f*ck it's not hard to work with but problems can only happen if you let windows tell you when your shit gets to be f*cked. So don't let it do that right?

One may think so but eventually PACE will demand that your Windows be up to date (edit: apparently I was wrong as the thread will show, so disregard that), and I hardly think it will tell you in detail which specific updates it needs. I for example can not install iLok manager on my offline DAW, I assume it's because I basicly just run Win7 SP1 with one platform update (or perhaps I have tweaked it to hard, but it is tweaked hard for a reason) On the other hand I most likely would not install even if I could.

[Compyfox]

One may think so but eventually PACE will demand that your Windows be up to date, and I hardly think it will tell you in detail which specific updates it needs.

Sorry, but this is plain wrong.

I've used an over half year old version of the iLok manager for recently released plugins. The iLok manager informed me of updates, but never forced me to do them. Especially not since the iLok3 USB key came out.


I did have to update, because I wanted to sniff out a bug in a certain tool I'm currently using. But it turned out that the iLok drivers were not the culprit - but something else.

I for example can not install iLok manager on my offline DAW, I assume it's because I basicly just run Win7 SP1 with one platform update (or perhaps I have tweaked it to hard, but it is tweaked hard for a reason) On the other hand I most likely would not install even if I could.

There is an article about the update process for the iLok drivers/manager beyond v3.1.2 (hit Google to still find this version) in Windows 7 on the iLok knowledgebase. I recently did this (my rig updated for half a day - and I used offline update packs!). The update was called "Convenience Rollup", basically turning Windows 7 into Win7 SP2.x. After that, you can continue to update the manager at your own leisure - or not. It's your choice.

If you don't want to do that, your plugins will still work. Some might not - but I've not run into this yet.


Compared to the Syncrosoft eLicenser, who FORCES you to update on each launch (or force-installs update with every Steinberg maintenance update), that is a big difference. The same is happening for the IKMultimedia, the Native Instruments ACCESS license manager and Waves Central. However, nobody gives a flying F about that. Because it's not "OMG, it's Pace/iLok!".

Well, according to PSP it has nothing to do with that.

...For the last couple of months, problems with our in-house authorization system has been our main cause for support requests, especially on macOS. It seems every OS update brought us new hassles and headaches. We are not a large company with dedicated support staff and programmers who just deal with authorization code; it was getting to the point that trying to keep our authorization system working was taking time away from PSP Audioware’s real mission: developing professional audio processors. We went looking for what technology is out there that other audio plug-in companies are using. The undeniable truth is that a lot of audio companies use PACE technology successfully. They’ve improved the speed at which they support updates to Windows and macOS considerably over the years...

Full quote is on page 9
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic ... 0#p6765165

So ultimately the OS, or Apple rather, is to blame for this move. And the same might be happening in the future with other developers with the route Windows 10 is going as well.

Oh how the tables turn...

[robotmonkey]

I think the problem is not so much with not installing the updates but installing them. As Windows 10 has moved to rapid update schedule, there's virtually no documentation what is updated and Microsoft is heavily cutting down all kind of shady sh1t like PACE system level drivers, there's a good chance that any next update will brake your iLok installation. PACE is also not known for their quick reaction and problem fixing.

[Kr3eM]

One may think so but eventually PACE will demand that your Windows be up to date, and I hardly think it will tell you in detail which specific updates it needs.

Sorry, but this is plain wrong.

Well I am not about to waste time debating this, this is however how it looks over here.





...and please notice that I don't want any advice for troubleshooting what so ever, I have no intention to install it anyway, ever.

[Compyfox]

They are indeed not, robotmonkey.


But you should also ask yourself this:

Who is more shady? Microsoft with not saying "why" they dropped certain things, break compatibility with formerly using drivers and overriding other things (see apps from Anniversary to Creative-or-whatever-it-was-called Update)...

Or rather Pace not keeping up... if they can even keep up due to lack of documentation beforehand by the OS provider...


In fact, there are still companies out there that are like "please wait for updating your OS until we can confirm that things keep on working". This is why I hate the auto-updates for an OS. The same... is happening since Mac OSX went the "updates break tools" route. It's been a known nuisance since what? Snow Leopard (2009, OSX 10.6 - first Intel only based Macs)? Or did that really start with Mountain Lion (2012, OSX 10.? And who can forget the constant discussions about iOS updates?!


The thing is - the issue is not that simple. There is no black/white situation. There are way more factors involved than just "one company" that is always to blame. Sadly, a lot of users (and especially haters) seem to constantly forget that.

In fact, I recently googled myself just for sh*ts and giggles and found threads on the Sonar forum, with people saying how stupid I was/am commentary wise. Especially with the last Pace outburst regarding "iLok/HDD and the broken Mac Laptop"...

One may think so but eventually PACE will demand that your Windows be up to date, and I hardly think it will tell you in detail which specific updates it needs.

Sorry, but this is plain wrong.

Well I am not about to waste time debating this, this is however how it looks over here.

Did you read my post completely?

I am aware of this, and I wrote that this happened post v3.1.2 (so v3.1.3 and up). I also wrote how to fix this, and that this is documented by Pace/iLok in the knowledgebase. If(!!!) you want to fix this, if(!!!) you really needed to update, etc. Else... uninstall the manager, reinstall an earlier version, the issue should be gone and you should still be able to(!!!) activate licenses.

In fact, there are threads on both KVR and GS where people ask for sub v3.1.3 versions still.

I went the extra step and updated my OS regardless - because I was bug hunting (I'm currently on v3.1.5.1779, current version is v3.1.6 - I was NEVER forced to update if I didn't want to). I'm still on Windows 7, only I'm on "considered SP2" now. And tell you what - I have absolutely no cut ins performance wise. I only lost a day since the update took so long due to reasons unknown. And yes, my OS is also heavily tweaked.

...and please notice that I don't want any advice for troubleshooting what so ever, I have no intention to install it anyway, ever.

Fair enough - it's ultimately your call to reject help.

But in turn, you (singular and plural) opt out in favor for overflowing with negative commentary towards a copy protection scheme that you consider "intrusive" and "plain downright bad" (if others are worse IMO with "forced updates on launch" and limiting your usage rights - like: Native Instruments ACCESS especially, IK Multimedia, Syncrosoft, etc), something that you "will never install (anymore)".

Yet you join a discussion with your "wisdom" and try to tell others how to "do it right"?
Or rather, how "not to support such schemes" - because it's not working "for you".



Well - that's the internet in a nutshell.
Or rather this USB key CP hating audio realm. What else is new...

[sonicpowa]

...For the last couple of months, problems with our in-house authorization system has been our main cause for support requests, especially on macOS. It seems every OS update brought us new hassles and headaches.

Hmm.. their authorization code is a simple string of numbers and letters, how can that be a major problem?