KVR Audio

Teksonik · Post by **Teksonik** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:11 pm

Since this topic will no doubt be deleted from the Melda subforum I'll add it here:

I just upgraded MReverb to version 9.10 and noticed while the installer was working that even though I only selected MReverb from the list that it was installing presets for all the Melda products....in two locations (Win7 64 bit). I don't think it was anything I did wrong as the installer did just install the MReverb 9.10 plugin. Perhaps this is a bug ? No need to install presets for plugins we don't own.

His response:

MeldaProduction wrote:Hi Teksonik, the installer now always installs all presets for all plugins, security measure for cases when someone doesn't update something, multiple users on a single computer etc. Small irrelevant files if you don't need them. Like the thousands you already have there you don't need.

My response:

I keep my studio computer very clean. The point is no one wants more files they don't need. I don't mind the "All in One" installer for all your plugins as it's a simple thing just to select the one or more out of the many you do want installed but we shouldn't have to spend time cleaning up a mess of presets...in two locations...for plugins we don't own. Like I said that's only a partial list of the files I had to clean up....they wouldn't all fit on one screen. I'd ask that only presets for the plugins we choose to install are included in the install process. Imagine if every developer included every preset for every one of their plugins with every install.

Oh and I think I saw that there were something like 1300 files installed..........

His response:

MeldaProduction wrote:Sorry Teksonik, there has been a discussion about it some time ago and, it's a no, sorry. After all this is not a folder for you...

My response:

Excuse me ? How is a folder on MY computer not "for me" ? It makes me wonder what other liberties you are taking with my system with that arrogant attitude.

All I have of yours is a simple Reverb plugin yet it's installation spews hundreds and hundreds of files all over my computer. No other Reverb I own does this. If you feel the need to pollute people's systems out of laziness or sloppy programming then I can guarantee MReverb will be the only plugin of yours I will ever own.........

So beware potential customers of Melda Production. Even if you only buy one of his plugins you'll get hundreds and hundreds of useless files spewed all over your computer in multiple locations.

I have no problem with an "ALL Plugins" installer. Several developers use them out of their own convenience but I've never had one infest my computer to the degree Melda's installer does.

Here's a partial list of files that were installed and not needed for MReverb. There are many more...they wouldn't all fit on one screen.

Teksonik · Post by **Teksonik** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:18 pm

Some replies from other users.........

Mace404 wrote:How is it not a folder for him? It's installed on his computer isn't it?
It's not just presets. Everything is installed for all plugins every time.
Even when you deselect all plugins except one you will get all data for all plugins. Only the .dll files are not placed.

I also keep my computers clean (Yes, it was me started the discussion last time) and I find this a very stubborn standpoint.
You already have the selection possible in the installer. Link that to all the files relevant and not just the .dll and its all good.

frizzbee wrote:Users were repeatedly complaining about the same things and nothing changes. That's the philosophy. I'm afraid you have to live with it or change the developer

So change the developer it is then........so who wants to buy my MReverb license (and spend 15 minutes cleaning up your system afterwards) ?

Karma_tba · Post by **Karma_tba** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:22 pm

Melda's all or nothing install is why I won't even try a demo or a freebie from them.

Synthetic Wav · Post by **Synthetic Wav** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:47 pm

Karma_tba wrote:Melda's all or nothing install is why I won't even try a demo or a freebie from them.

you can install what you want , i own just mpowersynth and install just that ..
about the presets how much space it takes? it's my only problem with this .

infest , it s not virus you re paranoiac.. but agree it' s a little bit weird, would not be surpised melda remove this in the next update.

kingtubby · Post by **kingtubby** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:53 pm

It's something I dislike about Melda plugins as well. The installer seems to take a scatter gun approach, installing bits and pieces all over the place.

chokehold · Post by **chokehold** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:58 pm

Same here on Mac, have only their convolver thing installed.

MacHD/Library/Application Support/MeldaProduction/ itself contains over 101 MB of data.

MacHD/Library/Application Support/MeldaProduction/MeldaProduction MMultibandConvolution/ directory contains zero files and zero KB.

All "probably relevant" files in these sub-folders take up under 31 MB:
./Data/
./Fonts/
./Menu/
./MTexturedStyles/
./System/
./tmp/

The rest is useless crap I don't need.

Pity that they would do this, I HATE having precious SSD space and read/write cycles wasted.

murnau · Post by **murnau** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:58 pm

Also i'm not that concerned i don't understandd why not writing a simple batchfile to delete the presets not needed?!

Ps. No, i can't..

Teksonik · Post by **Teksonik** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 4:59 pm

Synthetic Wav wrote:
Karma_tba wrote:Melda's all or nothing install is why I won't even try a demo or a freebie from them.
you can install what you want , i own just mpowersynth and install just that ..
about the preset how much space it takes? it's my only problem with this .

infest , it s not virus you re paranoiac.. but agree it' s a little bit weird, would not be surpised melda remove these in the next update.

No you can't install what you want. You can install the PLUGIN (s) you want but you're still going to get every file and preset for every Melda Plugin and there are a ton of them. By my calculations it's over 200 megs and yes by today's standards that's small but it's still 200 megs of crap that I don't need or want.

To me Virus = Any unwanted data that could possibly be harmful. When a developer tells you a folder on your computer is "not yours" that sets off red flags for me.

Anyway I've uninstalled MReverb from my Studio Computer along with the hundreds and hundreds of useless files that had nothing to do with MReverb and am doing a full system deep virus scan. I can not chance that system being compromised.

Shame as I really do like the sound of MReverb but I've got a half dozen other Verbs that sound good as well and don't infest my computer with presets and files from other plugins..........

Teksonik · Post by **Teksonik** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:04 pm

kingtubby wrote:It's something I dislike about Melda plugins as well. The installer seems to take a scatter gun approach, installing bits and pieces all over the place.

Exactly. Spew is the word I use.........I've probably spent a half an hour hunting down and deleting all the useless Melda files....even after I uninstalled the plugin.

chokehold wrote:Same here on Mac,
The rest is useless crap I don't need.
Pity that they would do this, I HATE having precious SSD space and read/write cycles wasted.

Exactly again..........all because the developer is to lazy or too unresponsive to make the installer just install the support files and presets needed for the plugins that are actually installed.

Teksonik · Post by **Teksonik** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:05 pm

murnau wrote:Also i'm not that concerned i don't understandd why not writing a simple batchfile to delete the presets not needed?!

Ps. No, i can't..

Seriously ? I should write a Batch file to overcome the laziness of the developer ? Come on........

You can do business with a developer like that....I will no longer do so.

Gregorius · Post by **Gregorius** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:10 pm

Synthetic Wav wrote:would not be surpised melda remove this in the next update

I don't think so. Especially if it was introduced with one of the latest updates.
And there were lots of threads about the installer or uninstaller. Whether it was about the presets or the "plugin kernel" that has to be inside the windows folder... MeldaProduction's point of view is a special one and will not be changed.

I agree, buying other software is the only way to show a developer I disagree with their policies

Slaapstadseun · Post by **Slaapstadseun** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:16 pm

Am I right in saying that if you own one Melda plugin, and want to update it, you have to dowmload ALL the plugins so you can update the one you own?

I own MautodynamicEQ, and my perception is that you have to download the whole freeware bundle in the upgarde process.

chokehold · Post by **chokehold** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:29 pm

Yes. Want to install one, need to download all of them.

Which makes me want to draw attention to another letdown: their Mac installer downloads.

I either download it from their Czech server, which takes about 20 minutes here (wtf's up with that? Germany is a neighbouring country), or I am supposed to download it from Google Drive.

As Mac applications are basically folder constructs and not single binary files, Google Drive lets me explore the folder hierarchy of the "maudioplugins_9_10_setupmac.app", but it doesn't actually provide a damn download. Unless I click through the ENTIRE folder structure, download whatever binary file I hit on my way, and then try to piece the puzzle together by recreating the ENTIRE fekkin folder structure on my hard drive by hand.

Dear Melda Production. You took my money (in all fairness: I gave it to you willingly). Have the decency to provide a ZIPPED Mac installer on Google Drive or use a decent CDN intended for commercial distribution. Thank you.

Scotty · Post by **Scotty** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:37 pm

Respectfully, I don't get the vitriol. You are slagging one of the most responsive developers out there. Updates occur on a regular basis, new products are added to the purchased bundles at no additional cost to the user...a powerful suite of only mildly nagging freeware is available to everyone. The installer is easy to use and customize, the authorization is painless, the developer routinely engages with his customer base. You accuse him of arrogance?... perhaps he knows that he will get inundated with support requests and hyperactive critics who rant when a preset no longer works or is missing altogether or an install is compromised because a user partially deleted some, but not all presets, and then reinstalled some but not all presets with a mixed bag on unpredictable results. Maybe his time would be sacrificed repairing these failed installs and he would rather innovate and create new products so he can run a viable business and continue to offer new products? Melda plugins are robust and trouble free due to the updates and support model that he has put in place. I own a lot of software and his offerings are very solid in terms of reliability. You are entitled to your opinion but I can assure you it is not widely shared. Take the 15 minutes and clean out the unwanted presets manually and give the man some credit. He is one of the best out there. In my opinion, he has worked too hard to deserve this. - Scotty

SirkusPi · Post by **SirkusPi** » Sat Sep 12, 2015 5:37 pm

Teksonik, thanks for the heads-up. I just checked my computer, and while I do own one Melda plugin from a long time ago, I haven't updated (or used) it in a while so my computer hasn't been infested by this. I suppose now I never will, since I don't use it anyway and don't want to bother scrubbing my drive. Nor will I bother testing Melda plugins again, ad I've previosuly done from time to time. Melda's stuff may well be good, but there are plenty of similarly good plugins that DON'T take this most peculiar (and unfortunate) installation approach.

Melda Products Install ALL Presets for ALL Plugins