One too many Machine ID changes = dead Tracktion?

[AD80]

Hay you may be right. But Tracktion's always been like that even way before Mackie. So this is all Jules's fault.

Luckily theres plenty of other sequencers out there for you to choose from. So you dont have to even bother with the whole Tracktion experience.

Ah, back in the day, I remember Jules dealing with problems like this *personally*. All these small requests must have driven Jules insane, but those were amazing times in retrospect. I recommended Tracktion to everyone back then and got a lot of puzzled looks. Now T's mainstream, people recommend it to me.

I don't blame Jules at all, not even with a !

Who needs Jules, we have Beno!

[james0tucson]

Regardless, you should get T2, its worth it .

I don't see how such a bad experience is supposed to encourage someone to continue to do business with the vendor. "Worth it" in this case would mean, worth putting access to my own copyrighted works, in exchange for a temporary agreement with a software vendor that puts its interests ao far above my own, that it actually seeks to abridge my rights.

Nothing doing. I don't care how good the product is, nothing is worth that. For the record, copyrights are rights, among the few things literally worth killing or dying for.

Hay you may be right. But Tracktion's always been like that even way before Mackie. So this is all Jules's fault.

Luckily theres plenty of other sequencers out there for you to choose from. So you dont have to even bother with the whole Tracktion experience.

I'm willing to go as far as to lay out conditions by which I might be persuaded to bother. I think that counts for something, and I hope I've done a little bit that will influence the company to recognize a flaw in its model, and make the appropriate adjustments.

[valley]

There is a limit on I.D. changes according to one mackie tech I spoke with on the phone a few months ago. He didn't give me a fixed number of how many times, but it would be worth a phone call to tech support or customer service to resolve the issue. I wanted to stick T2 on a third PC (my 12 year old son is recording now) and Mackie said I'd have to buy another hard copy of T2 in order to do that. Two machines is their limit. I even asked if I could pay an extra fee for the extra machine license. Nope. Not a chance. The tech guy said if I liked T2 so much then I should do my part to try to keep them in business and buy another copy. Needless to say I have not obliged them in this and have found other alternatives. I bought the program and I should be able to install it on all of my machines using my same personal info and account. I understand their need to prevent piracy, but in my case their policy "limitations" are irritating and pathetic.

(Sorry.......had to vent there.)

I don't understand this at all. Very few applications allow you to even install them on two machines, much less use them simultaneously. Most EULAs make very clear that if you install a package on a second PC you are obliged to fully remove it from the first beforehand. By that standard the Tracktion license is very generous.

[Madness]

There is a limit on I.D. changes according to one mackie tech I spoke with on the phone a few months ago. He didn't give me a fixed number of how many times, but it would be worth a phone call to tech support or customer service to resolve the issue. I wanted to stick T2 on a third PC (my 12 year old son is recording now) and Mackie said I'd have to buy another hard copy of T2 in order to do that. Two machines is their limit. I even asked if I could pay an extra fee for the extra machine license. Nope. Not a chance. The tech guy said if I liked T2 so much then I should do my part to try to keep them in business and buy another copy. Needless to say I have not obliged them in this and have found other alternatives. I bought the program and I should be able to install it on all of my machines using my same personal info and account. I understand their need to prevent piracy, but in my case their policy "limitations" are irritating and pathetic.

This kind of attitude really pisses me off...The license agreement states you can install on 2 machines not 3!!! Which is awefully generous as most vendors only allow 1 machine. Yet, you still want to wine and gripe about it..For an extreemly cheap peice of software~!!!! for Gods' Sake, Your a fuckn' looser mate. How would you like it, if you had to work in your job and do every third day without getting payed' You wouldn't like it would ya, because you would have to struggle that bit harder to keep your kids in food and a roof over your families head.

Reality is mate, people who make software are in it as a Job, its not just smoke and mirrors, they work long hard days' just like you and me, yet, you seem to want' something for free for no good reason whatsoever.

[Mauvehead]

Now that is awesome Ben. Any chance that we (i.e. all of us here at the Raw Materials forum) could talk you into working for Mackie's tech support and customer service departments? Some of those tech guys aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. Your effort to clear up Oxy's situation personally speaks louder than words. Once again it pays to be a part of this forum.

[Mauvehead]

There is a limit on I.D. changes according to one mackie tech I spoke with on the phone a few months ago. He didn't give me a fixed number of how many times, but it would be worth a phone call to tech support or customer service to resolve the issue. I wanted to stick T2 on a third PC (my 12 year old son is recording now) and Mackie said I'd have to buy another hard copy of T2 in order to do that. Two machines is their limit. I even asked if I could pay an extra fee for the extra machine license. Nope. Not a chance. The tech guy said if I liked T2 so much then I should do my part to try to keep them in business and buy another copy. Needless to say I have not obliged them in this and have found other alternatives. I bought the program and I should be able to install it on all of my machines using my same personal info and account. I understand their need to prevent piracy, but in my case their policy "limitations" are irritating and pathetic.

This kind of attitude really pisses me off...The license agreement states you can install on 2 machines not 3!!! Which is awefully generous as most vendors only allow 1 machine. Yet, you still want to wine and gripe about it..For an extreemly cheap peice of software~!!!! for Gods' Sake, Your a fuckn' looser mate. How would you like it, if you had to work in your job and do every third day without getting payed' You wouldn't like it would ya, because you would have to struggle that bit harder to keep your kids in food and a roof over your families head.

Reality is mate, people who make software are in it as a Job, its not just smoke and mirrors, they work long hard days' just like you and me, yet, you seem to want' something for free for no good reason whatsoever.

Yada yada. I asked Mackie if there was some way I could pay for an extra license for that third PC and it was the tech's response (that mirrored the corporate mentality lurking underneath in Mackie's policies) that got me fired up. Most people that I've talked to regarding this share the same sentiment. Mackie touts T2 as a less expensive alternative to other "bloatware" programs and the marketing thus far has been aimed heavily at the home studio/project studio market, areas where piracy is clearly more of a widespread issue than in commercial studios. Consequently when someone who owns a project studio (such as myself) calls to see what sort of options are available for purchasing a third Machine I.D., I am put off when I converse with a tech support guy who seems somewhat arrogant on the phone and acts like I should do Mackie a personal favor and buy another duplicate copy of software. Suddenly T2 becomes a $300 program for my uses. Thanks Mackie. Thanks a lot. Push a product that is sent to save the world from over-priced alternatives, yet don't offer some sort of license expansion option for those of us who like to stay honest and pay for what is just as easy to "obtain" via other means. "For an extreemly cheap peice of software" Mackie seems to miss the mark on the way they support their paying customers after the sale, Mate. To each his own I suppose.

[Lunch Money]

It's fair enough that you offered to buy a 3rd license, and it's annoying that you were talking to an arrogant dickhead.

But really, now, you make it sound like a crime was committed against you, when as far as I can see, one was not.

[Mauvehead]

No crime of course. Just an annoyance I suppose. And an extra $150 if I hoped to get T2 on just one more machine. It's just the principle of the thing. In my business I often eat losses in order to win over my clients' loyalty and continued business. And it works. We're getting into the old debate of who owns the software (er excuse me......the "software license" ) and how it can be used by the one who pays for it. I'm old fashioned I guess.
And the Mackie tech really was rude that day. I still haven't figured that one out. Perhaps he was just having a bad day. Dunno.

[spacefox]

I don't think Tracktion is no longer "an extremely cheap piece of software". It is priced between entry level software (Cubase SE, Home Studio) and mid-level versions of the "big boys (e.g Cubase SL).
This is assuming you live in the states. For the rest of us it is much pricier. In Israel, for example, I've yet to seen it sold on shops - I would probably have to import me one if I wanted (being a T1 user, I just took advantage of Mackie's generous offer and upgraded).

***
Mauvehead: "Push a product that is sent to save the world from over-priced alternatives"

That was Jules. Mackie don't want to save the world. They want your money.
Also, I never saw Mackie advertise T on account of its price. The selling point was "easiest sequencer ever".

"Suddenly T2 becomes a $300 program for my uses."

Do you have any other sequencer that do what you need for less money? If so, get it.
You can also try to buy a second hand downloadable liscence - they sometimes sell at the market place forum.



I dislike the fact Mackie are not offering low-priced, stripped down, downloadable package. It what prevents me from getting a liscence for my brother, or reccomending it full-heartedly to m friends. I also prefer to deal with independant developers over faceless corporations, but I realise that since mackie is in charge I not going to get what I want anymore. I still choose to use Tracktion because I love the software - but that's my choise.

[koolkeys]

I haven't posted here in a while, but just happened to read this. I hate it when people come up with gripes about how they got screwed when they got EXACTLY what they paid for. Why should you buy another license? Because that's what the agreement says. Go over to Steiberg and ask them for another Cubase license. You know what they will tell you? You have to buy another dongle, AT FULL PRICE! Go to Cakewalk and ask them to let you have another license, even if you pay for it. They will tell you the same thing.

That's just the software industry. It's not evil. It's not a crime. It's how it works. It takes ALOT of time and effort to build something like Tracktion. And they have done so much to be friendly to the user. It only took me 30 seconds to authorize my boxed T2 when I upgraded. Last time I authorized something from IK, it took ten minutes.

They allow two installations, which is one more than almost every other software out there(except Finale, which has the BEST license around). You haven't been screwed. When you bought the product, you got those two installations, WHICH CAN CHANGE! You agreed to it when you clicked install. So what do you get for the extra $150 that you would have to pay? ANOTHER TWO INSTALLS! Why is that so hard to grasp?

Oh, and Mackie isn't some evil corporate company that some are making them out to be. Yes, there may be a rude service rep or even a few. But Jules had to pay the bills, and the user base was growing. It's hard for one man to keep up when there are so many users. So Mackie came along and lightened the load. Now Jules can be paid, and not have to deal with every aspect of the software.

Bottom line is that with Tracktion, you've been given more than most software companies would even consider. You are not forced to stick with it. But if your situation requires another install, then surely Mackie deserves your money since obviously they are able to fill your needs. Threatening to go to another software because you don't like the way they do it is childish. It does nothing to help yourself, Mackie, or anyone here. This is a helpful community that over the years has been a great place to talk all things Tracktion. Nobody cares when someone makes threats like that. But it's not as bad as you make it out to be. Good luck on solving your problem, and if you need anything, you can always ask.

Koolkeys

[ceenda]

Does this affect licence transfers?

i.e., if I sell T2, is there a possibility that the new licencee will only have, say, 1 opportunity left to change the Machine ID etc.

[will.record.for.food]

Just get your son Kristal or Audacity or pay a few dollars for Ntrack

[Cabinfever]

Bottom line is that with Tracktion, you've been given more than most software companies would even consider. You are not forced to stick with it. But if your situation requires another install, then surely Mackie deserves your money since obviously they are able to fill your needs. Threatening to go to another software because you don't like the way they do it is childish. It does nothing to help yourself, Mackie, or anyone here.

Two installs is not an industry standard. many software programs allow an unspecified number - usually at least half a dozen before you pop onto the radar.

Cakewalk allow multple installs.

So does the entire Sony Media range such as SoundForge, Acid, Vegas etc.

I use a lot of graphics-based software and have my one license legitimately covering four machines.

So let's not continue this "Mackie is generous with two installs" rubbish. In fact Mackie is stingy. They are not following any generally accepted industry standard. It's an purely arbitrary number they've plucked out of the air and made company policy.

I'm not arguing with that though. If they want to make it just one install and customers buy the product knowing that, great.

But it is NOT generous or a wide standard.

[koolkeys]

You are wrong. You CAN install them on as many machines as you want many times. But LEGALLY, according to license agreements, you are allowed ONE. Sure, you could install on ten machines with Tracktion, changing your number a few times before it kicks in. But you are NOT allowed multiple installs with the majority of software legally. If you do, you are breaking license agreements. Now remember, I'm talking about computers you are allowed to USE the software on. You are "technically" supposed to uninstall one machine before using it on another. Industry STANDARD is one install in use at a time. No, it's not multiple installs. Look at the industry "standard" software- and I'm talking about the top software used in real studios. Number one is ProTools. Only one computer used at a time. Next is Nuendo/Cubase. Only one computer at a time. Next is Logic. Only one computer at a time.

As I said, the only industry standard software that I know of that allows more than one in use is Finale, which allows two. But it trickles down to other software. Mackie has been generous. If you don't like the license, you didn't have to buy. You agreed to it. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. I work in the industry, and would LOVE to have more than one install/use allowed on my software. But it just isn't so.

Koolkeys

[koolkeys]

Let me say that my intention isn't to argue about this. Rather, to help subdue some of the unjust critisism of Mackie. I think we may have been on different pages on this. I was talking about USING more than one at one time. You seem to be talking about actual installs, but not uses. Maybe not, but if that's the case, then we are both right. But oh well.

Koolkeys