Since I'm grounding-upper-ing, I've been shopping around on the web (audiomidi.com seems ok) to try to shave a buck or two off this (expensive - according to The Bride) project, and found this:
http://www.zoomerart.net/index.php?targ ... rogid=3710
Cheap oem Native Instruments Kontakt 2.0.0.002 download: $35.
So, it wouldn't come with a sample set, and it isn't the latest and greatest, but....... is it legit? Would NI recognize it and allow for upgrades?
Or is this one of those things I should find a way to ignore, because it could be evil?
Or, is it just the demo for $35?
-bjc
Knuckling under: getting Kontakt2 and Kirk Hunter
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- KVRist
- 196 posts since 9 Jul, 2004
Boo-Frickety-Hoo.
-Dr. Evil
-Dr. Evil
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 196 posts since 9 Jul, 2004
Man, if I'd only read before I started typing.
From the Zomerart faq:
Is your software full version?
We guarantee that all our programs are the 100% full working versions.
If I purchase any software from your site will I be able to get anyupgrades?
No, sorry.
No tech support is given by the manufacturer.
No updates.
Also, from About.com:
How to Spot Software Scams
Some of the warning signs that a vendor is not operating legitimately are:
* If the price is way out of line from the prices offered by reputable, authorized resellers such as your local computer store or well-known online retailers such as Amazon.com.
* If the merchant has a page on their site or in their FAQ explaining how they are legal, they probably aren't.
* If the merchant's "terms of sales and service" page has a statement that you give up the right to initiate a chargeback through your credit card company, be very concerned. (Some will even claim the right to counter-sue you for fraud if you initiate a charge-back!)
* If you are required to use a special number or procedure for activating your software before you can use it, you are likely getting a hacked version that bypasses the manufacturer's embedded product activation.
* If the offer was received by unsolicited email (spam) or posted on an Internet message board.
* If the product is advertised as an OEM, NFR, or academic version. (OEM software is only to be sold with hardware such as new computer systems. NFR stands for not for resale and is generally distributed for evaluation purposes and beta testing. Academic versions can only be purchased by students, teachers, and education faculty.)
* If the packaging is inconsistent with the same products offered through reputable sellers.
* If the product is advertised a "full version" but states that you will receive only CDs.
* If the product is advertised as a "backup copy" with serial number.
* If the seller states that the software can't be registered.
* If the Web site has not been online very long. (You can check this by doing a whois search on the domain name and looking at the creation date.)
* If the Web site address does not use a proper domain name, but a series of numbers instead (i.e. http://68.33.34.128).
* If the company does not provide a full business name, street address, or phone number.
* If the company offers no warranty or refund policy.
Here are some additional pointers for spotting piracy, directly from Adobe:
If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Check a reputable retailer site to look up the market price for the software. If there is more than a 20% discount on the MSRP without Adobe rebates, then there is a significant risk that the seller is:
* Trying to resell OEM bundle copies without the required hardware,
* Trying to resell products unbundled from an Adobe Collection or Suite,
* Trying to pass off an educational version of software as a full retail version,
* Trying to sell a counterfeit or illegal product (usually provided on CD-R) with a cracked or bogus serial number,
* Trying to provide an upgrade version with a counterfeit previous version as a "full" version of the current software, or
* Trying to resell a product stolen from a reseller or retailer.
Don't let official-looking logos and warnings on these sites fool you, either. These unscrupulous merchants are always devising new ways to dupe the public. And if you buy software from these unscrupulous sellers, there are several risks you take.
So, hey, for once I answered my own damn question.
Buyer Beware, Word to the Wise, blah blah blah.....
-bjc
From the Zomerart faq:
Is your software full version?
We guarantee that all our programs are the 100% full working versions.
If I purchase any software from your site will I be able to get anyupgrades?
No, sorry.
No tech support is given by the manufacturer.
No updates.
Also, from About.com:
How to Spot Software Scams
Some of the warning signs that a vendor is not operating legitimately are:
* If the price is way out of line from the prices offered by reputable, authorized resellers such as your local computer store or well-known online retailers such as Amazon.com.
* If the merchant has a page on their site or in their FAQ explaining how they are legal, they probably aren't.
* If the merchant's "terms of sales and service" page has a statement that you give up the right to initiate a chargeback through your credit card company, be very concerned. (Some will even claim the right to counter-sue you for fraud if you initiate a charge-back!)
* If you are required to use a special number or procedure for activating your software before you can use it, you are likely getting a hacked version that bypasses the manufacturer's embedded product activation.
* If the offer was received by unsolicited email (spam) or posted on an Internet message board.
* If the product is advertised as an OEM, NFR, or academic version. (OEM software is only to be sold with hardware such as new computer systems. NFR stands for not for resale and is generally distributed for evaluation purposes and beta testing. Academic versions can only be purchased by students, teachers, and education faculty.)
* If the packaging is inconsistent with the same products offered through reputable sellers.
* If the product is advertised a "full version" but states that you will receive only CDs.
* If the product is advertised as a "backup copy" with serial number.
* If the seller states that the software can't be registered.
* If the Web site has not been online very long. (You can check this by doing a whois search on the domain name and looking at the creation date.)
* If the Web site address does not use a proper domain name, but a series of numbers instead (i.e. http://68.33.34.128).
* If the company does not provide a full business name, street address, or phone number.
* If the company offers no warranty or refund policy.
Here are some additional pointers for spotting piracy, directly from Adobe:
If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Check a reputable retailer site to look up the market price for the software. If there is more than a 20% discount on the MSRP without Adobe rebates, then there is a significant risk that the seller is:
* Trying to resell OEM bundle copies without the required hardware,
* Trying to resell products unbundled from an Adobe Collection or Suite,
* Trying to pass off an educational version of software as a full retail version,
* Trying to sell a counterfeit or illegal product (usually provided on CD-R) with a cracked or bogus serial number,
* Trying to provide an upgrade version with a counterfeit previous version as a "full" version of the current software, or
* Trying to resell a product stolen from a reseller or retailer.
Don't let official-looking logos and warnings on these sites fool you, either. These unscrupulous merchants are always devising new ways to dupe the public. And if you buy software from these unscrupulous sellers, there are several risks you take.
So, hey, for once I answered my own damn question.
Buyer Beware, Word to the Wise, blah blah blah.....
-bjc
Boo-Frickety-Hoo.
-Dr. Evil
-Dr. Evil
-
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 196 posts since 9 Jul, 2004
And the scams keep getting better and better:
Complete all program requirements and get your FREE Native InstrumentsTM KontaktTM 2 Sampler Software
http://www.art-music-rewardblvd.com/rd_ ... %20sampler
Congratulations!
This promotion is available for consumers in (Mytown)!
Please tell us where to ship your Native InstrumentsTM KontaktTM 2 Sampler Software.
............ if I would only tell them all about myself.
Is there any kind of scam-alert process here at KVR? might be helpful to those of us who are easily dupe-able.
-bjc
Complete all program requirements and get your FREE Native InstrumentsTM KontaktTM 2 Sampler Software
http://www.art-music-rewardblvd.com/rd_ ... %20sampler
Congratulations!
This promotion is available for consumers in (Mytown)!
Please tell us where to ship your Native InstrumentsTM KontaktTM 2 Sampler Software.
............ if I would only tell them all about myself.
Is there any kind of scam-alert process here at KVR? might be helpful to those of us who are easily dupe-able.
-bjc
Boo-Frickety-Hoo.
-Dr. Evil
-Dr. Evil
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 196 posts since 9 Jul, 2004
And, since I just can't seem to keep from carrying on about this:
Buy.com (who are reasonably legit) reports that Kontakt2 is Currently Unavailable: This item is currently unavailable from the Manufacturer.
-bjc
Buy.com (who are reasonably legit) reports that Kontakt2 is Currently Unavailable: This item is currently unavailable from the Manufacturer.
-bjc
Boo-Frickety-Hoo.
-Dr. Evil
-Dr. Evil
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Left Headphone Left Headphone https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=19118
- KVRian
- 945 posts since 30 Mar, 2004
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original flipper original flipper https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=8999
- KVRAF
- 2544 posts since 14 Sep, 2003 from Essex
HI
This might be worth considering as well, from their FAQ:
"I have not received refund after one week
Solution Sometimes to process refund, it's needed over 30 month. Plesae be patience."
2.5 years for a fefund!!!
Flipper.
This might be worth considering as well, from their FAQ:
"I have not received refund after one week
Solution Sometimes to process refund, it's needed over 30 month. Plesae be patience."
2.5 years for a fefund!!!
Flipper.
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- KVRist
- 339 posts since 22 Feb, 2004
As long as the original poster realizes that:
-this is an out-and-out scam
-you are getting the app and a krack only, no sound libraries
You can get the same thing for nothing off P2P, again without the libraries. But that is as illegal as this $35 bullcrap.
-this is an out-and-out scam
-you are getting the app and a krack only, no sound libraries
You can get the same thing for nothing off P2P, again without the libraries. But that is as illegal as this $35 bullcrap.
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- KVRAF
- 3386 posts since 21 May, 2004 from Deep in the Heartlessness of Texas
I feel like a broken record sometimes, but, just in case:
A lot of people in the US qualify for academic pricing wihtout knowing about it. Basically, if you have kids between kindergarten and end of college, you qualify to buy software in their names. Doing so is not a scam. It is utterly legit.
http://www.academicsuperstore.com/eligibility.html
Sometimes the price is not much different than retail. Sometimes it's an incredible deal.
Kontakt 2, for instance, is $179 here:
http://www.academicsuperstore.com/marke ... ch=kontakt
I'm holding out for Kontakt 3 before I pull the trigger on this particular purchase, myself...
A lot of people in the US qualify for academic pricing wihtout knowing about it. Basically, if you have kids between kindergarten and end of college, you qualify to buy software in their names. Doing so is not a scam. It is utterly legit.
http://www.academicsuperstore.com/eligibility.html
Sometimes the price is not much different than retail. Sometimes it's an incredible deal.
Kontakt 2, for instance, is $179 here:
http://www.academicsuperstore.com/marke ... ch=kontakt
I'm holding out for Kontakt 3 before I pull the trigger on this particular purchase, myself...
Last edited by GreyLion on Thu May 31, 2007 3:26 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 3386 posts since 21 May, 2004 from Deep in the Heartlessness of Texas
But your first post does indeed point to a scam site. Bad news in all sorts of ways. You REALLY don't want to give these guys your credit card info.
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- KVRAF
- 19156 posts since 13 Feb, 2003 from Vancouver, Canada
"* If the merchant has a page on their site or in their FAQ explaining how they are legal, they probably aren't."
Yeah, that makes sense. It's like Fox News: if they have to say they're "fair and balanced", they probably aren't.
Yeah, that makes sense. It's like Fox News: if they have to say they're "fair and balanced", they probably aren't.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 196 posts since 9 Jul, 2004
The Academic Discount is mighty tempting, but I'd have to register my kid with them, and disclose the very things about him that I get after him for putting up on his MySpace: stuff that can be used to find him in the real world. Bit of a sticky moral dilemna to save a coupla hundred bucks. I'm thinkin' I'm gonna have to be the damn responsible parent, and go to audiomidi: $375.
-bjc
-bjc
Boo-Frickety-Hoo.
-Dr. Evil
-Dr. Evil
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- KVRAF
- 19156 posts since 13 Feb, 2003 from Vancouver, Canada
I'm as paranoid as the next guy, but do you really think Native Instruments knowing where your son goes to school is a security risk? Just curious.brewt wrote:The Academic Discount is mighty tempting, but I'd have to register my kid with them, and disclose the very things about him that I get after him for putting up on his MySpace: stuff that can be used to find him in the real world. Bit of a sticky moral dilemna to save a coupla hundred bucks. I'm thinkin' I'm gonna have to be the damn responsible parent, and go to audiomidi: $375.
-bjc
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- KVRAF
- 3386 posts since 21 May, 2004 from Deep in the Heartlessness of Texas
Yeah, up to you, brewt. But this is just one more entry in one of the hundreds of massive databases that your kid is already in. They might get hacked, but the info is not on-line and open, like in MySpace.
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- KVRist
- 339 posts since 22 Feb, 2004
Native Instruments have had personal info about me for 3 years now.All that has resulted in is getting emails from them about upgrades, promotions and the like.I have never felt in that time that any info they had about me was used in a inappropriate manner.brewt wrote:The Academic Discount is mighty tempting, but I'd have to register my kid with them, and disclose the very things about him that I get after him for putting up on his MySpace: stuff that can be used to find him in the real world. Bit of a sticky moral dilemna to save a coupla hundred bucks. I'm thinkin' I'm gonna have to be the damn responsible parent, and go to audiomidi: $375.
-bjc
Unlike MySpace, the info you provide to them will not be posted for all to see. These companies do not bother verifying the details of everyone that applies for an Edu discount providing the info you send them looks legit.
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- KVRist
- 157 posts since 2 Aug, 2004 from St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Just remember that academic pricing often requires that you do not use the product for any professional purpose - no creating albums then selling them for instance!GreyLion wrote:I feel like a broken record sometimes, but, just in case:
A lot of people in the US qualify for academic pricing wihtout knowing about it. Basically, if you have kids between kindergarten and end of college, you qualify to buy software in their names. Doing so is not a scam. It is utterly legit.
http://www.academicsuperstore.com/eligibility.html
Sometimes the price is not much different than retail. Sometimes it's an incredible deal.
Kontakt 2, for instance, is $179 here:
http://www.academicsuperstore.com/marke ... ch=kontakt
I'm holding out for Kontakt 3 before I pull the trigger on this particular purchase, myself...
This is why I don't buy educational stuff even though I'm entitled to. Working for profit will mean I've broken the law, and might as well have gotten a free copy off some warez site!
R.