DirectWave Registration Key & Sales Policies "Suspicious"

[SODDI]

Last summer I purchased a copy of DirectWave. I've been using it and developing my own libraries. It's OK... not great but OK.
Last week I received an e-mail from Fruity Loops saying that my registration had been flagged as "suspicious" and that I needed to re-register my software THAT THEY ALREADY HAD BEEN PAID FOR.
OK, so I re-registered today - but their automatic registration key download program AUTOMATICALLY downloaded the registration key to my Temporay Internet Files folder (you cannot select the download destination) and as I have set my browser to clear the cache every time I exit the browser the file has been LOST. All that is left is my OLD FLregkey file, dated last July.
Trying to get help from the Image Line and Fruity Loops website is nearly impossible. There is NO direct Customer Support e-mail and they do everything possible to make it as difficult as possible... for instance, you can't "post a ticket" to the customer support center regarding registration issues - you must post it to the "Registration Issues" area in the Forums. But there is NO "Registration Issues" area in the Forums. And as my registration data has changed, I can't "post a ticket" at all until they update their records.
I don't use pirated software. I don't need this crap. I just want to make music.
Right now I feel as if Fruity Loops and Image line have cheated me out of $100.
The only thing I can really do is warn potential FL/IL customers that they are risking the loss of valuable time and money by doing business with a companies like Fruity Loops and Image Line. DON'T BUY DIRECTWAVE. Don't by ANY products from these companies.
If you do, you may be throwing a hundred bucks away, just like I did.

[Liquidclear]

...their automatic registration key download program AUTOMATICALLY downloaded the registration key to my Temporay Internet Files folder (you cannot select the download destination)

That's severly lame...hope it all get sorted out.

[ouroboros]

OK, so I re-registered today - but their automatic registration key download program AUTOMATICALLY downloaded the registration key to my Temporay Internet Files folder (you cannot select the download destination) and as I have set my browser to clear the cache every time I exit the browser the file has been LOST. All that is left is my OLD FLregkey file, dated last July.

It downloads to wherever your browser d/l's things by default I thought? regardless, you should be able to enter your reg info again and open the temp browser to drag it to your desktop to do as you wish.
I am sorry your experience has been so frustrating. I have never heard of this problem before myself perhaps now that the weekend is over their will be a resolution.

[speccyteccy]

I'd be highly suspicious if my browser downloaded .reg files without asking me where I wanted it saving.

[SODDI]

[quote="speccyteccy"]I'd be highly suspicious if my browser downloaded .reg files without asking me where I wanted it saving.[/quote]

That's Fruity/Image's download software, not mine... it does NOT allow you to specify a download location. It goes zip, right past you. It was VERY weird to me, too as I never would have gotten all these NEAT-O softsynths without being able to d/l them properly.

The credit card company is helping, and is dunning Fruity Loops/ Image Line back.

[Chris Walton]

Wow man, calm down.

Last summer I purchased a copy of DirectWave. I've been using it and developing my own libraries. It's OK... not great but OK.
Last week I received an e-mail from Fruity Loops saying that my registration had been flagged as "suspicious" and that I needed to re-register my software THAT THEY ALREADY HAD BEEN PAID FOR.

Are you sure it was flagged as suspicious? Not doubting if it hasn't (see below) but if I remember correctly IL actually gives you a 6-month regkey the first time, then a permanent reg key after that, to deal with credit card fraud. Not really an inconvenience.

OK, so I re-registered today - but their automatic registration key download program AUTOMATICALLY downloaded the registration key to my Temporay Internet Files folder (you cannot select the download destination) and as I have set my browser to clear the cache every time I exit the browser the file has been LOST. All that is left is my OLD FLregkey file, dated last July.

I've been downloading reg-keys from Image-Line for a few years now and never has it resorted to downloading anything automatic, unless my browser was set to do so. That is the suspicious part about this - the browser should ask you what you want to do with a file anyway (every browser I've ever tried defaults to this).

Either way, Image-Line should have sent you an email with your new registration information, so you should be able to simply log into the website using that, then receive a new regkey.

Trying to get help from the Image Line and Fruity Loops website is nearly impossible. There is NO direct Customer Support e-mail and they do everything possible to make it as difficult as possible... for instance, you can't "post a ticket" to the customer support center regarding registration issues - you must post it to the "Registration Issues" area in the Forums. But there is NO "Registration Issues" area in the Forums. And as my registration data has changed, I can't "post a ticket" at all until they update their records.

If I go on Image-Line.com and go on the contact page (one click), there's one email at the bottom that's not for customer support but I'm sure it'd be forwarded if you sent something to it.

On the FL Studio site, I can click on support and find the various forums (no idea if one can register without registration info, but again you should have that). The ticket system seems to allow you to post tickets without requiring your registration info as well.

Also, there is a trouble shooter you can click through, and after a quick glance it seems to me that while it's geared towards new customers, it should be able to help you as well.

Finally, you found this forum, which is one of the official Image-Line support forums. So I really don't see the fuss ... getting help on the website is relatively clear. All it requires is reading and clicking.

I don't use pirated software. I don't need this crap. I just want to make music.
Right now I feel as if Fruity Loops and Image line have cheated me out of $100.
The only thing I can really do is warn potential FL/IL customers that they are risking the loss of valuable time and money by doing business with a companies like Fruity Loops and Image Line. DON'T BUY DIRECTWAVE. Don't by ANY products from these companies.
If you do, you may be throwing a hundred bucks away, just like I did.

This isn't helping. Saying "don't buy product xyz becuase the company might have made a mistake", especially when it's apparent you didn't spend much time on the Support webpage, is ridiculous. Nobody cheated you out of $100, you've been using it for 6 months already and you'll be able to use it again shortly, so calm down.

[Chris Walton]

I'd be highly suspicious if my browser downloaded .reg files without asking me where I wanted it saving.

That's Fruity/Image's download software, not mine... it does NOT allow you to specify a download location. It goes zip, right past you. It was VERY weird to me, too as I never would have gotten all these NEAT-O softsynths without being able to d/l them properly.

The credit card company is helping, and is dunning Fruity Loops/ Image Line back.

What browser are you using? I've always downloaded the reg keys and all betas directly, no special Image-Line downloader software was involved nor did I ever see that there was one (and I downloaded something from IL only a few weeks ago).

btw, don't you think it's somewhat ridiculous to get your money back now that you've already been using it for the last 6 months?

[hoffy]

f**k Image-line i hate them anyway.

And while we're at it f**k Steinberg too.

[Chris Walton]

f**k Image-line i hate them anyway.

And while we're at it f**k Steinberg too.

remind me again why you keep getting temp bans instead of permabans?

[SODDI]

[quote="Chris Walton"][quote="SODDIbtw, don't you think it's somewhat ridiculous to get your money back now that you've already been using it for the last 6 months?[/quote]

I thinks it's ridiculous that I'd be required to jump through these hoops to be able to use a piece of software that I've already paid for.

It wasn't my decision to start this process. I would have been laying out drum maps and wouldn't have said a word if I hadn't gotten that letter.

Had I known AT THE BEGINNING that this would happened, it would have influenced my decision to PURCHASE the software.

Fruity Loops/Image Line is the party who kicked this thing into motion, not me.

I don't have these problems with Steinberg or NI or WinZip (among others).

[ouroboros]

you may need to do a virus check on your system. Your browser shouldn't be "loading" software without asking on its own. It is only a reg key. What you download is not a program, nor is there a downloader program they use on their website. You only save a .reg file which windows then integrates into your registry when you tell it to do so. If this is happening automatically then the issue is resides in your computer's comfiguration.

[Chris Walton]

Had I known AT THE BEGINNING that this would happened, it would have influenced my decision to PURCHASE the software.

You're trying to tell me that a one-time complication like this would influence if you'd be happy using DirectWave or not? A few days outweigh over 6 months of happily using it?

If this is indeed the case, then I'd like to publically announce my opinion, which is that you're an idiot.

Anyway, you still haven't told us who are trying to help you if (1) you've gotten new registration info in your email (2) what browser you are using.

I don't have these problems with Steinberg or NI or WinZip (among others).

I'd like to see your reaction when NI's auth server is down again (there's a thread about this on KVR once a month at least), or when your Steinberg dongle breaks (ditto), or when WinZip conveniently forgets that you're registered (older versions would do that).

[SODDI]

[quote="Chris Walton"][quote="SODDI"]Had I known AT THE BEGINNING that this would happened, it would have influenced my decision to PURCHASE the software.[/quote]

"You're trying to tell me that a one-time complication like this would influence if you'd be happy using DirectWave or not? A few days outweigh over 6 months of happily using it?"

I have not been "happily" using it... sorry if I used that figure of speech. It has unpleasant limitations, detailed elsewhere, but I feel I SHOULD be able to use it to replace a piece of hardware that died.

"If this is indeed the case, then I'd like to publically announce my opinion, which is that you're an idiot."

And that is uncalled for, much as if I stated, in my opinion, that you're an unpleasant Image Line shill.

"Anyway, you still haven't told us who are trying to help you..."

In your case I kind of doubt that 'help' thing.

"... if (1) you've gotten new registration info in your email"

No.

"(2) what browser you are using."

IE 7

[quote="SODDI"]I don't have these problems with Steinberg or [b]NI[/b] or WinZip (among others).[/quote]

"I'd like to see your reaction when NI's auth server is down again (there's a thread about this on KVR once a month at least), or when your Steinberg dongle breaks (ditto), or when WinZip conveniently forgets that you're registered (older versions would do that).[/quote]"

I've been using Cubase since 1989, Reaktor since 2001 and WinZip like forever. Not once has any of these companies has EVER pulled a number like this.

Thanks for being so "helpful", Chris.

[shadoe42]

Just out of curiosity did you check the email trail on that email you got from Image Line? meaning did you open the properties on the mail and make sure it actually came from them? Whole lot of spoof mail scams going around. I would hate to think that you just handed out your reg key to someone.

[Chris Walton]

And that is uncalled for

as is your complete overreaction over this whole situation.

"... if (1) you've gotten new registration info in your email"

No.

"(2) what browser you are using."

IE 7

Thanks for being so "helpful", Chris.

Being the "helpful" guy that I am, I downloaded my FL RegKey from the website using IE7 with all settings being unchanged from the default.

(1) I was asked for my registration info, which I provided
(2) The website stated "Your regcode will popup in a second. If this doesn't happen automatically please click here to launch it manually."
(3) Internet Explorer blocked the download by default, letting me know with the notification bar. I allowed the download there.
(4) The page was reloaded, and I was asked if I wanted to open or save FLRegKey.Reg using the default Internet Explorer dialog.
(5) After clicking "Save...", a "save As..." dialog showed, allowing me to select where to save the regkey.

going further - since you did not get new registration info, and still haven't told us if it really was a suspicious account or just the standard first-time 6 month time out, why not use your old registration information, and sign up to the website? (that would have been the first thing I'd have tried).

If that works, and you still can't save the reg key, you can still right click the word "here" at the top of the page, and click "Save Target As...", which will prompt you to choose a location to save at.

-- Chris