Is elicenser tolerable?

[fluffy_little_something]

I am not telling anyone to boycott such companies. But people who don't like such dongles should indeed not buy such software and then complain.

I only have one such synth, and luckily it did not need any hardware dongle, that would have been unacceptable to me. Still, I am selling it, for other reasons, though.

Basically, I don't like any plugin that installs anything except the dll. Since my DAW is portable on a USB pen, I naturally want to be able to take all my synths with me on the USB pen as well, without associated data being scattered all over C:

[Ingonator]

Basically, I don't like any plugin that installs anything except the dll. Since my DAW is portable on a USB pen, I naturally want to be able to take all my synths with me on the USB pen as well, without associated data being scattered all over C:

I don't see how thios is related to eLicenser protected synths. You need the eLicenser software which is identical for all plugins that use it. The licenses are stored on the USB licenser. Nothing is "scattered" all over the HD there...
Installing new licenses on the eLicenser dongle could be done with any other computer and once you have the licenses and the eLicenser software installedyou don't even need an internet connection to run the plugins.

There are lots of non-dongled synths that create multiple folders over the HD (e.g. in c:\users\.
Any SynthEdit synth created another folder with the modules when started for the first time.
Other synths use additional folders for presets and/or waveforms and/or samples.

All NI synth create additional folders too.


Ingo

[fluffy_little_something]

Yes, but if I put the dll into my folder on the USB pen, the SE module folder is also extracted there, not on my hard drive. Of course there are some SE plugs that store license information somewhere on the hard drive, unfortunately.

Anyway, the software version of eLicenser has worked without any problems with my Steinberg synth...

[~Pd~]

As long as people keep buying products of companies using such software, those companies will keep using them. Now, if people decided to boycott such companies, they would rather switch to keys or whatever instead of going out of business. Thus, it is basically up to the customers to decide which kind of copy protection companies use and get away with. But people never act in a coordinated way, which makes them vulnerable...
Same as with getting rid of governments...

This is a good point, even if it's a bit over dramatic - we're discussing music software here not planning to depose a tyrant.

But yeah, I think it makes sense to take a principled stand against certain forms of copy protection... tying the software to a particular piece of hardware, whether a dongle or a hard drive, eliminates one of the major benefits of software, or at least one of the ones that's important to me - if the hardware becomes unusable for some reason, I'd like to be able to simply restore from a backup, or redownload and reauthenticate from a user account.

[fluffy_little_something]

If I were a developer, I would offer my stuff only via credit card payment, and somehow link both full name and credit card number to the license as nobody gives that information to strangers (maybe I would even write the credit card number and full name into the code via a little script). Occasionally the plugin would ask for the xth number of the credit card number to be entered as a confirmation.
And shortly before the credit card of the customer expires (which I would know as one has to enter the expiration date when paying by credit card), I would ask them for a symbolic payment of 1 euro or dollar with their new credit card and they would get a new copy with the new card details tied to it.

[Tricky-Loops]

If I were a developer, I would offer my stuff only via credit card payment, and somehow link both full name and credit card number to the license as nobody gives that information to strangers (maybe I would even write the credit card number and full name into the code via a little script). Occasionally the plugin would ask for the xth number of the credit card number to be entered as a confirmation.
And shortly before the credit card of the customer expires (which I would know as one has to enter the expiration date when paying by credit card), I would ask them for a symbolic payment of 1 euro or dollar with their new credit card and they would get a new copy with the new card details tied to it.

I'm so happy that you aren't a developer...

I rather would purchase an i-lok dongle than an expensive credit card...

[fluffy_little_something]

Most people already have a credit card, anyway. You don't have one?
Maybe it would also work with debit cards, some of them have some credit card functionality these days...

[chk071]

I'm so happy that you aren't a developer...

Well, it's pretty obvious that he isn't, because it's a pretty one sided view. Yes, in a perfect world, we would only shift dll's in our folders on our harddrive, the reality is though, that developers have to protect their software against pirating. It seems like this eLicenser/dongle stuff is pretty effective, at least you always read that it is. So Steinberg and others see it as a good way of protecting their software. It also bugs me, as does every copy protection which hassles me as a user, but i can understand why they do it. And to be honest, it doesn't hassle me that much that i would stop using the software. It's a one time procedure, after that you won't even notice it anymore, because it runs in the background when you start the software, so.

[Tricky-Loops]

Most people already have a credit card, anyway. You don't have one?
Maybe it would also work with debit cards, some of them have some credit card functionality these days...

I don't like credit cards. You can easily pay, so you pay with the credit card in the supermarket and in the travel agency and for the plugin sales and for a washing machine and a new computer...and...some...more...

Some day you don't know what you have already paid, and you get in debts. It's so easy to get in debts with credit cards!

That's why I prefer to pay with hard cash (and online with Paypal).

[Lotuzia]

I use Elicencer for years now and did not have a single problem with it. Installs on a new computer are dead easy and fast. Installing on several computers as well.

Some companies like Xils-lab will help you if your dongle has problems. Besides that on several thousands of customers I should say that dongles problems are more than rare.

So I can't speak for other persons regarding their experience with dongles, nor for other companies ( though I know some are friendly also, even if some are less reactive/fast than others ).

The only softwares I definitely lost were C/R ones. ( Gigasampler, Kjaerhus )

I use all sorts of instruments protected by various methods, C/R, Dongles, Serials, etc etc. I dislike the idea that a small piece of plastic could stop me to play with the instruments my projects and work need ( or instruments *I think* my projects need to be more precise ).

I fully understand the arguments of the people who dislike dongles. Some arguments are real, and true. In an ideal world dongles would be useless. Besides that nothing forces somebody to use dongles so everything's safe.

My short testimony on dongles fwiw

[jancivil]

I had less downtime with a broken unregistered steinberg/vienna key than I did with fxpansion on disk reauthorization needed after cleaning my cache (steiny support sorted me same day by email and VSL provides with the 180 starts overall license that works for everything. Fxpansion had server issues for 4 days, no response.).
I've only ever had momentary issues with e-licenser itself.

for the most part you can move a license to another key, it's pretty convenient.

[SODDI]

Sometimes you just have to weigh your options and accept that you will indeed have to learn to tolerate the intolerable.

I've had a Steinberg/Syncrosoft USB e-licenser for years now (touch wood). I have had no problems with it so far, but I remain suspicious of it because I'm a techno-savage. But that is a direct financial relationship between me and Steinberg. I'm pretty sure that provides me some protection.

However, if I was faced with decision of whether or not to purchase a piece of software that required yet another USB e-licenser - particularly one in which a third party maintained the licenses, rather than having a direct licensing relationship with the vendor - I'm pretty sure I'd have to take a pass. The primary vendor has a financial interest in making sure that your legal licences are honored -they want to sell you more gear. But the third party license "manager" has no such incentives - they sold you the dongle and that's the extent that you're going to give them any more money. They can screw with you as much as they want or can. Not saying they're going to, but they are at this very minute.

[EnGee]

I don't have a major problem with e-licenser. I have Cubase Elements installed in both Windows/OS X partitions and only sometimes when I start Cubase, it tells me I need to authorize So, I just cancel and run it again. all is good I don't mind a dongle either! I understand that they want to protect their hard work so if I need their software, then I have to accept their conditions to use it.

My Cubase Activation Code is in MySteinberg account. I did three installations and I had three activations but then I deleted one to have only the two used, so there is no fear in case HD fails.

IMO, Native Instruments did it right. You have your serials in your account in their website and the download as well. I have installed their synths in Windows/OS X with no problems in the authorizations.

[Nanakai]

There are a couple of products I'm interested in that use elicenser. Is the software version of it OK in day to day use? Does it require constant connection to the internet in order for activated products to remain in use? Does it take up much CPU / RAM? Is it easy to de-authorize an old computer and move the product to a new system?

I'm hoping the elicenser software version would be sort of like FXpansion's auth system, which I find pretty painless.

Take my experience for what it's worth, as I hate - HATE - dongles, but in my years with eLicenser I have had very few hiccups. The only real technical problems that I had were when I tried to transfer my license from my home studio computer to my laptop, but the license server was down or something. What this amounted to was that I couldn't get my license from my own computer. I moved my license around a lot, so this happened to me more than it would otherwise. There was also an issue where Logic would crash during AU validation when it scanned Arturia synths without the license present. That was supremely annoying, but I believe they've fixed that (I no longer own their synths, so I dunno!).

My biggest problem with the eLicenser was simply that I had to deal with it. Traveling? Well, time to grab those licenses from the home computer and load them onto the USB stick. Gotta move them to the laptop, too, in case I try to work somewhere without Internet. Uh oh, the hard drive is making a clicking sound. I'd better take my licenses out just in case it dies soon. Guess that means I can't use Arturia synths for a while.... Hell, it's easy to forget the dongle if you're leaving in a rush - hope you only forget it at home! It didn't take long before I simply replaced Arturia's synths in my projects with other ones to make sure that I could work on the go, no matter what. Now I can just shut my laptop without closing Live or Logic, and resume somewhere else. No dongles to unplug, no licenses to move. YMMV, but for a license on a USB stick, I find dongles very unportable.

Other posts reflect my own direct answers to your questions. Negligible CPU use, the software version runs transparently, and transferring the license to a new owner is rather painless (too painless, if you ask me. Easy to thieve away). The SEM V is the best of Arturia's software, IMHO. I do miss it.

[~Pd~]

Guys, thank you so much for replying with such complete and detailed answers. I'm not 100% decided either way but the impression I'm getting is that the elicenser works fine on a technical level and doesn't mess with your computer, but as I said upthread it breaks one of the principal advantages of software - you cannot copy the license, you can only move it, and whatever piece of hardware it's on at the time is subject to loss, damage or theft. Maybe there are ways to replace it, maybe not.

IMO, Native Instruments did it right. You have your serials in your account in their website and the download as well. I have installed their synths in Windows/OS X with no problems in the authorizations.

Yeah, I've never had a single problem with NI copy protection or activation. And having the downloads and serials right there in my account is super convenient and reassuring. The only thing I worry about backing up is my custom content.

The SEM V is the best of Arturia's software, IMHO. I do miss it.

Yes! I really want it bad. It's only $99 so I might make an elicenser exception in just this one case. The other option is to save my pennies and buy an honest to god hardware SEM - I saw some videos on Youtube that made my jaw drop. The SEM pro is gorgeous and only (!) 10x the price of the Arturia. If I'm going to have my sounds tied to hardware, maybe that's the way to go.