Tired of downloading VST hassleware!

[SparkySpark]

I must say that I start getting annoyed by all the bloatware from the music software industry. Yesterday I installed Steinberg's PadShop Pro, a seven (?) year old product - not a huge source of income for Steinberg today, I guess.

So I had to download the installation assistant (100 MB was it?) and ALSO the e-licenser (70 MB). What the h_ll? What's wrong with people? I mean, the entire useful code for keeping track of my installs AND for a security check can't be more than, say, 500 kB. I enjoy trying out music software but there is just too much garbage to download, and also a zillion ways to do installs (like go to this webpage to find the installation assistant, then run three leaps around your house, wait for a full moon, add a cup of wheat flour, install the recently updated (yet soon to be expired) anti-piracy thingy, locate the software you just bought (good luck with finding it!), ...).

Don't software companies understand that they lose customers this way? I mean, for Cubase of Ominsphere or so, we'd just do it nonetheless, but for promotional freebies or low-cost stuff?

I honestly think we should have a "no bloatware please" campaign here at KVR. Not only for getting rid of hassle (in fact, I call this "hassleware" and not only bloatware), but for making it more enjoyable to try out new products.

Since we cannot know if a particular product is hassleware, I have started to refrain from trying out products I would probably have tried if they were just a download file and an email registration or so (most recently the Verberate 2 freebie). This is bad for the developer with a conscience (especially small ones without a huge fanbase or reputation), for KVR and for the users.

Considering that music software is the livelihood of KVR, we really should make an effort.

[Kongru]

I don't see the issue personally, 170mb is nothing

The process is the same for all Steinberg products: install using the Installation Assistant, activate using the eLicenser Control Centre. The Installation Assistant can be removed from the computer after the program is installed. eLCC is used for Steinberg license maintenance.

[SparkySpark]

I don't see the issue personally, 170mb is nothing

Really? For software that doesn't really do anything of value? I must have gigabytes of this garbage on my computer, messing with indexing, backups etc. In any case, thanks for the info regarding the Steinberg installation removal possibilities.

[excuse me please]

Welcome to the club!
See it on the bright side; I lost €350 because of this snobbery.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

I'll agree on having to download separate software to manage the software company's piracy protection. However, Installation managers can be great when dealing with large amounts of software to install (Not so much if you want to demo one product, of course ) On my recent OS re-install it was such a 'life-saver' being able to install and authorise all my PA, Izotope and NI software with nothing more than a few clicks

Plugin Alliance and Izotope are good in that they offer the option to install separately (Great for demoing).

[Klinke]

I was also pissed of by this, when I evaluated an upgrade to SpectralLayers 6, and saw this as a good reason to stay with SL4 (beside saving 200 Euros).

[JunSev]

The OP is right in a lot of aspects, many of those "license managers" only makes the user more and more dependent of services and at the end, without even realize, they already have lost the product they paid for in order to be completely dependent of services.

There is a lot of Unawareness very sadly about all of this since many people are unable to see or understand the reality of what's going on.

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

There is a lot of Unawareness very sadly about all of this since many people are unable to see or understand the reality of what's going on.

And yet many of us know exactly "what's going on". It's just we are capable of making benefit/cost analyses, and act according to our conclusions.

You want to stick with freeware, dll-install software, with simple serial number authorisation, that's up to you. And I understand all of the reasons why someone would want to do that. But how about you stop with this foreboding narrative, and speculating that the rest of us do not "see or understand the reality" of our personal choices

[giant_panda]

This is frustrating sometimes indeed. You can stick with a developers and products that do not require to install additional software:
Reaper
U-He
FabFilter
Audio Damage
Sugar Bytes
Tokyo Dawn Labs
Klanghelm
Togu Audio Line
Cherry Audio
Psychic Modulation
Xfer
GForce Software
SPC Plugins
Valhalla

Native Instruments is require installation of their product manager but it works well in my experience.

Synapse Audio have a little registration tool that you must to run once to register your product and it is not require installation as far as I remember.

I am sure there is many more companies out there.

[JunSev]

There is a lot of Unawareness very sadly about all of this since many people are unable to see or understand the reality of what's going on.

And yet many of us know exactly "what's going on". It's just we are capable of making benefit/cost analyses, and act according to our conclusions.

You want to stick with freeware, dll-install software, with simple serial number authorisation, that's up to you. And I understand all of the reasons why someone would want to do that. But how about you stop with this foreboding narrative, and speculating that the rest of us do not "see or understand the reality" of our personal choices

I'm On topic, what's up? if I'm being honest and expressing a reality why are you reacting this way?

It's just we are capable of making benefit/cost analyses, and act according to our conclusions.

AKA dependency.

You want to stick with freeware, dll-install software, with simple serial number authorisation, that's up to you.

Are you suggesting that all serial or single key based software are freeware? there is a lot of key/serial based very high quality software in the market, don't talk nonsense please.

But how about you stop with this foreboding narrative, and speculating that the rest of us do not "see or understand the reality" of our personal choices

I was not even talking to you, are you serious? I just said something and now you're getting it personal, I'm sorry if you are offended.

With all respect.

[SparkySpark]

Thanks for the replies. Maybe there could be a universal installer that devs could hook up to for free. Not sure it would technically work for all products, but then again, maybe it would.

To clarify: one installer for Steinberg, Melda, NI, SampleTank, ..., as well as all small devs in need of a separate installer application (free to use for every dev, just like the VST standard).

I'm dreaming here, but why not also let it take care of storing all of our licences, and connect the license registration to BOTH the computer and the cloud, so that if I work on my computer, I don't need access to the Internet, and if I lose my computer, I could easily access all these product keys again.

Better yet, if this killer app would be hooked up to the devs' latest download files (and automatically sensing my platform - say Win 64 bit), I could then just click on each product that I would like to install, regardless of developer. Then, the entire process would download and install whatever I have chosen. ...and since there is obviously a registration process for the killer app, there would be no need for me to ever again register separately on every company's website (since they would already have access to my info).

Of course, there should also be a connection to anti-privacy measures, say an XML interface for iLok, Steinberg's encryption, etc. I see no reason why I should need to do this manually. (Ideally, I'd like every dev to use the same encryption standard, but I guess that is too much to ask.)

Coding this shouldn't be hard. I'm sure Steinberg could cook this up in a matter of weeks (as they already have most of the code for their own installer).

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

There is a lot of Unawareness very sadly about all of this since many people are unable to see or understand the reality of what's going on.

And yet many of us know exactly "what's going on". It's just we are capable of making benefit/cost analyses, and act according to our conclusions.

You want to stick with freeware, dll-install software, with simple serial number authorisation, that's up to you. And I understand all of the reasons why someone would want to do that. But how about you stop with this foreboding narrative, and speculating that the rest of us do not "see or understand the reality" of our personal choices

[1] I'm On topic, what's up? if I'm being honest and expressing a reality why are you reacting this way?

It's just we are capable of making benefit/cost analyses, and act according to our conclusions.

[2] AKA dependency.

You want to stick with freeware, dll-install software, with simple serial number authorisation, that's up to you.

[3] Are you suggesting that all serial or single key based software are freeware? there is a lot of key/serial based very high quality software in the market, don't talk nonsense please.

But how about you stop with this foreboding narrative, and speculating that the rest of us do not "see or understand the reality" of our personal choices

[4] I was not even talking to you, are you serious? I just said something and now you're getting it personal, I'm sorry if you are offended.

[5] With all respect.

[1] I didn't say you were off-topic. Nor am I suggesting you don't have the right to your opinion. I'm just expressing my opinion, assuming I have the same right to do so as you do

[2] It's amusing that you think that you somehow aren't "dependent".

"None are more hopelessly enslaved thank those who falsely believe that they are free" - S.R. Shearer

We are all "dependent"...on many things, and in many ways. But like I said, at least with the software that I buy, I weigh up the pros and cons before going into the process. And at this point-in-time, being able to use Native Instruments software offers more benefits to me than any thoughts of dependency scare me off.

I won't personally support schemes such as iLok. However, unlike you, I can see why some might find the pros outweigh the cons.

[3] Not suggesting that, at all. Some great software works with just a simple install and a serial. And there is a ton of fantastic quality freeware.

[4] You don't have to be talking to me for me to respond. This is a public thread, on a public forum. "I just said something and now you're getting it personal, I'm sorry if you are offended." I'm not offended. I'm just trying to explain how you are wrong in your assumptions.

[5] "With all respect." If you just post respectfully, then you wouldn't need to add this disclaimer

[vurt]

regarding the quote there, i could explain why we are prisoners, how we are imprisoned and the people behind our imprisonment.
but i fear id be switched off.
it's all a game!

[SampleScience]

Recently, I had to reinstall all my software and sound libraries on a new music production computer. It took me a full week to transfer the files and re-authorize them (I have a big collection!).

In the case of NI, it's really easy and fairly fast. I think I saved time with their new app. I'm not so sure about the other ones, especially the free stuff that requires a serial to activate. I had to let go of some of them because they weren't of any use to me.

I just wish I could transfer all my plugins just by copying/pasting them on my new computer. But I understand why companies are doing it; with an anti-piracy solution like iLok, the sales increase by 30%.

[Jace-BeOS]

Yes, it’s a hassle. Yes, software is bloated and unwieldy for customers who actually BUY it. Yes, EULAs and disclaimers of warranty are a violation of - oh, wait, you weren’t taking about licensing BS. How about bugs as SOP? No? But why? There are so many more reasons to hate this business.

It’s been bad mostly from day one (once commercial software was the norm) and has been getting worse, what with the convoluted anti-piracy & install manager tools and the abusive subscription model...

This is the computer industry. It sucks. It has mostly always sucked, except many of us were tricked into believing in it because “WOW COOL!” Some of us woke up (but still have to use this shit).

There’s very little say any of us have in how it goes because the free market is a myth and corporations rule us. This is to say: “yes, I agree, but I can’t do shit about it”. If the USA ever gets its act together, maybe we can start regulating this pile of abusive opportunists. It’ll be a long time in coming, since there’s so much bigger shit going down.