Tired of downloading VST hassleware!

[lobanov]

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).

New iLok for just an installation? Sorry, no.

And don't forget, it will cost you additional money. Somebody has to embody and mantain it. Servers, updates, you know it. It's just a business.

I must have gigabytes of this garbage on my computer, messing with indexing, backups etc.

We are in the same boat. But nobody forced us to buy all this "garbage" (and why do we pay for a garbage?!). I mean nobody forced us with a knife or a gun

[el-bo (formerly ebow)]

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.

Except you don't have to use it

[fese]

...

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).

Says every non-developer...

What you’re thinking of kind of already exists. It’s called “App Store” or “play store” and it’s bas because it gives the owners of that full control over what is allowed and what not (see: Apple, Google et al).
I very much prefer the current situation to a centralized one. Yes, some things suck and some procedures are annoying but in the end it is still your choice.
And if one is really honest: this is very much a first world problem, isn’t it? Really no need to cook up conspiracy narratives like “corporations that rules us and keep us dependent to feed on our blood” like some people like to do (even more ridiculous regarding the audio plugin market which is mostly very small to small businesses).

[lobanov]

We are greedy collectors who collect hard disk drives to back up the garbage.
We pay in that way for our greed and our GAS.
Black Fridays are really black.

[stian]

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.

If you mean Verberate Basic 2, that's definitely not "hassleware". Simply visit https://acondigital.com/products/verberate-basic/ and click one of the download links on the right hand side. You don't have to enter an email address or anything like that. Where's the hassle?

Best,
Stian

[vurt]

dont download it then.
wont die of you dont. im guessing.

[Kongru]

dont download it then.
wont die of you dont. im guessing.

If they do then it's on you

[vurt]

wont be able to let us know. all good.

[excuse me please]

Easy to say, it takes a little quest to find that particular info at the sites of the VST farmers

[chk071]

The OP doesn't have to download and install the Download Assistant BTW, just for the record. Padshop Pro is downloadable here: https://www.steinberg.net/index.php?id= ... adshop&L=0

The eLicenser software has to be though, obviously, because it's responsible for the copy protection.

I could understand why the Download Assistant could be considered bloatware, but, a copy protection is definitely no bloatware. Unless the definition of bloatware is "anything that annoys me" now.

[Klinke]

a copy protection is definitely no bloatware. Unless the definition of bloatware is "anything that annoys me" now.

A copy protection that needs to download a 60 MB file (and that is without the .NET framework they used) is for me the best definition of bloat I'm aware of.

Edit: Okay, I was wrong, the iLok license manager is bigger then 200 MB, so the eLicenser is not the best example

[Obsolete236871]

Good idea, but the authorization, registration and copy protection schemes of the various developers are too different to

On the rather negative side there are companies like Waves (plugins only supported for a limited time then you need to pay for extended support, requires separate download / authorization manager), IK Multimedia (convoluted process, strange and intransparent concept of "custom shop" with virtual money, requires additional software for authorization / download) and Melda (you have to download their entire plugin suite just to use one single plugin).

Not to mention companies that require you to use Ilok: Ilok charges significant fees if you sell your license to someone else (I doubt heir approach is EU compliant, but no one has trialed them) and if you use the cloud based Ilok (only option if you don't want to buy another USB-licenser), your licenses can easily go into nirvana if your hardware breaks down and the licenses are still bound to the broken machine. Then you have to rely on the generosity of the company from whom you bought the plugins ( I heard that for example Soundtoys are very generous in such cases, though not all companies offer the same quality of customer support).

On the positive side there are developers like Klanghelm who provide an individual license key, that can be used to authorize the plugin even on an offline computer without any issues. Probably easier to crack (lower grade of copy protection), but the customers will

My main factors regarding installation, registrations and authorization:

• should work on an offline machine (no online access required to downloadm setup and use the plugin)

• should allow you to only download and install the plugin you want, not their entire catalogue of plugins

• no strange in-plugin shop solution with "virtual money"

• optionally: should not require you to install another software for downloading / authorizing the plugin (ideally authorization via key within the plugin)

[chk071]

a copy protection is definitely no bloatware. Unless the definition of bloatware is "anything that annoys me" now.

A copy protection that needs to download a 60 MB file (and that is without the .NET framework they used) is for me the best definition of bloat I'm aware of.

And that's why "bloatware" says absolutely nothing. Your bloatware is not my bloatware.

Just check your start menu, or your application folder. How many of those applications pre-installed with your OS do you actually use? Yes, that's bloatware for you. And programs someone else uses on a daily base. Bloatware? Really?

Anyway, i have no interest in yet another of such silly discussions. Vote with your wallet, and do what's good for you.

[Klinke]

a copy protection is definitely no bloatware. Unless the definition of bloatware is "anything that annoys me" now.

A copy protection that needs to download a 60 MB file (and that is without the .NET framework they used) is for me the best definition of bloat I'm aware of.

And that's why "bloatware" says absolutely nothing. Your bloatware is not my bloatware.

Just check your start menu, or your application folder. How many of those applications pre-installed with your OS do you actually use? Yes, that's bloatware for you. And programs someone else uses on a daily base. Bloatware? Really?

I think the problem in this discussion is, that our definition of bloatware is different. For me, as an old school software developer, bloatware are applications where the developer don't give a damn about the needed computer resources. So yes, in this definition, software that someone (even I) use on a daily base can be bloatware, of course.

[Klinke]

Uups, pressed quote instead of edit.