NI have announced they will no longer activate discontinued products

[nix808]

cool, ty!

[Sascha Franck]

Need to get the instruments running but also stay safe, right.

In all honesty: Care about being safe as the *very* first thing. I'm sure in case you've delayed whatever solution to a point in time when the current crisis isn't as bad as it is right now, nobody would be worried.
Really, we may argue a lot about whatever things NI (and you may by now know I'm not NIs biggest fanboy), but all that is just laughable compared to what's happening in the world as we speak.

[Matt_NI]

Need to get the instruments running but also stay safe, right.

In all honesty: Care about being safe as the *very* first thing. I'm sure in case you've delayed whatever solution to a point in time when the current crisis isn't as bad as it is right now, nobody would be worried.
Really, we may argue a lot about whatever things NI (and you may by now know I'm not NIs biggest fanboy), but all that is just laughable compared to what's happening in the world as we speak.

Thank you Sascha and sincerely hope you the same.
I did figure you were not the biggest fan but I appreciate the exchange in any case. We need users on both side of the fence so we can move forward and get challenged from time to time. We definitely can’t see it all and this is a prime example.

[surreal]

Need to get the instruments running but also stay safe, right.

In all honesty: Care about being safe as the *very* first thing. I'm sure in case you've delayed whatever solution to a point in time when the current crisis isn't as bad as it is right now, nobody would be worried.
Really, we may argue a lot about whatever things NI (and you may by now know I'm not NIs biggest fanboy), but all that is just laughable compared to what's happening in the world as we speak.

Thank you Sascha and sincerely hope you the same.
I did figure you were not the biggest fan but I appreciate the exchange in any case. We need users on both side of the fence so we can move forward and get challenged from time to time. We definitely can’t see it all and this is a prime example.

Cool thanks for the feedback Matt!!

[EnGee]

If Matt needs our feedback, then this is my current feedback (will keep it short).
I'm currently off of the NI ship. Didn't jump as I don't feel it sinking but I wanted to feel free.
I don't like the hardware closed nature. So, I'm abandoning it.
Software, is so and so. Massive X is on the good roads and Reaktor is fantastic, but not enough to make me loyal! I might come back if there is FM9 or Absynth 6 with midi learn in massive X.
I don't care about Kontakt, but some nice drums like Sugar Bytes new drums might bring be back.
So, for now, farewell NI

[codec_spurt]

[rrr

[digitalboytn]

Dear John

You missed your chance to mention KORE,but you covered a lot of ground there....

Unfortunately,most of the sentiments that you expressed are true...

NI have brought us some fantastic tools over the years,but as you said, many of us feel as if the golden years are behind them...

They may have grown in stature,but their true relevance has diminished as they have turned their focus towards profits instead of people

It's good for a company to be healthy and profitable,but when they lose sight of their core focus,that increases the chances of things ending badly

[glokraw]

A company's main goal must be to maintain
financial health and profitability, with the alternatives
being unacceptable.

When a company has no profits, the jobs will
be lost at one speed or another. Eventually, only the founder-in-chief
will remain, but how will the founder's family be supported?
How will charitable gifts be possible? What about the founders
personal self esteem, at having completed a productive workday?

Without productive days, the market begins stagnating.
Are we there yet ?

There is a thick glass ceiling above the audio market,
with ever less room for new sounding things worth exploring,
and everyone has a ticking clock, so making music when there is
still a pulse, takes on a new priority. Doesn't make much difference
which brand-names are involved,
as long as the soul plays with happiness and some skill.
Cheers

[europania]

Hi, I really think you are over reacting.

If you look at the list of products this discontinuation will affect, it is versions most of us do not use anymore. Simply because they are in newer versions, like FM7 is replaced by FM8 and so on. This is unfortunately a typical developer problem(I do speek of experience as a vetaran SW developer since late 80's), due to changed OS architecture and change in SW security policy, that might be almost impossible to comply with any longer at the older versions. Also due to their own architecture.

Anyway, I do understand the frustration for those still using the older versions(for some reasons).
I do think you should take this as a sign of personal habbit change!

[nix808]

personal habbit change!

gollum.jpg

[machinesworking]

Hi, I really think you are over reacting.

If you look at the list of products this discontinuation will affect, it is versions most of us do not use anymore. Simply because they are in newer versions, like FM7 is replaced by FM8 and so on. This is unfortunately a typical developer problem(I do speek of experience as a vetaran SW developer since late 80's), due to changed OS architecture and change in SW security policy, that might be almost impossible to comply with any longer at the older versions. Also due to their own architecture.

Anyway, I do understand the frustration for those still using the older versions(for some reasons).
I do think you should take this as a sign of personal habbit change!

No offense meant, but why is it that smart people often miss the obvious reasons?
Your response seems to be that everyone is using a new computer, I mean obviously right? No one freezes a system because they either want to keep access to older songs outside of rendered audio files, or because they're poor and don't want to, or can't, spend thousands on new hardware and software upgrades. That never happens.
If someone in Nigeria, Viet Nam, Bolivia, or Belarus wants to run a Powermac with Komplete 3 on it, they should have every right to do so, and we shouldn't expect them to have to upgrade.

Security wise, using the old OS, old hardware and older software it's freaking moot, it's driving me nuts listening to people act like a 2008 computer with XP on it, probably running only Komplete and some DAW is some huge risk, therefore its just fine NI won't set up a small server to serve this simple need, it's simply ludicrous.

You should be willing to work with people, and this sort of end of life BS is largely due to a symptom of modern thought tech wise, a throw away mentality, and IMO it should be attacked vigorously. I often think about jumping ship on upgrading, especially now that soft synths sound great and computers are more powerful than I need 99% of the time. Just freezing a computer at some level and working with it like it's hardware. I'm already halfway there, this Mac Pro is a 2009 I do not plan on replacing, it runs great. I would love to be able to have Kontakt in there when I do this. They could even do this with an "upon request" level approach, it's simply a bean counter move, that's all.

[TabSel]

someone mentioned Kore already?

[CrystalWizard]

Hi, I really think you are over reacting.

If you look at the list of products this discontinuation will affect, it is versions most of us do not use anymore....change!

No offense meant, but why is it that smart people often miss the obvious reasons?
Your response seems to be that everyone is using a new computer, I mean obviously right? No one freezes a system because they either want to keep access to older songs outside of rendered audio files, or because they're poor and don't want to, or can't, spend thousands on new hardware and software upgrades. That never....
Security wise, using the old OS, old hardware and older software it's freaking moot, it's driving me nuts listening to people act like a 2008 computer with XP on it, probably running only Komplete and some DAW is some huge risk, therefore its just fine NI won't set up a small server to serve this simple need, it's simply ludicrous.

You should be willing to work with people, and this sort of end of life BS is largely due to a symptom of modern thought tech wise, a throw away mentality, and IMO it should be attacked vigorously. I often think about jumping ship on upgrading, especially now that soft synths sound great and computers are more powerful than I need 99% of the time. Just freezing a computer at some level and working with it like it's hardware. I'm already halfway there, this Mac Pro is a 2009 I do not plan on replacing, it runs great. I would love to be able to have Kontakt in there when I do this. They could even do this with an "upon request" level approach, it's simply a bean counter move, that's all.

Hence my(not meant as snarky) comment that reading comprehension is severely lacking in this thread.

[perfumer]

So, no NI news yet. Ok, might as well be due to the critical situation over here.

Well we also have to deal with the challenges the team are facing around the local health situation. Need to get the instruments running but also stay safe, right.

You can only play that card once or twice, lest you end up sounding like a certain W-Known developer who always plays the mental health card when things get hairy for him. And even he's pretty much burned all his bridges now. You get two more shots at that one!

Let me put it this way (I know my opinion doesn't count):

We also have to deal with the challenges around the local health situation. *

We, being the royal KVR, who you have royally shafted, yet again. Along with everyone else.

*
Some of us are already ill. Some of us are high-risk categories and if we get this then there's a good chance we will die. Some of us have parents or relatives who if they get this they definitely will die.

Some of us have spent the last 2 months knowing this day would come and 'prepping' for survival, knowing it could mean life or death.

But most of us don't like to mention it on a public forum.

Everyone is facing this. No one is exempt. No one gets to use it as a pass.

I'm sure you say what you say in good faith, and you have every right to say it. As I do to gently remind you that we are all in the same boat with this one. Respectfully.

...

I haven't spent much money on your stuff. I was late to the party. They always sounded a bit samey to me and it was many years ago your interfaces started lacking in size and intelligibility to the average user with the average screen. But you found a niche and became masters at marketing. You threw your old loyal customers under the bus, but it didn't matter because, hey, there were new mug punters to pick up on your new fancy GUIs when you did push the boat out (the monstrosity that is FM8 and then new MassiXe).

We won't even mention KORE.

For about a year or two there you had the whole music world at your feet and in your grasp. But you blew it. You got greedy. Everyone played along because they were either roped in or because they were magnanimous and their better natures believed in you to provide a better product as you promised you would.

"Magnanimous" is probably the wrong turn of phrase as you were always the greater power in the relationship, but you probably get the drift.

You could have done great things. Achieved great heights. And you certainly hinted at it. Even Maschine (I just own the Mikro MkII) had its promise and many people did great things with it. But even that was ignored, ultimately. Even though it was humoured and claimed to be loved, like the proverbial step-child.

For so long, so many people have put so much store in you. Had so much faith.

But a kick in the nuts like this only goes to show anyone still on this slow-boat to China is just suffering with Stockholm Syndrome. Sure, it's been fun. Hell, we've probably even got our money's worth (some of us) but it's just so damn disappointing.

Life is full of little victories and it's also full of little betrayals. Guess which one this feels like? Again!

Promised not to mention KORE. (Don't mention the war)

This feels like a letter to a soon to be ex-girlfriend:

Things haven't been good for some time. You know it and I know it. It's not you, it's me.

Or rather, It's not me, it's you!

Again, I say this without malice and ill wishes. I also say it without emotion or any kind of rage. Not even any kind of loss really either.

But some people invested a lot more and heavier again in your eco-system. I just bought a bit of hardware, a Komplete, and a few other plugins along the way. I was about to buy your new keyboard in fact, but I won't now. I'll hold on to what I have, while it works, of course, and then when it doesn't work I'll still hold on to it because it will be worthless. At least I won't be holding on to a new top of the range Maschine that I was also considering. You very nearly got me there. I'll give you that!

We won't mention the war and we won't mention certain things and practices that are banned to even talk about at KVR, and probably quite rightly so. We've all moved on now from that world for many many years, the vast majority of us, anyway. If things don't work, if manufacturers pull a fast one on us, just let it go. No big deal. Getting involved in 'alternative' methods is just so god damn tiresome. And unnecessary. Just like the war, I won't even mention it.

So let it be. If this is how you do business, then this is how you shall come to be known to do business. I've been a Steinberg customer for a third of century, but that didn't stop their greed and purposeful corporate incompetence affecting my life in a major way recently. They lost a sale. But I suffered a real personal impact that had knock on effects to those around me (and also to me as well with my health).

We are real human beings that buy your products. Some of us go without. Some of us scrape. Most of us do the right thing. We want to support you. It's not a burden or a sacrifice for us. It's a pleasure. And that's what makes those kicks in the nuts all the more harder to bear.

You don't see us. You don't listen to us. And worse, you pretend to listen to us.

We aren't talking small devs here doing what they have to do to survive. We are talking going concerns and corporate entities with some of the slickest marketing and psychological leverage known to man. And yet we still forgive you and buy in to your ecosystem.

And the more we forgive you, the more you bring the whip down, just wondering just how far you can push it until people really snap. And say what they think. Just like I am now. Little old nobody me.

Or worse again, until they start to vote their displeasure with their lack of digging in to their wallet. Bad time to upset people on the verge of a world recession when life changes for everyone from this point on. But you've been getting away with it for so long, it probably just seemed like another power-play to you.

I can make a hit record on nothing but free plugins and synthedit/synthmaker tools. And so can anyone else if they take the time. No one needs your plugins. No one needs your hardware.

And no one needs your utter lack of loyalty towards those that have built your company up and made you what you are today.

At what point does corporate greed just step over the line to personal spite towards your customers? Serious question.

We all know we're at the end of an era. The end of the golden age of computing. The end of the free internet. And the beginning of the age where large companies like yourself and Steinberg make life a f**king misery for everyone else around them, just because they can.

Your thinly veiled contempt for your users/customers just shines through.

You will survive. You will regroup. You will probably still keep profiting financially. People will probably still keep buying your products and making great music with them, while having fun along the way...

But what a disappointment you have turned out to be, to so many of us that hoped for so much more from you.

Though neither of us owes the other, anything really, by this point. It's all bought and paid for.

So that probably makes it a good time to say: 'goodbye and thanks for all the fish'.


(all of this is in my own idiotic opinion. of course. it won't be listened to. and I'd prefer it wasn't patronised. it's enough sometimes for one to just say their piece)

[Sascha Franck]

someone mentioned Kore already?

Pardon? Is that even spelled correctly? Isn't it "core" with a C, and likely not even a capital one?
No idea what you're talking about.