Cubase 12 - updated licensing info

[kritikon]

That's definitely better. For me, constant net activation is very close to a deal breaker. I simply can't rely on internet here so I could realistically be locked out of Cubase, even though only temporarily. That is never acceptable. I don't care how many think once a month net verification is an easy thing - it is for YOU if YOU have reliable internet. I don't, so for me it is very important. Jeez, it's not that long that we even got VDSL around here - prior to that I was on satellite dish net, which of course could go down in bad weather - just like Sky did. We might get fibre at some point - already a year later than planned and no sight of it. Internet-dependent s/w is way worse than a dongle. I never had a single problem with a dongle in 32 years.

"We have decided to make significant changes in this area: for software purchased under a perpetual license, there will be no requirement for your computer to connect to our activation servers after initial activation. There will be no offline allowance period: instead, once your software has been activated on your computer, it never needs to contact our activation servers again for you to be able to keep using it"

Not quite sure what to make of that. It might actually mean that they go away from perpetual licensing. It smacks of subscription to me. Anyone going to be surprised if after Cubase 12 you can no longer buy an outright perpetual license? I'll wait and see. Steinberg generally always took the path of highest resistance, so maybe they will stay true to form, maybe they have actually listened to customers. Personally, if I get the option of a new version with dongle, I'll stay on the dongle. Unfortunately it sounds like the dongle is on the way out, making way for some newer system that will make it troublesome for a minority like me. One should never hold one's breath with Steinberg - it'll be way more difficult than they initially make out, that's for sure. I like Cubase though, so it will take a major f**k up to make me change to a new DAW. Sounds a bit like they're swaying between a reasonable deal and a f**k up - in the balance still.

[Timfonie]

That's excellent news! Definitely a good move from Steinberg.
It will keep me loyal to Cubase as long as the perpetual licence will stay.

[Musical Gym]

I have Cubase 10 Pro but barely used it. Steinberg won't let me sell it until I find the usb licensor.

[SLiC]

Will this make it easier for pirates to defeat?

Everything gets cracked eventually ait seems. Seems to me the best way to get people to buy software is to price it fairly and upgrade frequently so that their stolen version is always behind the current version...nobody serious about music production (or their on line safety and security!) uses pirated software I assume.

[SLiC]

nobody serious about music production (or their on line safety and security!) uses pirated software I assume.

Considering Avicii, Martin Garix, Steve Aoki, Kanye West, Basshunter, and who else showed warezed versions of FL Studio, Sylenth1 and other software, I think it's safe to say that that assumption is wrong.

Taking the criminal element aside, It is 'unprofessional' to use pirated software and risk your security and work if you are a professional producer and shows contempt for other peoples work and property (not surprising as some of the most despicable, arrogant and asinine people I have ever come across are on that list)

[PAK]

Common sense prevails! Claiming temporary licenses as perpetual "because server-side" was a stretch. Even Roland (who uses a similar system to what was proposed) uses the term "lifetime", to which they can add the caveat "of the service".

For those who didn't care (and it's clear there were plenty, but also many who didn't understand the full implications of such proposals) they've dodged a bullet in terms of the increased potential for activation annoyances. I can't help but wonder if recent AWS outages helped any decisions along..

Either way, it's a hugely positive change in favour of Cubase users. To those, at Steinberg / Yamaha, who helped advocate for these important changes, many thanks..

[kritikon]

Still not sure about anything being locked to a particular computer though. Only this year had the main household pc drive die. Irrevocable drive death happens and you're completely f**ked when it does. TBH it was the incentive to buy a much better whole new pc, but if I'd had stuff like music sw on it with a license that went up in smoke...I'd be mightily f**ked off. You can't deactivate anything when you're drive really dies. And your license is not interchangeable if you can't deactivate it.

[jancivil]

"Avicii, Martin Garix, Steve Aoki, Kanye West, Basshunter"
grow tf up

[noiseboyuk]

You can't deactivate anything when you're drive really dies.

This varies, depending on the implementation. IIRC the times where I've had an issue being unable to deactivate a license, the developer has always reset things their end. Along with 3 activations per license, this feels only a pretty theoretical risk to me.

Incidentally, Steinberg does have machine licensing right now for some products (eg Cubase Elements). Here's their existing policy (remembering it is for 1 activation only per license)

Why is it necessary to reactivate licenses?

Reactivations are required because in general, activation codes can only be used once to download a software license. If a further activation of a new software installation is necessary - for instance, in case the operating system has been reinstalled or you've switched to a new machine - new activation codes for licenses registered with a MySteinberg account can be requested via the reactivation process.

[Kypresso]

"Avicii, Martin Garix, Steve Aoki, Kanye West, Basshunter"
grow tf up

Good luck with getting Avicii to "grow tf up"

[Mr Arkadin]

Maybe next time they should consult the users first, not wait for a shitstorm to happen.

For me this announcement is too late as I already crossgraded to Studio One 5 and I'm not maintaining two DAWs, so Steinberg just lost me as a customer since the Pro24 days. Well done chaps.

[kritikon]

"This varies, depending on the implementation. IIRC the times where I've had an issue being unable to deactivate a license, the developer has always reset things their end. Along with 3 activations per license, this feels only a pretty theoretical risk to me.

Incidentally, Steinberg does have machine licensing right now for some products (eg Cubase Elements). Here's their existing policy (remembering it is for 1 activation only per license)"

OK, good to know companies will reset. TBH I don't have much experience with these type of licenses - always avoided them like the plague. And 3 activations does make it a whole lot safer. Though Cubase Elements with only 1 activation is asking for trouble (I thought Elements was pretty well given away free with a packet of cornflakes isn't it? ). It will probably work for me. I can see many having an issue with it though - even around these parts you come across IT types who seem to change their OS like they change their underpants. So 3 activations ain't going to go very far.

I do feel a bit more reassured Steinberg haven't f**ked up Cubase for me, thanks.

[kritikon]

Maybe next time they should consult the users first, not wait for a shitstorm to happen.

For me this announcement is too late as I already crossgraded to Studio One 5 and I'm not maintaining two DAWs, so Steinberg just lost me as a customer since the Pro24 days. Well done chaps.

I feel your pain. It's hard work learning a whole new DAW. But...consulting customers is also a recipe for a shitstorm. If they have...I dunno...500,000 customers, they are guaranteed to get at least 450,000 different opinions. You know it...
They're going to piss people off whatever they do. TBH they may as well have just left well alone. I still think the dongle mostly pissed off pirates, not genuine customers (though there will be some that have genuine issues with dongles and I understand that).

[chk071]

Maybe next time they should consult the users first, not wait for a shitstorm to happen.

"No copy protection at all please! Software should be free and unrestricted!!"
"Mh... no... not a very good idea..."

[BBFG#]

"This varies, depending on the implementation. IIRC the times where I've had an issue being unable to deactivate a license, the developer has always reset things their end. Along with 3 activations per license, this feels only a pretty theoretical risk to me.

Incidentally, Steinberg does have machine licensing right now for some products (eg Cubase Elements). Here's their existing policy (remembering it is for 1 activation only per license)"

OK, good to know companies will reset. TBH I don't have much experience with these type of licenses - always avoided them like the plague. And 3 activations does make it a whole lot safer. Though Cubase Elements with only 1 activation is asking for trouble (I thought Elements was pretty well given away free with a packet of cornflakes isn't it? ). It will probably work for me. I can see many having an issue with it though - even around these parts you come across IT types who seem to change their OS like they change their underpants. So 3 activations ain't going to go very far.

I do feel a bit more reassured Steinberg haven't f**ked up Cubase for me, thanks.

AI and LE are their "free with puurchase" offerings. Elements is their paid next step up from those.

I went through a couple of versions of old versions often listed as SE or LE, then stopped using them for a few years. Came back on 5AI then bought into Pro at version 9Pro. Hated it though and sold it. Went back to 10AI and finally have settled on 11 Elements. I feel this is the happy medium for me with them. And although I do like 11 better than what I've previously had, I don't even think abought jumping back up to Pro again. Because I'd rather use plugins I can use anywhere.

Yeah, my best suggestion is getting one of those base versions from the 2nd hand market and then getting the upgrade to Elements during one of their sales. Or buying any version you want from the 2nd hand market.

Which brings up an even more important question with this new licensing.
"How does this effect license transfers?"