Cubase 12 - updated licensing info

[kritikon]

Yeah, I used to always have the full pro version, but coming back to music this time, I looked long and hard at it and settled for Artist. I still haven't come across anything that I'm obviously missing from Pro. I think I read that Artist has even improved from next version too - unlimited channels/groups etc (not that I needed more than the limit already there anyway). But I probably could happily use Elements too.

Off the top of my head, it's mostly the synths that are missing from the cut-down versions, and I have to say I was utterly underwhelmed by all of their synths. I thought they might have improved some of them by now. They have a bright tone that I kind of like but...would have to be desperate to use them. They remind me of Yamaha home organs but without the attitude.

[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.

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).

Well Studio One 5 is quite fun, some things are easier and more forward-looking, so I'm quite happily transferring a few projects over from Cubase (luckily not too many) and all new stuff will be created on SO5.

At least it looks like I'll be able to keep using HALion Sonic SE3 and Padshop 2 (or Pro, whatever it's called now) as I was preparing to ditch those and I have a few libraries on them, so there's some upside to it all I suppose.

[zvenx]

It would take an egregious act on Steinberg's part for me to dump it.
I know it too well and it fits my workflow too well.
After having had to give up on my previous DAW (SVP), I don't imagine I would want to have to learn a new DAW.
That said. I did buy Studio one Pro and have been updating it up to v4, although I have never used it in a project.
But because of its history it is pretty similar in workflow to Cubendo, so if such an egregious act happens it would be my plan B.
But for sure a licensing issue for me doesn't even come close to an egregious issue.
rsp

[wangeroge]

My guess is that Steinberg sees it's new licensing system as a replacement for iLok. They will try to get more plugin developers on board. PACE who own iLok also own JUCE. The JUCE API is slowly replacing VST2/VST3/AU/AAX as the default API for plugin developers.

[andypryce]

My guess is that Steinberg sees it's new licensing system as a replacement for iLok. They will try to get more plugin developers on board. PACE who own iLok also own JUCE. The JUCE API is slowly replacing VST2/VST3/AU/AAX as the default API for plugin developers.

 

What??

[JonSolo]

My guess is that Steinberg sees it's new licensing system as a replacement for iLok. They will try to get more plugin developers on board. PACE who own iLok also own JUCE. The JUCE API is slowly replacing VST2/VST3/AU/AAX as the default API for plugin developers.

JUCE is just a framework that works across multiple platforms. It makes programming VSTs easier across platforms such as IOS, Windows, and MAC without having to develop solely for a single platform. So it is not replacing VST, AU, or AAX, though it might replace the APIs used for developing those (VSTGUI or VSTSDK for example).

PACE did purchase JUCE, but that is not relevant to iLok, since iLok is a method of DRM...incidentally NOT the method of DRM used by Steinberg. Steinberg owns their own method called eLicenser. And that is what is going away... eLicenser. So their new licensing system is NOT a replacement for iLok.

Devs who formerly used eLicenser will have to choose on their own what method of development (JUCE or otherwise) for their plugins, and what method of DRM (iLok, C/R, etc) for their releases. But this has nothing to do with Steinberg or PACE.

[Hink]

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

Mod edit: I will absolutely delete this thread if one more person brings up warez..got it...good...

I also don't think a "fair" price will change anything about that. Even 10 € plugins are warezed. It seems to be the general consent in the industry that the copy protection has to be decent.

Not sure if discussing this will make sense though. Steinberg came to a decision, so, that's that. Funny that they went from one of the most effective (obviously) to one of the most ineffective method, but, that is not my problem. Or anyone else's here. For the customer, I think it's good. Unless they have to raise the price to make up for the suspected loss due to people switching to a warezed version of Cubase. That's actually something I never read anywhere, by the way. Seems to be totally lost on people. That companies have to make up for loss of sales, by passing the loss to the customer. There's no other way to do it. Well... actually there is. Shrinking the company, and sacking employees.

are we clear...not joking.

[rasmusklump]

That's exactly the aim of chh071 using his passive aggressive methods. He realized that he was wrong when Steinberg listened to their customer base.

[wangeroge]

JUCE is just a framework that works across multiple platforms. It makes programming VSTs easier across platforms such as IOS, Windows, and MAC without having to develop solely for a single platform. So it is not replacing VST, AU, or AAX, though it might replace the APIs used for developing those (VSTGUI or VSTSDK for example).

I know. I was talking about the API that the plugin developers use. Nobody who uses JUCE needs to look at the VST2/VST3/AU/AAX APIs anymore. JUCE can decide which VST2/VST3/AU/AAX features they implement and which not. Steinberg wants to be in a position where they decide about the API and Apple/Avid need to catch up. If JUCE is in the middle between VST2/VST3/AU/AAX and the plugin code Steinberg looses it's power.

PACE did purchase JUCE, but that is not relevant to iLok, since iLok is a method of DRM...incidentally NOT the method of DRM used by Steinberg. Steinberg owns their own method called eLicenser. And that is what is going away... eLicenser. So their new licensing system is NOT a replacement for iLok.

Devs who formerly used eLicenser will have to choose on their own what method of development (JUCE or otherwise) for their plugins, and what method of DRM (iLok, C/R, etc) for their releases. But this has nothing to do with Steinberg or PACE.

Steinberg's new licensing system is a replacement for eLicenser. And eLicenser is a competitor for iLok. iLok won. Now the next round starts. PACE bought JUCE for strategic reasons. They want to combine JUCE with iLok. And Steinberg doesn't like that.

[fese]

It would take an egregious act on Steinberg's part for me to dump it.
I know it to well and it fits my workflow to well. After having to give up on my previous DAW (SVP), I don't imagine I would want to have ot learn a new DAW.
That said. I did buy Studio one Pro and have been updating it up to v4, although I have never used it in a project.
But because of its history it is pretty similar in workflow to Cubendo, so if such an egregious act happens it would be my plan B.
But for sure a licensing issue for me doesn't even come close to an egregious issue.
rsp

Same here. I really don’t want to learn a new DAW. Sure, other DAWs might have some nice features that I’d like to have in Cubase, too, but then they’re also missing features that I rely upon and that I’d have to work around…
Whatever licensing system they’ll employ will be a non-issue to me.
At the moment I cannot really imagine what would make me want to switch, but yeah, S1 would probably be the plan B for me, too.

[zvenx]

100% Agree with you.
Indeed there are other functions that other DAWs have that I wish would be in Cubase one day, but workflow is key for me and for my workflow none could replace my DAW unless I really had to (Studio one Pro exception to a degree).

rsp

[Atlatnesiti]

Call me crazy, but I still prefer usb based activation
Hope it will be still with us

[midi_transmission]

Sounds a lot better than the online solution before.

When they would add a possibility in addition to use a usb thumb drive to activate it would be wonderful. In the studio I prefer usb solutions. Like plugin alliance or waves can do, but without the overhead of iLok or eLicenser.

If you eventually want to stop using the software on that computer and move it to another computer, you can run Steinberg Activation Manager to deactivate it, freeing up that activation for another computer.

There is always a downside. But I'm wondering how to deal with crashed computers that you can't deactivate.

Still, sounds promising that they listen and not like the worst solution that you can do.

[PAK]

There is always a downside. But I'm wondering how to deal with crashed computers that you can't deactivate.

Same as you'd do now if you lost your eLicenser dongle. You contact them and explain. They will (at their discretion) manually deactivate / replace a license without it counting against your total of 3.

Also remember this is only for perpetual licenses. They absolutely will add other types (the whole point, of them moving to this system, is to give them greater flexibility). So, if you regularly trash your OS install or move around a lot of machines, you will likely be able to get licenses which are intended to be used in a log into account / log out of account manner, as well as license types which reset every 30 days, at some future point - whether that's via rental or additional options for perpetual licenses.

Provided they continue to give users these choices, at reasonable costs, it's an improvement over the present system for almost everybody.

[EnGee]

One thing I hope it will make a difference in the performance and that is removing the code that keeps checking for e-licenser protection.

One thing I don't know is the license transfer within the new system. I hope it will be as easy as with Presonus (I don't mind reasonable fees).

Anyway, I'm definitely going to upgrade to the new system as it is more flexible with 3 manageable licenses