Agreed, a serial number would be best, but I am afraid that a lot of users ( including myself ) will absolutely refuse to buy anything with a dongle...
In my opinion a dongle is much worse than the Challenge/Response protection. At least with C/R you can run ST2 on 2 machines at the same time...
Also I understand if you request a fourth code by email for a good reason, e.g. replaced your hard disk, I understand that IK does not make an issue out of this and issue a new C/R code.
If anyone has any suggestions or requests regarding ST2...
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- KVRAF
- 1981 posts since 29 Feb, 2004
By the way,
I have place ST2 Dll's, program files AND all sounds on a FAT32 partition instead of on the HPFS partition.
Then I used Win98 to defragment the FAT32 partition. Since then I get very fast speeds for both loading the ST2 VST-plugin and loading the sounds...
I have place ST2 Dll's, program files AND all sounds on a FAT32 partition instead of on the HPFS partition.
Then I used Win98 to defragment the FAT32 partition. Since then I get very fast speeds for both loading the ST2 VST-plugin and loading the sounds...
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- KVRAF
- 2973 posts since 18 Oct, 2004
I only have one computer anyway, so a dongle would be much better for me.asseca wrote:Agreed, a serial number would be best, but I am afraid that a lot of users ( including myself ) will absolutely refuse to buy anything with a dongle...
In my opinion a dongle is much worse than the Challenge/Response protection. At least with C/R you can run ST2 on 2 machines at the same time...
Also I understand if you request a fourth code by email for a good reason, e.g. replaced your hard disk, I understand that IK does not make an issue out of this and issue a new C/R code.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4692 posts since 28 Jan, 2003 from In these very interwebs
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- KVRAF
- 2973 posts since 18 Oct, 2004
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- KVRist
- 85 posts since 14 Oct, 2002
Yeah...challenge/response can be a pain - but it is so much better than either a dongle or, God forbid, PACE.
Dongles can cause all sorts of issues with the system, anywhere from sapping CPU, causing memory leaks, USB bus hogging, preventing bi-directional printer communications (for parallel dongles), etc. Lose the dongle - you're completely screwed.
I like the Sonar method = serial number only. Unfortunately, not everyone is honest, and software like Sonar can be pretty easily posted for download - though ST2XL would be quite an awful lot to download.
Is SS2 going to use the same system? If getting the upgrade of sounds only from sampletank 2xl to ss2, will the C/R for just ST2 suffice.
Just a few thoughts.
Dongles can cause all sorts of issues with the system, anywhere from sapping CPU, causing memory leaks, USB bus hogging, preventing bi-directional printer communications (for parallel dongles), etc. Lose the dongle - you're completely screwed.
I like the Sonar method = serial number only. Unfortunately, not everyone is honest, and software like Sonar can be pretty easily posted for download - though ST2XL would be quite an awful lot to download.
Is SS2 going to use the same system? If getting the upgrade of sounds only from sampletank 2xl to ss2, will the C/R for just ST2 suffice.
Just a few thoughts.
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- KVRAF
- 4878 posts since 13 Jun, 2002 from Montreal
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- Skunk Mod
- 21249 posts since 10 Jun, 2004 from Pony Pasture
Good thread, jeez. Just sent in my suggestions, which include mouse wheel scrolling in the browser and the ability to save display color settings in .ikmp instrument preset files. (I'd like to be able to load a "brasses" instrument that appears in yellow, then a violet "strings and ensembles" preset into another instance, for... um, for instance.)
I didn't mention this to IK, but has anyone noticed that the row of numbers across the top of the "case" doesn't match up with the imitation XLR connectors in the rear view? :-D Not that it matters, it's just decoration. Still and all... heh...
Oh -- I'm not crazy about C/R authorization, but I would never buy software that requires a dongle. Repulsive things. Requiring a dongle is a sure way to lose me as a customer.
Meffy
I didn't mention this to IK, but has anyone noticed that the row of numbers across the top of the "case" doesn't match up with the imitation XLR connectors in the rear view? :-D Not that it matters, it's just decoration. Still and all... heh...
Oh -- I'm not crazy about C/R authorization, but I would never buy software that requires a dongle. Repulsive things. Requiring a dongle is a sure way to lose me as a customer.
Meffy
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4692 posts since 28 Jan, 2003 from In these very interwebs
More importantly, not all the XLR outputs are connected! That really bothers me.Meffy wrote:I didn't mention this to IK, but has anyone noticed that the row of numbers across the top of the "case" doesn't match up with the imitation XLR connectors in the rear view?
Forever,
Kim.
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- KVRAF
- 2973 posts since 18 Oct, 2004
Hmmm, I wasn't aware of all the problems a dongle could cause. Sounds pretty bad.
If you have the kind of computer that crashes and burns all the time, you might have to re-install Sampletank multiple times.
Also, sooner or later someone's going to crack the encrpytion algorithm IK uses, which means they'll have to completely redesign the C/R system. Maybe it's been cracked already, dunno.
C/R shows a high level of distrust on the part of the company. My feeling is, if someone truly wants to steal your software, they'll find a way to steal it. No point in alienating paying customers with annoying C/R methods. You might be stopping some illegal copying, but you'll also be losing customers.
*shrugs*
My two cents for the day.
Um, it sucks?Beardedone wrote:What's wrong with Challenge-Response?
If you have the kind of computer that crashes and burns all the time, you might have to re-install Sampletank multiple times.
Also, sooner or later someone's going to crack the encrpytion algorithm IK uses, which means they'll have to completely redesign the C/R system. Maybe it's been cracked already, dunno.
C/R shows a high level of distrust on the part of the company. My feeling is, if someone truly wants to steal your software, they'll find a way to steal it. No point in alienating paying customers with annoying C/R methods. You might be stopping some illegal copying, but you'll also be losing customers.
*shrugs*
My two cents for the day.
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- KVRer
- 2 posts since 15 Dec, 2004
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Hello all,My name is Noam and I am silently lurking in this forum for quite a while. I am using ST2XL (and also got the whole SS everything bundle in the 1st group buy) and I think it's a great product, not to mention SR's exceptionally friendly and efficient customer care.
I decided to "break my silence" and post here (for the first time!), because I do think that there are some major issues with ST2XL that should to be solved. Interestingly, the most burning issue, as far as I'm concerened, is closely related to the one stated above by asseca.
I have recently got myself a nice shiny Edirol PCR-30 keyboard, because I wanted to be able to fiddle with sounds in ST2 (and other programs) intuitively while I play and record in Cubase. I was really surprised and dissapointed to see how limited the MIDI-CC assignment system in ST2 is: I find it SHOCKING (sorry for shouting) that one cannot create a global MIDI-CC assignment to be used in any part and any sound in ST2. That is, I want the convenience of selecting whatever preset in whatever part and be able to play with my keyboard's knobs using my favorite layout, e.g., control envelope attack with slider 1, STRETCH formant with knob 7 and so on. In reality, whenever I switch to another sound/preset, I need to re-map all the MIDI-CCs from scratch! This makes the whole thing totally impractical and useless. The only thing that is retained accross all presets is the default assignment of CCs 12-15 (I think) to the 4 "Macro" (a.k.a. "User") knobs in ST2.
I've been wondering for some time before posting here how this functionality sould be added to ST2. One could suggest wizards, setup screens, "MIDI-CC mapping preset" files to go with presets and so on. But, being practical, I tried to think of the most straightforward and simple to implement with minimum work (for IK programmers) to do it. My suggestion is to add an ASCII configuration file (or, alternatively, additional entries in the ST2 preferences file) that will simply contain a list of {parameter + CC# + range} assignments. This will be the default assignment which will be activated whenever a preset is selected. Then I read this in asseca's post above:
and I said to myself: "Whoa! This is already implemented, exactly as I wished!". I am still scratching my head here, pondering why on earth IK chose to leave this feature undocumented!? Now, unfortunately, I couldn't find in asseca's website any .stcc file (only a list of his preferred mapping, but apparently not in the appropriate format. It didn't work when I tried it), so I have no idea what the syntax should be. So my request from IK is: If there is indeed such a hidden feature - a text configuration file for a customized default MIDI-CC mapping, please unhide it! Tell us what the proper syntax is! If there is no such feature and I misunderstood asseca's words, then please add this functionality! For now, it is impractical to work with ST2 and any MIDI controller with multiple knobs and/or sliders!asseca wrote:jeez,
On this web page (http://www.asseca-pt.net//stcc.html) I have drawn a midiCC-map to show that it is possible to have all controls of ST2 mapped to one single CC. Such a CC-map could be saved as a .STCC file, which is set in the "ST2pref.txt" as "midiCC=mycc.STCC".
When I think of it, even a simpler feature would suffice: A fixed, yet complete (i.e. for ALL parameters, not just the "Macros") MIDI-CC assignment for ST2. I will configure my MIDI controller accordingly, no problem.
I will post this request in IK's suggestion page as well. Any opinions on this? Does anyone know how .stcc files should be created? Maybe someone can post an example .stcc file?
I have more suggestions for ST2 improvement, but that will wait for another post.
OK, back to lurk-mode. Roger.
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 4692 posts since 28 Jan, 2003 from In these very interwebs
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- Sonic Reality Head Chef
- 8566 posts since 11 Mar, 2002 from Florida
You know, if you want to hear about how Challenge-Response sucks I have heard an experience from a friend of mine that makes IK look pretty darn good with their 3 automatic authorizations. A friend of mine bought GPO which comes with the Kontakt Player and he needed to re-authorize Kontakt Player and couldn't get a new authorization for over a week (still doesn't have it in fact!). They give you only ONE??? Lame.
What is worse is that you can't even read the library in Kontakt without that crappy little version authorized. So, when I heard this I thought of how much better IK's system is than THAT! You get up to 3 automatic authorizations (also allows you to put it on multiple machines as long as they are your own which apparently GPO and other Kontakt/Kompakt modules do not) and you can get more if you need them.
Now that there is the new wizard which seemlessly copies and pastes plus easy directions to follow, I think that IK's challenge-response system and additional authorizations is one of the better forms of copy protection. I lose dongles (too small) and I had a VERY annoying experience trying to replace a dongle for one of my sequencers. Just my thoughts since it was brought up.
What is worse is that you can't even read the library in Kontakt without that crappy little version authorized. So, when I heard this I thought of how much better IK's system is than THAT! You get up to 3 automatic authorizations (also allows you to put it on multiple machines as long as they are your own which apparently GPO and other Kontakt/Kompakt modules do not) and you can get more if you need them.
Now that there is the new wizard which seemlessly copies and pastes plus easy directions to follow, I think that IK's challenge-response system and additional authorizations is one of the better forms of copy protection. I lose dongles (too small) and I had a VERY annoying experience trying to replace a dongle for one of my sequencers. Just my thoughts since it was brought up.
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- KVRAF
- 2973 posts since 18 Oct, 2004
I'm actually considering GPO, so I'm glad you brought this up. Huh, gives me something to think about. Doesn't sound too appetizing.
Still, these software companies should just give us a damn auth code with the product and be done with it!
Still, these software companies should just give us a damn auth code with the product and be done with it!