Thoughts on Ilok?

[starflakeprj]

more than 80% of my plugins are iLok.

iLok is great on 2buss and adds that extra analog warmth to a mix.

I highly recommend it.
But there are also devs with iLok that are not my cup of tea at all like Softube.

I guess you skipped the Ilok Version that broke windows a few years ago then.
That one gave me so much warmth that i almost overheated when i had to reinstall windows and all my plugins again (Except for the Ilok ones until they fixed it).

As I recall, the whole “iLok version that broke Windows” thing happened because some developers, looking at you, AIR Music Tech, insisted on forcing an outdated installer over whatever newer version you already had.

Otherwise, I actually think iLok is the best license manager out there. You don’t have to juggle hundreds of separate activations, everything just works (if you have an iLok USB key that is, but I don't see any reason not to have one).

[bk]

I don't mind ilok, but I would recommend just biting the bullet and getting a dongle.
I used machine authorization for awhile, but had to replace a defective DVD burner (yes, it's been awhile). All my ilok plugs stopped working, and I had to wait until ALL the vendors responded and re-authorized my plugs,
Yes, it's totally my fault. I could have simply unauthorized them before I swapped drives, but I simply didn't realize the DVD burner was part of the machine ID. Then in the ilok manager, I clicked that the old system was no longer available, and that was that. You play the waiting game. Begging manufacturers for the right to use your software again.
I ordered, and received the dongle before all the devs even responded. I think Izotope was the last dev to respond. It took them a little over a week.

[dblock]

I don't think ilok is the big boogeyman some people make it out to be. You'll most likely to go many years without any issues at all. I never considered not buying a plugin I wanted because it comes on ilok. Way too many good plugins I wanted go on it. That's not to say iloks can never have a problem, but the odds are extremely small.

[ramseysounds]

I love Ilok. Never had a problem with it. If you choose to pass on plugins because of it, that’s your choice

[sQeetz]

I guess you skipped the Ilok Version that broke windows a few years ago then.
That one gave me so much warmth that i almost overheated when i had to reinstall windows and all my plugins again (Except for the Ilok ones until they fixed it).

I guess there isn't anything that can't break Windows including bricks....

[ffx]

Here is my take on it: ilok with local license is ok, the ilok software is quite simple to use, once you understand it. But using ilok still seems to be a bad idea. I think software vendors should finally realize that their software will be cracked, no matter how much time or money they invest into the protection. The better choice might be to deal with this fact, and instead focus on good customer benefits, like some little updates here and there, bugfixing and nice customer service, a good overall experience.

Also ilok implementations, mostly in combination with encryption techniques, are known to slow down the software, using much more ram, and even more cpu cycles. This is very bad in realtime audio dsp tech, and per se a bad approach, since the honest customer now will have a objectively worse and slower version than the cracked version.

Nowadays there are enough working examples of vendors who do not use ilok, only using a more basic mechanism to prevent simple copying. IMHO the vendors still using ilok are proving that there is something fishy with the pricing/marketing: The normal prices than are completely unrealistic and even not fair, while the defacto algorithms are nothing else than their competitors. If the marketing is much bigger than the actual work on the product, yeah then the marketing manager will decide to use ilok...

Also maybe it might be worth a thought, once a plugin was cracked, to remove ilok and switch to a less intrusive protection. Playing the cat-and-mouse game does not seem to be very productive...

[Alexander_D]

Here is my take on it: ilok with local license is ok, the ilok software is quite simple to use, once you understand it. But using ilok still seems to be a bad idea. I think software vendors should finally realize that their software will be cracked, no matter how much time or money they invest into the protection. The better choice might be to deal with this fact, and instead focus on good customer benefits, like some little updates here and there, bugfixing and nice customer service, a good overall experience.

Also ilok implementations, mostly in combination with encryption techniques, are known to slow down the software, using much more ram, and even more cpu cycles. This is very bad in realtime audio dsp tech, and per se a bad approach, since the honest customer now will have a objectively worse and slower version than the cracked version.

Nowadays there are enough working examples of vendors who do not use ilok, only using a more basic mechanism to prevent simple copying. IMHO the vendors still using ilok are proving that there is something fishy with the pricing/marketing: The normal prices than are completely unrealistic and even not fair, while the defacto algorithms are nothing else than their competitors. If the marketing is much bigger than the actual work on the product, yeah then the marketing manager will decide to use ilok...

Also maybe it might be worth a thought, once a plugin was cracked, to remove ilok and switch to a less intrusive protection. Playing the cat-and-mouse game does not seem to be very productive...

Totally agree! I am not using Ilok after some years with that system. And it's totally fine for me. Of course some great plugins on this system, but I was found alternatives. If someday they leave this system I will be happy if course. If not - it's totally OK for me as well.

[ATS]

I just had to bed a couple of devs for another authorization since I used them all. With ilok I don't have to do that. Been using ilok for many years and always been fine.

[revvy]

I just had to bed a couple of devs for another authorization

That’s f**king extreme copy protection.

[ATS]

I just had to bed a couple of devs for another authorization

That’s f**king extreme copy protection.

lol yeah, I just saw that, meant beg but that is better lol

[koalaboy]

Over 400 licenses in my ilok and $30/year insurance if anything goes wrong ? I'm very happy.

I trust the ilok to keep track of licenses far more than most other things. All in one place.

I get that some people don't like that, but it means I don't have to keep hunting around/recording serials, or license files, or online re-auths or whatever.

I don't mind serials from some devs, as they make it very easy to retrieve and have great customer support (u-he) but overall I prefer the simplicity of the USB.

[casiobioassay]

I had 2 iLok dongles from 2004. Both got lost and the emails associated with them are not accessable now - I am not even sure of the emails now. What are the chances of getting licences now. I haven't used them for ten years or so.

[VladK]

I had 2 iLok dongles from 2004. Both got lost and the emails associated with them are not accessable now - I am not even sure of the emails now. What are the chances of getting licences now. I haven't used them for ten years or so.

Not sure what you mean here. iLok user ID is different from e-mail. You can login to your account and change e-mail there.

[casiobioassay]

I had 2 iLok dongles from 2004. Both got lost and the emails associated with them are not accessable now - I am not even sure of the emails now. What are the chances of getting licences now. I haven't used them for ten years or so.

Not sure what you mean here. iLok user ID is different from e-mail. You can login to your account and change e-mail there.

and if you can't log in?

[Touch The Universe]

Run