KVR Audio

iainduncan · Post by **iainduncan** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:44 pm

Before I rant, let me say that a) I earn my living as a programmer, and b) while I used cracks when I was a young punk 15 years ago, I now use only legit purchased software.

If you are using iLok now, you are losing business. I, and many like me, will never ever buy your product. iLok inconveniences your *legit* customers. It does nothing to prevent piracy, any decent cracker can crack iLok protected code and any idiot can find cracks online. If we purchase your software, it's because we believe in supporting companies and doing the right thing. It's not because we have to because of your obsolete technology choices. All iLok does is make my life more difficult should I choose your product, and with all the fantastic new plugin companies that don't use it, I don't need to put up with that. ( U-He, FxPansion, Rob Pappen, Stillwell, Klanghelm, Valhalla DSP, the list goes on and on and on).

It's 2013. If I want software, I should have it *running on my computer* five minutes after I decide to buy from the comfort of my home. I don't need a store, a box, a paper manual, or any idiotic physical copy protection crap, and I don't want to pay your overhead for any of that stuff either. If you're still thinking people want to buy that way, you are dramatically reducing your market, and as younger people who have grown up in the post-e-commerce world become a larger section of your market, this will only get worse. (I'm 39, so I remember the Cubase dongle, it didn't work then and it still doesn't). The idea of having to go down to my local store between 10am and 6pm to buy an iLok, and then not being able to work because I lost it somewhere is just totally crazy in this day and age. Everything for my business is backed up online. Can't do that with an iLok....

I would have bought Slate Digital VBC this year until I saw the words iLok. I can afford it. I won't because you're treating your customers poorly.

Iain Duncan
Vancouver, BC

beau921 · Post by **beau921** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 7:54 pm

And, in other news, I wish all my software licenses were on my iLok.

Funny, that, huh.

Sampleconstruct · Post by **Sampleconstruct** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:05 pm

Despite all the notorious iLok-rants over the Interweb, using an iLok doesn't bother many people, me included.

iainduncan · Post by **iainduncan** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:06 pm

There is a LOT of software in the world. Other industries don't use this crap. They ensure people buy licenses by giving them great support. I work in IT, tons of companies selling WAY more expensive software manage to do fine without this balogna.

iain

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:07 pm

Former crackhead /*I should have*/ dislikes a copy protect method.

Alert the media.

havran · Post by **havran** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:10 pm

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:18 pm

The steinberg, aka vienna key always worked here. I def. prefer it. If everything used it, I'm good; download a licence once, done. I've broken a dongle and the support from both vendors kept me running.
donno how you f**ked that one up, really.

just a tip, "I now use only legit purchased software" as half of your bona fides looks kind of precious.

iainduncan · Post by **iainduncan** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:23 pm

Right, so no one here has ever broken copyright? records, photocopies, or all software? gimme a break, I call bs on that. I figured I'd be honest just to point out that, as with music, many of your feared pirates later become wealthier and become great customers. I'm one of them.

The point is, nobody ever decides not to buy software because they wish it had iLok. Loads of people decide not to because it does. I haven't used cracked software in over 10 years and have spent thousands of dollars on software in the last few years and have designs on another grand of purchases in the next few months. I don't run any cracks at all. I'm a customer they want to have. And I know many many people in my peer group who don't buy iLok software, but are shelling out dough for Ableton, Logic, U-He stuff, etc.

Remember, in business the sound of lost sales is .... silent. All that matters in software is gross revenue because the cost of duplication is zero. If your marketing practises don't result in the maximal revenue you could get, you're doing it wrong. I would have had no problem shelling out $250 for VBC, but have zero interest in iLoked products

iain

iainduncan · Post by **iainduncan** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:26 pm

And if anyone from Slate does read this, I'll be buying the Glue instead. Sure I'm one guy, but I'm indicative of many more who say nothing.

havran · Post by **havran** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:27 pm

I have little interest in products that contain high-fructose corn syrup. End of story. No arm-twisting, just saying.

superscan · Post by **superscan** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:33 pm

I also will not support software that requires iLok. I don't mind non-dongled licensing methods (NI, u-he, etc.) I don't have the desire to own a few more USB trinkets. Spare ports on a rMBP are scarce as it is. Judging by my 108 audio units I surely have bought too much. So thank you to those vendors requiring iLok, you saved me $$$.

cron · Post by **cron** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:38 pm

... It does nothing to prevent piracy, any decent cracker can crack iLok protected code and any idiot can find cracks online. ...

It seems to me that iLok 2 has actually been hugely effective in preventing piracy of the products that use it! As far as I'm aware no product using it has been cracked.

I won't use it personally because I don't like the notion of paying extra for copy protection (perhaps if there was a rebate on your first iLok enabled software or something), and I'm a firm believer that convenience and quality service is the best weapon against piracy (look at Steam). Still, the thing is uncracked so credit where it's due.

Neon Breath · Post by **Neon Breath** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 8:49 pm

Who cares. Don't like it, don't use it. That's it.

I don't like white bread, I think I'll start a thread in a bread forum just to let people know I prefer whole wheat bread. (and that I'm very regular)

hibidy · Post by **hibidy** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:10 pm

Finally, some life being breathed back into KVR!

You know my stance. NO ILOK2! but I have had or have had the others and prefer not to use a dongle. It's a lifestyle choice

iainduncan · Post by **iainduncan** » Tue Oct 22, 2013 9:15 pm

A lot of people are saying "well then don't use it, shut up, what's your point"...

My point is to complain to the vendors so that they know *why* I am not choosing their offering. Companies do make choices based on customer feedback. Software companies do think hard about licenses, copy protection, and what their marketing scheme is based on. That's what I'm doing, it most emphatically does have a purpose. It will not accomplish anything by itself, but it may in the aggregate. Clearly I'm not the only one on here who doesn't want to buy over iLok. All I'm doing is making some noise so vendors consider that it has a downside.

And if you really don't care what I think, what are you doing reading it and commenting? Especially with the ad hominum attacts on my ethics, puuleease.

Anyhoo, enough noise made, off to research more options!

iain

Open letter to companies still using iLok ( looking at you Slate Digital )