copy protection 2014

Hello,
I have never had trouble with Steinberg’s dongles (touch wood) so this is not a complaint about the existing copy protection scheme, but I’d like to start a discussion about perhaps reviewing and revising it.

Like many others, I have two computers, a studio workstation and a laptop. I have gotten to the point where I’d be comfortable taking my laptop on stage and use VI’s live, and Halion 5/HalionSonic 2 would be an essential part of my sonic arsenal.

However, I am concerned about the USB dongles. For starters, my laptop only has two USB ports, and I am not comfortable bringing a tiny dongle that holds all my licenses to a gig; the risk of loss, theft or damage is non-trivial.

Now, since Native Instruments and Spectrasonics have a dongle-free copy protection system that works, I wondered if it isn’t time for Steinberg to embrace the future and offer something similar?
NI and Spectrasonics allow you to install and use their products on more than just one computer at the same time, and that is of course the way to go for guys like me.

A different scenario is deployed by Waves, they dropped iLok in favor of Cloud licenses or generic USB devices. While the cloud thing is still cumbersome, I applaud the fact that they offer choice.

So how about it, Steinberg? Can we entertain the possibility of a dongle-free/multi-device future?

There is already a discussion here…

where a moderator has already said, “I do not see that happening in the near future…”

There are also MANY other discussions on a monthly, if not weekly, basis.

Perhaps we could have a discussion that is less worn out, such as, MAC vs. PC? :smiley:
HTH
J.L.

Aloha z,

For me personally I have been using Cubase live on stage
every weekend since SX3 with no dongle probs.

They do start to ‘wear’, so I replace them occasionally.

I treat my dongle like my ax. I am very very careful with it.

IMHO
if you are a serious live pro, you will carry more than one dongle (license).

{‘-’}

I’ll say one thing for the OP, at least he posts in the correct forum.

Apologies. I don’t frequent this forum a lot, and did not see any threads in this subforum.

Good to know, but more than one dongle, I thought Steinberg won’t let you keep licenses on more than one dongle? Do you pay for the extra licenses?
And my MBA only has 2 USB ports. I could work around that, but would prefer to use them for my keyboards.

Yes.

I consider it like getting a gig bag or flight case for my ax.

Just a necessary cost of doing ‘bitness’.
{‘-’}

And do they charge full price for the extra licenses?


It is strange to me that some of their lower-tier products are downloadable and do not require the hardware dongle, but not the top-tier stuff.

It feels a little like we get punished for buying the full/flagship versions… :cry:

Of course, the higher the value of the product, the greater the need to protect it from theft.