moan about my original ilok dying

[ksandvik]

You break or lose an iLok and then work in studio is a PITA. That's the biggest problem with these hardware dangles, not user-friendly, they are designed for protecting the engineering investment by the mother company and frankly speaking there are far better ways to do that nowadays for combating pirates.

I just give one example. Have an online distribution where you get new features one at a time if you register your email address with a callback token. Something SW pirates hate is to constantly change their code week after week, month after month. They give up.

[MrChang]

Funny timing with your post, djgizmo. No idea about licenses ever NOT being recovered, but I'm so feeling this with you.

My one year old iLok just bit the bullet yesterday. (Hey, at least my LED still lights up, but it's not looking good.) Untouched in the same Mac Pro USB port for the last year in a small machine room. Launched Pro Tools yesterday and got the "authorize your software" message. Went to iLok.com; dongle is not recognized there either. Did their whole song and dance of reinstalling iLok driver & client, repairing permissions, disconnecting other USB devices, etc., etc.

24 hours later: still no workie. Luckily for me I (1) just finished a huge V.O. delivery earlier this week and (2) compose in Logic, though PLAY is now completely down for the count.

I understand that the $30 per year they charge for the Zero Down Time plan (which, of course, I don't have) isn't a lot if your a professional to have for emergencies. And now seeing how delicate these things are, like they just stop working without cause, I'll probably get it. But, boy, it does feel very much like paying the mob to protect your business from... the mob. I just feel foolish paying additional fees, plus the cost of a new iLok... not to mention the weeks of time without the software, in order to regain use of software I have legally licensed.

And knowing all this can happen again... and again. Pretty sweet cash grab this here iLok. Wish I thought of it.

-End mini rant-

Best,

john

[SimonCharlesHann]

iLok have absolutely no right to exist and are nothing but disgusting greedy immoral pigs.

[PTbreaker]

I live in fear of my Ilok dieing. I wonder if waves moving away from it might help break the strangle hold that Ilok has on us.

[Duardo]

Something SW pirates hate is to constantly change their code week after week, month after month. They give up.

I've never had a problem with my iLok, but I'm not opposed to other options...but I would have a problem with having to type a new code in every week.

[djgizmo]

Just to give an update. iLok had my replacement out to me within 10 days. Not bad considering, but definitely scary. Hopefully the 2.0 version will last longer.

[Geoff738]

Originally Posted by djgizmo

Just to give an update. iLok had my replacement out to me within 10 days. Not bad considering, but definitely scary. Hopefully the 2.0 version will last longer.

Mine just died. Or at least no worky at the moment. Was fine this aft. After about 8 months in the same computer, non-smoking environment etc.

Will wait and see how this gets resolved. Who knows, may work fine tomorrow.

But, I was real hesitant about diving in to this, and well - now kinda wishing I'd held off. In any event, no more ilok software for me.

Cheers,
Geoff

[kennybro]

Originally Posted by MrChang

I understand that the $30 per year they charge for the Zero Down Time plan (which, of course, I don't have) isn't a lot if your a professional to have for emergencies. And now seeing how delicate these things are, like they just stop working without cause, I'll probably get it. But, boy, it does feel very much like paying the mob to protect your business from... the mob. I just feel foolish paying additional fees, plus the cost of a new iLok... not to mention the weeks of time without the software, in order to regain use of software I have legally licensed.

And knowing all this can happen again... and again. Pretty sweet cash grab this here iLok. Wish I thought of it.

-End mini rant-

Best,

john

Totally, totally agree, and agree again. They created a fallible system that puts your business in the toilet if a product they mandate for their own protection trashes, and then they charge 30 extra a year for the privilege of not losing your software rights because of their crap product that offers absolute zero added value for the user. This is racketeering and extortion, plain and simple. Sorry iLok, but it's true.

Yeah, I know. I can put my software on 10 computers and just lug my iLok around. I don't do that! And if my iLok trashes, all 10 computers instantly become worthless.

If you buy the damn mandated product that's for their protection only, it should be frikkin 100% bulletproof for those who have already paid up and are legitimate. At least free overnight delivery of a new iLok with my permissions already loaded, if I overnight my broken iLok to them. It's not the 30 bucks. It's the principal.

The public has pretty much rolled over to any kind of financial abuse that the computer industry can sucker up.

[Geoff738]

Originally Posted by Geoff738

Mine just died. Or at least no worky at the moment. Was fine this aft. ...
Who knows, may work fine tomorrow.
Cheers,
Geoff

Nope. Still dead. No phoenix-like rise from the ashes for mine.

I will say that given the presumably large number of them out there, it doesn't seem from what I can gather that all that many of them have kicked the bucket. But, seeing as mine is one of the ones that has, I still feel like kvetching.

Will see how it gets dealt with before I moan any more.

Cheers,
Geoff