Ilok sux

[brandoncross]

I just had a ilok die on me too. Warranty must be up on them or something. This is an ilok 2 right?

[BIGBANGBUZZ]

Yeah the blue flash of death...
There goes a day or twos work :(
Seriously my employer has good lawyers and is thinking of suing...

Luckily for my employer I have a spare hd licence at home.

I'll run waves 7day demo's until I get the replacement.



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[amneely7]

Try this next time. http://www.ilok.com/ilok-zero-downtime.html
Cheaper than a lawsuit that won't fly... Stuff breaks sometimes; evidently iLok 2's too. I haven't used the new iLok yet, are they problematic?

[Pedantic Sound]

Originally Posted by amneely7

I haven't used the new iLok yet, are they problematic?

I've had no issues with mine for over a year now, but that's not a very long time. And I've not heard great things about Zero Downtime.

[scorpix74]

I created the same thread 3 months ago. This product sucks.
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[conleec]

Other than the fact that things do occasionally break, I'll be the first to say that iLok ROCKS. I far prefer carrying my iLok from studio to studio and simply installing my plugins than having to deal with a myriad of challenge/responses and deactivate/reactivate codes.

[brandoncross]

Things to break occasionally but an ilok should not and if it just fails, it should not cost 100 dollars to replace with licenses ect.. And 4 days. Thanks the point of ilok's and ilok 2's especially. If it's just sitting in a computer and fails, that's on them and all hands should be on deck to make things right. If you step on it or move it incorrectly, that's on you.

[rhumphries]

In the last 6 years I've gone through 3 computers in my main studio, but every Ilok I own is still working. Every time I change computers I curse all the vendors I have that don't use Ilok.

For all it's detractors, Ilok really is a convenient way to do licensing.

-Richard

[BIGBANGBUZZ]

My old Iloks are fine.. It's the new.
My issue is Protools needing Ilok to boot... That is bad business if u ask me.

Maybe they need to invent air lock


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[brandoncross]

Originally Posted by BIGBANGBUZZ

My old Iloks are fine.. It's the new.
My issue is Protools needing Ilok to boot... That is bad business if u ask me.

Maybe they need to invent air lock


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Yes the early ilok 2's had a issue. Any early adopter of pro tools 10 will probably have a ilok 2 breakdown soon.

[Airon]

That kind of protection scheme is ok as long as you're aware of the risks and benefits.

iLok is a risk for the user, not the vendors. Aside from a potentially unpleasant support call and license reissue, it's up to the user to fix the problem. The vendor can sit back and wait for a confirmation from PACE about whether their iLok is broken or not.

iLoks are the "we cannot and will not trust any of our users" option. Just how it is, as there are plenty of great people using the products for business when they can, without paying the vendors.


Then again, iLok products are always more expensive than without an iLok, which is a logical conclusion, not a market analysis. Implementing and mainting protection scheme which is based on a kernel-level driver architecture, costs time and money.


Thus you need to deal with that risk and make your purchases accordingly, keeping in mind the benefits of portable licenses, which is all iLoks ever were good for IMHO.

The iLok shares some risks with HD and floppy disk authorizations. Those however could usually be backed up or some vendors were lenient with replacements.

You usually have to send in your screwed up iLoks to PACE, who then gives you kind of a police report that gives the "it's broken and ok to replace licenses" clearance for you to give to the vendors.

The Zero downtime option gives you a two-week graceperiod with temp licenses. I don't know anyone who uses this without being in some kind of business in the audio world.


Personally I avoid iLoks like the plague these days. I have mine tucked away on its little USB tree and I never take it anywhere. The iLoks are unsturdy pieces of plastic. Pace has a hard time keeping their website up to date so you can transfer licenses to iLoks.

I can put Waves licenses on any kind of USB stick or harddisk these days. At least I get a decent choice there and it doesn't require some kernel-level driver that can screw up a system or make Protools sad. iLok is the reason I never bought Soundtoys and just rejected their latest so-called freebie. Love those plugins, but I have enough options around so I don't have to use them any longer.

[JSt0rm]

Why should they trust the users? It has been shown time and time again that people will steal content and software whenever they can.

If you don't like it then don't buy it. But don't complain that companies in business would try to stop people from stealing their hard work.

[scorpix74]

Bravo.

[BIGBANGBUZZ]

I think it's time for some kind of cloud device,
Can't the license be stored on an internet server as well so at least zero downtime is zero downtime.
I was in the s@#t on Friday over a $50 dongle. After speaking with a few people and googling Ilok blue flash it seems the 2nd generation aren't as bullet proof as the old ones.

I think waves have a better system, and it can be portable too.


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[JSt0rm]

Have you been following the simcity 2013 debacle? If not take a read about always on drm in the cloud. We have it good.

[Airon]

Originally Posted by BIGBANGBUZZ

I think it's time for some kind of cloud device,
Can't the license be stored on an internet server as well so at least zero downtime is zero downtime.

That's more of an option for folks with garanteed net access with subscription services where the vendor is contractually obligated to provide the services, and gets penalized if they don't.

If your ISP can garantee a degree of net connectictivty, great. If not, your business now depends on yet another company's performance that may be dodgy or not. It's an additional risk, just like fire and burglary is.

I was in the s@#t on Friday over a $50 dongle. After speaking with a few people and googling Ilok blue flash it seems the 2nd generation aren't as bullet proof as the old ones.

I think waves have a better system, and it can be portable too.

Can anyone share experiences they've had with Waves for events like broken USB sticks that had licenses on them or trashed hard drives that had the license on them ?

I'm curious to hear how lenient they are in that regard.

[BIGBANGBUZZ]

From memory reading Waves if your
Computer or stick break. It's an instant fix.

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[itsyourself]

Well I have never heard of a syncrosoft dongle breaking, or the old Logic dongle, and the Reason one looks solidly built and trustworthy. The issue is build quality, apart from the awful ilok service, and the ilok appears to be cheaply and poorly built. For something so important that sucks, and displays a certain attitude on ilok's part. I like Spectrasonics and Reason's policies, Waves have improved massively - good on these companies to think about things from a user perspective. Reason has a dongle, but have implemented the use of it far more intelligently. There is no incentive for ilok to do so, they have a lousy attitude towards the user, because their customer is the software people. The user is just a criminal-in-waiting, and gets treated like an afterthought, who must wait on their convenience. The downtime thing is also a poorly implemented scheme, which still leaves you pleading with manufacturers. It is rubbish, and I have no confidence in my own ilok, which makes me nervous.

[smurfyou]

iLok has its merits and drawbacks as everyone has pointed out. I can say I've had very good experience with their support. I've only had problems with licenses not the dongle itself (knock on wood) but I've also only got original iLok's not the newer ones.

And I agree, you can't trust people to not steal software. Some sort of protection is always needed. I for one would never want to rely on a cloud solution. Waves portable authorizations have worked well for me so far, with the main drawback needing to install software. Beats a machine-specific hard drive authorization and no dongle to break.

[scorpix74]

Why do you care about people who steal plugin whenyou buy them?

[JSt0rm]

Originally Posted by scorpix74

Why do you care about people who steal plugin whenyou buy them?

Well I want the plug in industry to continue to evolve and make good products. If everyone steals software then there is less incentive to produce newer or more complex stuff.

[scorpix74]

When YOU buy them!
What would you like to be annoyed more than the crack guys?

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[toolskid]

Originally Posted by rhumphries

In the last 6 years I've gone through 3 computers in my main studio, but every Ilok I own is still working. Every time I change computers I curse all the vendors I have that don't use Ilok.

For all it's detractors, Ilok really is a convenient way to do licensing.

-Richard

Ilok's a nice idea, but flawed for professional use. If they were robust and properly guaranteed products I couldn't argue with them.

I was mixing a major artist's track and one of my iloks died mid session.

That alone is unacceptable.

I was covered with zdt (a rather unpleasant extra charge for the ilok product's potential instability) so got replacement licenses through eventually

I then had to ship their defective product back to America on my dime...and hope waves would replace my licenses.

Definitely left a sour taste. I still have to use them (i have hundreds of licenses on mine...)

I wish more people offered an alternative.

[apple-q]

I wish there was a way to transfer licenses remotely to my ilocks.

Often I hand my ilock over to an assistant that takes care of a mix in a different city. SOmetimes it turns out he need a license that is with me so the only way to get it over is to physically ship a transport-ilock over night.

Would be great if I could login to ilock.com and move a license to a remote key so the other end isn't stuck for a day waiting for the physical shipment.

[quadraphonics]

I am not a big fan of iLok 2s either. Of the few I have had, more than one have failed - contrasted to the old blue ones (of which I managed over 20) and only had one fail due to user error.

That being said, I think we can all agree that there needs to be a balance between the needs of a company protecting their IP and the end users n eed to have a functional Audio system. The ability to move from system to system is great for those who freelance and move from facility to facility.

The problem arises however in the fact that we are being asked to pay for these companies copy protection. It is hard not to get jaded when an iLok fails and one is asked to pay an expidite fee of $200 to get a replacement DRM dongle with one's purchased licenses. (Yes, there are alternatives). From a customer service stand point, this could be seen as a fail. Since the copy protection is mandated at purchase (Pro Tools, many of the Plug ins, etc) that copy protection should not require an additional purchase and subsequent isurance to guarantee its functioning.

Randall

Originally Posted by BIGBANGBUZZ

Who was the idiot who decided to put Protools Licences on an Ilok...
Right in the middle of numerous big jobs and the Ilok kicks the bucket...
Avid and Ilok might be hearing from my Lawyer........ Grrrrrrr

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[BIGBANGBUZZ]

I just think Ilok should run a back up cloud authorisation, at least if there is failure, there is a quick solution.

In the end I would have been out of
Action for 3.5 fully booked days.
Luckily I was able to get a Protools HD licence
And I ran waves demo licences to get me out of the poo.

I got one of my managers to organise the Ilok to be sent via a very expensive express courier from Australia to The USA.

In the end only lost 5-6 hours or so downtime. But I'm still playing catch up at work, stress
I could of done with out.

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[djanthonyw]

Never using any products that require iLok, or any other dongle again. So many great alternative products, which are just as good, are available that don't require them.

[atomsound]

I've had huge problems with iLok in the past. BSODs everywhere. It calmed down after we moved to Win7. There was an occasion when we bought a plug, and had no option but to install a cracked version because it was the only way we could get it to work. We still see issues cropping up from time to time - the soundtoys freebie failed to work for one of my team, because he couldn't get the license onto his iLok.

The galling thing is that iLok copy protection doesn't work! It doesn't prevent software from being cracked. This means that legit users are effectively punished for buying software. No wonder some people feel that iLok is to be avoided altogether.