Thanks Dub and Larry for the perspectives. If you can’t take I-Lok, there are viable alternatives, and that like it or not, I-Lok will prosper. Thanks to the vastman for pointing out that we are whiners and there are more important issues in the world.
 
Couple thoughts on this…sorry, not working so can do long tirades...
 
When the dialog degenerates into name calling over I-Lok, there are a couple problems involved dealing with a lack of perspective. This thread is like a Sunday school social compared with the outrages going on in other forums. The high horse stance, indignation, suffers from the same pathology whether you are here or on Gear Slutz.
 
The fact that there even are heated arguments points often to a lack of empathy between the two camps. There are those who have never had an issue with I-Lok. Somehow press a button and it is done. Migrate licenses no problem. What’s the issue with the whiners about a system that just works solid and without flaw. Then there are the ones like me that have had nothing but problems with the thing from day one. I don’t know why, it is just a forked up cause of continuous grief. As was said, there are more important issues. Among these, not having to spend hours and days trying to reclaim dumped licenses and fight to have another authorization added because you are really not trying to steal something.
 
A deeper lack of understanding fueling the spin into bad vibes involves not being able to separate out issues that are very close together. Those of software piracy and the counter measures of copyright protection.
 
There is a shallow mentation that assumes that if you are against I-Lok, you are against copyright protection, and maybe support piracy. At very least, you don’t care about the poor small developer trying to protect his product and support a family. This ain’t the case.
 
I’m confident that there is not a soul here who condones or engages in software piracy. There are a ton of recurring arguments why piracy is no big thing. None hold a sand grain of validity and I see no one arguing for any of it here. Have had the blessing to communicate with many devs over time. If one card comes up first in their assessment of the biggest threat to their survival, it is piracy. We only have to look back as far as Camel Audio and the death of Alchemy. Main reason for the demise. Piracy.
 
If you are against I-Lok, you are against software protection. Also ain’t the case.
 
Frustration is leveled not against the right of a developer to protect his investment or the concept of some manner of authorization. It is vented against a specific system that can be hell for some of us. For whatever reason, whatever the cause that singles you or your system as a target for grief. I-Lok can deliver perdition with style. The gift that keeps on giving.
 
Want to be objective about a problem with I-Lok, a warning I hope none of you run into. Not about good guys and bad guys. No name calling. A reality akin to running your system without a backup clone, but out of your control.
 
I had a computer meltdown, a newer Dell Inspiron. Motherboard was toast. Replaced the motherboard and the slow rebuild process began. Took over 2 weeks to just tread water again.
 
Authorizations were dumped like flies. Music and non music software reverting to the demo mode requiring authorization and sometimes reinstallation to reauthorize. Cakewalk stuff fried, all IK programs gone, AAS all gone, VB3, S-Gear, Sony video software. Programs out the yin yang no longer authorized. Noted that Kontakt Complete still retained its authorization though had to redirect it to a couple libraries.
 
In all cases, the reauthorization was about painless. Cakewalk and IK the least grief.
 
Then there was the I-Lok stuff…
 
All toasted as could be expected, but none would even come up in the demo mode. Fine variety of error messages from not being authorized on the computer to go buy another license if you want to use it.
 
Went to my I-Lok account again to look at the six computers registered. Three do not exist any more due to hardware failures and rebuilds. I-Lok policy (unless changed recently) cannot or will not remove a computer and the authorizations from your account in case of a catastrophic hardware failure. The dead computer has to be online to disable your authorizations. Otherwise it is your low life word alone that the computer no longer exists and your word carries no credibility with I-Lok.
 
Your only recourse is to go to each vendor and request new authorizations to be added to your account and sometimes having to argue about your motive. I cannot imagine what it would be like if you had 50 I-Lok plugs and your mobo went down.
 
Last observation and opinion…
 
In the meltdown, Peavey Revalver went south with everything else. I had ver 3 and ver 4 on the system. Ver 3 with online authorization dumped everything. Revalver 4 uses a dongle. It sailed thru the meltdown and required no online attempt to reactivate.
 
If you have a stable indoor studio that is not being moved around and a spare USB port on your computer that will not be disturbed, it may be wise to do everything with a physical dongle. Seems like this route is least destructive, painful in case of a serious meltdown. Like they say about the big earthquake out here, it’s not a matter of “if”, it’s a matter of “when”.
 
John

i recently had another ilok nightmare  but I fortunately got a lot of help from the manufacturer who provided me with an alternative install after ilok   and  gobbler went back and forth assessing blame for a month.  I'm glad it works out for so many, but I avoid it like the plague unless i have no choice. 

btw, companies making me deal with ilok AND gobbler will never be dealt with by me again lol
 

dubdisciple
btw, companies making me deal with ilok AND gobbler will never be dealt with by me again lol
 

Yep you right , i had an email from doundtoyz ralking about issues if we don t use last manager ...i didn t paid attention since all was good ...but then all the lexicon , softube ...went nutts so i updated ilok and it s all working like a charm , but that said i have astrange thing in gobbler and my softube thing , i have some plugins unde softuvbe raw , and sole under another names raw !! Strange and not clear who master this (gobbler , users or brands ) ....

I much prefer the iLok dongle over most challenge/response authorization schemes. The iLok challenge/response scheme seems to me to be the very worst out of those schemes. If your motherboard dies, you won't be getting any sympathy from Pace. You're just SOL with them. Same could be said if you lose your physical iLok. I still prefer the dongle. It allows me to move from one system to another without much fuss. I can build a completely new system, without much fuss. Some challenge/response schemes are far more draconian than a physical dongle. Trust me.
 
My favorite challenge/response scheme is one that puts me in control of my activations. Presonus does this with Studio One. I believe Toontrack does this also, as does Waves to some degree. I much prefer these schemes to any dongle based scheme.
 
In the end, it all depends on one's particular circumstance and habits, as to which scheme they get along with the best. Just my opinion.

ilok has the ZDT insurance scheme now. about $30 a year and you have to sign in to your account once every three months to keep the thumbdrive active. so if your dongle gets lost stolen you are covered (still some ambiguity with individual companies if they will supply licences to replacement dongle)

Yeah. I've always found the whole ZDT thing to be ambiguous, at best. I know that it will allow you to use the software for a certain amount of time while you are sending a dongle in for replacement, but I don't know about a 'lost or stolen' dongle. Maybe Pace attach some sort of 'Time bomb' to the 'insured' dongle. Don't really know...

I have had nothing but headaches with iLock/dongles. Def a deal breaker for me.

JohnKenn
Your only recourse is to go to each vendor and request new authorizations to be added to your account and sometimes having to argue about your motive. I cannot imagine what it would be like if you had 50 I-Lok plugs and your mobo went down.

It's a personal choice to do this to oneself. I speak only for myself. It makes 0.00¢ to me. I choose not to.

Exactly.
 
In my rebuild there were a lot of I-Lok programs. Stepped back from it looking at the road ahead with all the denials and lessons from past experiences.
 
Settled on one, Xpandi which is a great synth. I-lok fight itself was a dead end, no mercy for the little guy from their end. The Air Music devs were understanding and reset my license right beside the dead same computer. Figured I could deal with one Titanic the next time it happens.
 
Your perspective is clean. If you don't want to get stuck, don't roll around in thorns.
 
John