So I've been thoroughly enjoying playing with BFD3. The sounds are just amazing and the kit designer works very well. Couple bugs, but nothing audio related. I'm happy. However their license manager is garbage. It won't activate products, and if I tell it to send a ticket it spawns thousands of modular error windows and has to have its process killed. I have to log out, and do a manual activation (export file, use browser, import) to activate stuff. Annoying.
 
So I contact FXPansion to let them know and see what is up. Their response? "You need to disable UAC." No. I don't. That is NOT an acceptable solution in 2014. UAC is a useful security feature, it is well documented, and it prevents -nothing- for software that escalates privilege. Everything written properly works fine with UAC.
 
It is just lazy programming. What annoys me more is it often comes from the Mactarded developers, which FXPansion seems to be for sure. Thing is, OS-X has a feature like UAC that you can't disable. It isn't precisely the same thing, since Windows and OS-X have different permissions structures, but it works in the same way in that you run as a deprivileged user and escalate to the privileged account (root in OS-X, Administrator in Windows).
 
So they damn well can make it work on Windows, they are just lazy about it.
 
I could accept the UAC whining in 2006 when Vista came out, since it was new (though realistically any software that properly followed MS's development guidelines since 1999 would work no problem) but it has been over 7 years. This is not an ok answer. Fix your code, don't tell users to make their systems less secure.
 
/rant

Shouldn't you be posting this on the fx forum ? Why are you posting it here ?
 
I only see one post from you on the fx forum where you were suggesting that BFD3 should be capable of more than 128 simultaneous voices which Jord answered and you failed to respond to.
 
And actually disabling UAC is relevant for windows 7 though I'm not sure about windows 8 but you haven't said what os you're running ?
 
Disabling UAC is just one of many things tech support might suggest in the hope it might fix your problem.
So did you disable it ? It sounds as though you are refusing to follow their suggestions which is silly as it's a good thing to do full stop. If you google windows 7 tweaks for audio it's always hight on the list of things you should do.
 
I've not heard of anyone one on the fx forum having your problem of spawning modular error windows ?That sounds like the kind of thing that happens when you're computer's picked up a virus.
I would suggest you post this on the fx forum as it really has no place here and you might find someone who has had the same problem and perhaps disabling UAC worked for them ?
I'd also suggest you disable your UAC if you haven't already if only because it's still a valid and worthwhile thing to do if only to stop nagging pop screens asking if you are sure you have permission to do this.
 
 
Steve

Running it in Win 8.1....no issues whatsoever....

I have BFD3 too and run it on Windows 8.1 with Sonar X3d producer and seem to have few problems. None actually. I did not disable UAC. 
 
I can't talk about Windows 7. Never had it except as a preview. 

BFD3 here on Win7 64bit, 2 separate machines, and so far, no problems. UAC disabled.
 

I run 8 and no, haven't disabled UAC. It is not something I consider acceptable tech support. UAC is an excellent additional layer of security, there's a reason it is in modern OSes. I'm just ranting because I get tired when tech support suggests stupid things to do (I do tech support professionally) and when programmers are lazy and refuse to adopt new technologies.
 
I did contact FXPansion's tech support, hence where I got the "disable UAC" troubleshooting tip. Hence my rant.

I can understand where you're coming from. I always ran UAC until I bought some Waves products a year ago. I had all kinds of issues with them and that was one of the Waves tech support suggestions was to turn UAC off.
 
I didn't like it at all but now I don't miss having UAC off and have not had any issues so far. The funny thing is UAC was not the problem after all, it was because I had several mis-matched versions of the same C++ Redistributable s that had been loaded by various other program installs.
 
It would be easy enough to unplug your internet connection, turn off UAC, re-boot and give it a try to see if your issues get any better at all. If not, turn it back on and continue forward with the trouble shooting process but at least you will have given what they suggested a try first.
 
Kind regards,
Rick

I agree with Sycraft. If it weren't feasible to write software that conforms to Microsoft's requirements, there would have been a mass exodus from the platform years ago. It's not impossible. Heck, even I do it and I don't give a rat's ass about Microsoft logo certification or what framework they've blessed as the official "future" this month. I only care about my users and making sure it's not me they're cursing today.
 
Still, Microsoft does make it challenging for developers because they're constantly moving the goalposts. The old joke is: how many Microsoft engineers does it take to change a lightbulb? None, they just change the standard to "dark". 
 
There's more than one reason why 1/3 of all business computers are still running XP.

I'm ok with the work around I have, just do an offline auth. I just get mad with the "special flower" syndrome some audio companies take with regards to their software. "Oh you need to turn off UAC, not run a virus scanner, disable your network port, etc, etc, to run our software well!" No, we don't. This is not 1995. Computers are easily capable of doing more than one task, even professional ones, and pro audio has actually gotten to be not that challenging for them (which is really nice for all of us).
 
It is just a frustrating fact with the audio industry (far worse with engineering software, which is what I deal with professionally). Not universal, of course. Some things like Sonar are very well programmed and fully compatible with how modern systems work. So I get additionally annoyed with companies that pretend like it just isn't possible to make it better. When Native Instrument's service center can handle downloads, licensing, authorization, and so on while working with UAC (and knowing how to auto escalate) you cannot very well claim yours isn't able to.
 
Just a pet peeve of mine so I'm venting. If it wasn't working, I'd still be engaging their tech support for a solution.

bitflipperStill, Microsoft does make it challenging for developers because they're constantly moving the goalposts. The old joke is: how many Microsoft engineers does it take to change a lightbulb? None, they just change the standard to "dark".

 
They actually are much better about long term support than most. Apple is horrible for just changing things with no notice, and no legacy support. Ask Adobe about the whole 64-bit C++/Object-C debacle. MS does a rather good job maintaining legacy support to the extent possible and it works pretty well overall. Not saying it still isn't a pain for developers, and for sysadmins (don't get me started on the Windows 8 start screen).
 
That said, things do need to change from time to time as technology moves forward. I'm perfectly willing to give people a pass in the beginning. However after a couple years, you've really no excuse. Particularly with new software. Like with BFD3, which only lists 7 and later as supported. Well if you are requiring Windows that new, then you ought to be supporting its features, like UAC.
 
So, I whine about it online. I mean that's what we do about our problems these days right? Whine about them online :).