Ableton Forum

I've noticed that Native Instruments is trying this out, and it sounds like a good idea: Users can go to their registration page, deactivate an old authorization in order to free up a new authorization. The one catch is that a deactivated authorization (for a specific hardware configuration) may never be used again. This makes authorization schemes at least a little bit less annoying.

pgunders

I agree. I'm all for it.

What if you go between multiple setups and need to re-register a setup? A USB dongle neatly solves all these problems.

IMHO, and off-topic, NI's developers should really be spending less time on fiddling around with their (working) authorization mechanism and instead focus time and effort fixing serious bugs with their high-end products.

-Alex

have a look at macromedia software and their copy protection/user authorisation.

1. the user is able to authorize two computers with one serial-no(home/office computer). these authorisations are registered on the macromedia server.
2. the user is able to transfer these authorisations from one computer to an other computer as often as the user like!!! by dis-authorize the software on the computer (and macromedia-server) and re-authorize the software later on the same or an other computer. No more than two authorizations are active at the same time. The macromedia-server keeps book on the authorizations.
These authorization-method is very user-friendly much more sophisticated than the ableton/NI methods.

the technical details of the macromedia authorisation/activation method
can be found here:

http://www.macromedia.com/software/activation/

PLEASE, AbletonPeople read these macromedia-pages !!!! The copy-protection method in then actual LIVE-Software is not user-friendly..

Alex Reynolds wrote:What if you go between multiple setups and need to re-register a setup? A USB dongle neatly solves all these problems.

IMHO, and off-topic, NI's developers should really be spending less time on fiddling around with their (working) authorization mechanism and instead focus time and effort fixing serious bugs with their high-end products.

-Alex

No No way of that stuppid dongle, this is the most annoying thing i have seen, i have it for SX2 and it's crap, and i don't wanna go around carrying some more stuff for my live (=dongle means USB Hub)

Alex Reynolds wrote:What if you go between multiple setups and need to re-register a setup? A USB dongle neatly solves all these problems.
-Alex

Dongles seem to be on their way out as a copyright protection scheme since multiple dongles can be a serious annoyance (imagine needing a dongle for every music software app you own!). Personally, I feel most confident about buying software that I will always be able to use (hey, that's what I understanding by BUYING a product). While I object in principle to these user-authorization schemes, at least NI now gives its users some control. Macromedia's solution sounds that much better. I don't like user-managed authorizations, but I dislike them less than the current situation.

pgunders

How about some sort of 'plug in your dongle every 30 days' thing. Err. I don't know. If they're really worried about piracy, they could do it that way.

It's an annoyance, naturally, but still, if you weren't *forced* to have the dongle with you all the time, but only to have it plugged in at least once every thirty days, you'd be a lot freer... ?

-Paws

Like any engineering problem, every solution is plagued with tradeoffs.

Dongles are physical and a pain in the ass to carry around and plug in.

iTunes- or Macromedia-style registration requires a network connection to manage access rights.

NI, Ableton and Cycling74-style challenge-response exchange is similar but more static, tied to the hardware, offering even less flexibility.

Maybe Ableton could just give away Live for free?

Of these three, I have to admit I'm warming up to the idea of iTunes-style authorization for software. Keeps people pretty honest.

-Alex

I think the dongle is a great Idea, but only if Ableton contracts syncsoft.... then the 1 dongle could be used for Cubase, Live, Halion... very handy.
I guess I'm thinking Universal dongle...

no way dongle, the last thing i need is using up a usb port on my laptop...


I'm actually perfectly happy with the current method - you only have to do it once for god's sake stop whining

Anonymous wrote:I'm actually perfectly happy with the current method - you only have to do it once for god's sake stop whining

The problem is exactly that some people (namely, those who upgrade/reformat their computer on a regular basis) have to do it surpisingly often, and getting locked out of software that you purchased the right to use can be an infuriating experience.

I've mostly given up on the idea that software companies would want to make use of their product hassle-free (Cakewalk is a rare, admirable exception to the rule); user-managed rights seems like a no-brainer. It's obviously better than the current situation. It might take a substantial amount of work on Ableton's part to get going, but it would certainly entice more people to buy their product (I would certainly upgrade from 2 to 3 if I had more control over when and how I used the license I already purchased).

pgunders

Anonymous wrote: (I would certainly upgrade from 2 to 3 if I had more control over when and how I used the license I already purchased).

pgunders

man, you would upgrade from 2-3 regardless if you try 3 properly, it's the absolute bollox - until you've spent a bit of time using all that clip automation i cant see any self respecting musician failing to see the brilliance of it. I've barely even touched reason 2.5 since i bought it, live 3 absolutely kills it dead.

Yeah, I have no doubt it's great, but I'm trying to be a little more disciplined about spending. At this point, I know I haven't been using Live 2 to its full capabilities.

pgunders