Feature request: iLok device activation

[balint]

Please enable device activation for UA Connect / UADx plugins! It's so gruesome to have it in iLok Cloud only and thus always need an active internet connection. e.g.: I would like to play live with some of those plugins and then having an internet connection is extremely unwanted and sometimes impossible. Also I imagine a lot of people don't want their studio computer to be always connected to the internet.

Side note: To buy an iLok USB dongle would be a massive step back! As a part-time Steinberg user I'm finally dongle free, and now this!

 

[Serenity]

Yes, yes and yes. A thousand times.
I’ve repeated this request so many times that I’ve lost count.
I don’t get why UA wants to cripple their plugins with such terrible copy protection. iLok cloud is so unreliable and iLok key is only good for moving licenses between machine. Otherwise it’s just a burden.

 

[klasaine]

I don’t get why UA wants to cripple their plugins with such terrible copy protection. iLok cloud is so unreliable

I agree that machine auth would be great, but is ilok "terrible" copy protection? My understanding is that it's pretty good - as far as the actual protection is concerned.
Probably a regional thing (metro LA) but in 5 years, I've only had my ilok 'cloud' session disrupted twice, and for not more than a day. It was a big Pace outage.
Most of the time when they announce ilok cloud maintenance, my cloud session still works.

 

[Serenity]

I agree that machine auth would be great, but is ilok "terrible" copy protection? My understanding is that it's pretty good - as far as the actual protection is concerned.
Probably a regional thing (metro LA) but in 5 years, I've only had my ilok 'cloud' session disrupted twice, and for not more than a day. It was a big Pace outage.
Most of the time when they announce ilok cloud maintenance, my cloud session still works.

Yes, it’s very good protection as far as cracking it goes. But for the user it’s a terrible product, unless you use machine activation, which for me has worked flawlessly for all my software that use it.
The iLok dongle is useful for those who move around between computers a lot, but those users are becoming more rare as the music production landscape has shifted.
For a laptop user it’s just another tiny thing to keep track of and potentially lose. It takes up a precious port on the computer and creates unnecessary wear on it.
And why should I as a user need to buy a physical key just to protect the companies property? Makes no sense. If it was to protect my licenses it would be a different thing, but that’s not the case. It is just beyond stupid to require a physical key for a piece of software to work.
iLok Cloud might work if you have a stationary computer with a steady internet connection. But laptops are becoming more and more popular for music producers and a lot of them are moving around a lot which means unstable internet or no internet at all.
I’ve lost count of all then times that iLok Cloud has failed on me. Even if I just switch networks it requires me to restart the DAW. It’s just annoying
It makes UAs otherwise stable plug-ins very unreliable. It would have been one thing if it only needed to call home once in a while, but to require a constant connection and not even letting you switch networks is unrealistic in this day and age.

All the other developers I buy from who use iLok allows you to use machine activation. It works flawlessly. UA tried to explain that it’s not as secure.
Question is: is it secure enough? It seems fo be secure enough for most of the other companies. Why should we have to suffer for UAs anxiety?

 

[chrisharbin]

Side note: To buy an iLok USB dongle would be a massive step back! As a part-time Steinberg user I'm finally dongle free, and now this!

I don't agree. Other than mine going belly up (after many many years) and going through all that, ilok has been great with the dongle here.

 

[Liimusic]

the ilok is so outdated and annoying. Uad just get rid of that thing.

 

[chrisharbin]

Almost every single plug I own/use is ilok. Again, in my time w/o the key/dongle/whatever, it was more inconvenient using cloud/computer. I'm glad I was able to continue to use my stuff, but I like having the key more. I guess this is just me personally, but I do still use my PC sometimes and it was way more of a PITA w/o it.

But I digress.....they are not likely to ditch it. Why would they? In a perfect world we wouldn't have protection for our software but that's life, it's necessary. Don't mean to come off the wrong way but it's not likely to change especially with all the stuff they have. Think about it, how much harder would it be to have to issue another form when the ilok method works, er, mostly.

I'd hate to have to put in SN's every time I want to do a clean install. Too hard. Ilok is easy.

 

[balint]

Thanks for all your replies!

My point is: I don't hate iLok, but I dislike iLok Cloud being the only option for UADx. I would like to have a machine activation, not just the cloud or dongle option.

(Best of course would be two machine licenses through iLok without use of the dongle. I use Oeksound Soothe with two software machine licenses on iLok and I'm happy with it.)

I'm even fine to have one license only (even though having invested multiple thousand dollars into UAD), but I would like to be able to move it (move it) from one computer (laptop) to another (studio desktop) with only short necessity of an internet connection.

So I can use it on an airplance, in a train without WLAN, in a house without internet connection etc. Also, I would like to be able to play live using the plugins without having to have my stage laptop connected to the internet ...

 

[balint]

And concerning iLok Cloud, at least it could be a system that requires a re-activation of a computer (machine license) every, say, 30 days. That would also work fine.

 

[Liimusic]

Please get rid of the iLok. I'm constantly on the go with my MacBook, and I'm used to leaving my DAW open. With Logic, that's no problem—it all works very user-friendly. Unfortunately, that's not the case with Luna. I have to keep closing Luna because nothing works without an internet connection. I also don't want to buy a USB iLok because that's pretty inconvenient too.

I wish I could use Luna seamlessly without the internet and, of course, enjoy all the great plugins. For this reason, I ask you from the bottom of my heart: please develop your own licensing system that can be activated through UA Connect.

 

[Pepebao]

iLok, especially iLok device is great, easy to use and manage, and probably well secured for UAD to prevent from stolen copies.
I like that.
But iLok Cloud is clearly more embarrassing than iLok Device.
And I think we probably pay a contribution for iLok when we buy UADs plugins. So I think we, users, have the right to request the best and easy to use functionalities with iLok system.
For those reasons, I put that on my request list either and vote a big YES for this request.

Anybody knows if there any security reasons that explains UAD's sticking on iLok Cloud, maybe ?
If security is the reason, well, I surely understand and accept.

 

[Serenity]

Anybody knows if there any security reasons that explains UAD's sticking on iLok Cloud, maybe ?
If security is the reason, well, I surely understand and accept.

AFAIK, Pace claims that machine activation is less secure. So that’s likely the reason why UA are afraid to use it.
However, less secure doesn’t mean that it’s not secure. It has still not been cracked and it’s been many years now. And most companies have decided to allow for it since the user benefits are greater than the risk it creates. UA are a bit stubborn about it however. It’s such a shame.

 

[Pepebao]

Thank you @Serenity

 

[Neotrope]

just save licenses to physical ilok if no internet connection

 

[chrisharbin]

just save licenses to physical ilok if no internet connection

Allot of people seem to be unwilling to do this, but in the end it is by far the best option.

 

[Serenity]

Allot of people seem to be unwilling to do this, but in the end it is by far the best option.

No it’s not. If it was such a good option then people would have no problem with it.
There is absolutely no benefit with it unless you move around your licenses between computers a lot. Which few people are doing these days.

First of all, you should not have to buy a device just to protect UAs intellectual property. If that’s their preferred method then they should offer it for free with their software.
Secondly, for laptop users it’s just a burden. You need to remember to carry it with you and make sure not to lose it. Plus it takes up one of the precious ports on the computer and creates unnecessary wear on it. And for what? There’s absolutely no benefit, only drawbacks. The only reason is for UAs protection.

There’s a reason why most companies who offered dongle/cloud iLok as the only options have backed down and now offers machine activation as well. Outside of the audio industry most software who have relied on hardware keys now offer software based alternatives or have moved away from them entirely. The only exception I can think of is the medical industry.

 

[chrisharbin]

We agree to disagree. Personally, and for many it seems to be the best option. The cloud was "ok", but there are issues with using another computer and such. I do understand what you are saying about laptops though, I can understand that.

 

[Serenity]

We agree to disagree. Personally, and for many it seems to be the best option. The cloud was "ok", but there are issues with using another computer and such. I do understand what you are saying about laptops though, I can understand that.

I won’t disagree that you find it to be the best solution for you. But that doesn’t make it the best or even a suitable solution for everyone else. As I said, there’s a reason why most companies has backed down on it. But I’m happy that you’re fine with it. Personally I will continue to bug UA about making a change.

 

[Pepebao]

just save licenses to physical ilok if no internet connection

Allot of people seem to be unwilling to do this, but in the end it is by far the best option.

No way, I don't want to spend $50 for a $1 standard USB key with a proprietary software installed.
I prefer to buy one $50 UAD plugin instead.
I don't use Apple Magic Mouse and Keyboard for the same reason, probably great to use but overpriced (and Satechi stuff is nice !)

 

[chrisharbin]

In a perfect world, there wouldn't be theft and no need for such things. But even in this day and age, where prices are not anywhere near as crazy as they were, it's still a necessary evil. SN's are too easy to crack, and to me some other methods are even more intrusive. It's not ideal, but it's the world we live in (and have for quite some time)