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Post subject: Ilok License
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 1:45 pm
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Has anyone had to deal with getting an Ilok license in order to use new software that they bought? It seems they are becoming pretty prevalent.
Eventide sent me a link to download a free plugin. I downloaded the program, but I couldn't use it until I activated it through Ilok.
At first, it looked like I needed to pay for an Ilok account. So I just let it go and thought the free plugin was just a marketing ploy.
Then I came to realize that though there are Ilok features that you have to pay for, an account to activate software is free. So I created a free account and saw that my free pluging was listed, so I thought I was good to go.
But no, my plugin wouldn't work, so I thought, what a bunch of crp, and let it go.
Now two months later I find that I needed to download an Ilok program to my computer, identify my computer in the program as the place to use the license, and then activate the plugin.
So, my free plugin now works and is kind of cool. But it was quite the hassle figuring out what this Ilok business is about. It's one of those thing where after you do it, it's no biggie, but it's quite a stumbling block to figure out on your own. At least for a non techie.

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Post subject: Re: Ilok License
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 2:14 pm
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The problem I have with license software like that is that they run a service in the background at all times, whether you use the software or not, and with extended privileges. And who knows what backdoors and security vulnerabilities. They're pretty much like the Sony rootkit, and just as difficult to completely uninstall.


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Post subject: Re: Ilok License
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 2:25 pm
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Iktu, Iotl, Ilik, Iolk, Ilko, wait one more koli, hee, hee. Now I'm done! :P


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Post subject: Re: Ilok License
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 4:50 pm
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I avoided iLok for years and will continue to try to do so, but I too was overcome by the siren song of the free plug-in and I set up an account. Now my iLok manager can't seem to find the plug-in. At least with the License Manager you never have to say the word "dongle" out loud.


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Post subject: Re: Ilok License
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 5:06 pm
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I don't like the idea. There has got to be ways for software developers to protect their product with out all that. Or, signing for each use. They end up either spending development time on protection or they buy an existing protection, increasing the price. I wonder how much they save in the end over a standard protection scheme. Plus, some of these protection schemes have big performance hits. That is kinda like punishing the honest customers because of the hackers.

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Post subject: Re: Ilok License
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2014 9:11 pm
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Deluxe Matt wrote:
I don't like the idea. There has got to be ways for software developers to protect their product with out all that. Or, signing for each use. They end up either spending development time on protection or they buy an existing protection, increasing the price. I wonder how much they save in the end over a standard protection scheme. Plus, some of these protection schemes have big performance hits. That is kinda like punishing the honest customers because of the hackers.

Yeah, one piece of music software I bought (no name, no shame, starts with Pro), the anti-piracy software/hardware was so tedious to use and had such a negative impact that I ended up restoring a backup from before I installed, and downloaded a copy from a warez site.
See, the pirates have no problems. It's only us paying customers who do.

Imagine if you installed a new stereo in your car that demanded you sacrifice a USB port for a dongle, and it would constantly reduce the horsepower, periodically use your cell phone to call the mothership, and stop the engine if you were out of cell phone range for too long or someone removed the dongle. We wouldn't accept that, so why do we accept it for computers?


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Post subject: Re: Ilok License
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:02 am
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Arth1 brings up a point that concerns me. I ordered EZ Drummer2, and plan to download it to my recording computer. This computer is just used for recording and is not hooked up to the internet. EZ Drummer2 requirers an Ilok license. Am I going to have to keep this computer always connected just to use EZ Drummer2?
Right now this computer boots in like 30 seconds because there's not a bunch of crp on it. Windows hasn't been updated in 3 or 4 years, so I figure when I hook it up to download the program, there's going to be a long update list.

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'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
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'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
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Post subject: Re: Ilok License
Posted: Tue Jul 29, 2014 9:31 am
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Drew365 wrote:
Arth1 brings up a point that concerns me. I ordered EZ Drummer2, and plan to download it to my recording computer. This computer is just used for recording and is not hooked up to the internet. EZ Drummer2 requirers an Ilok license. Am I going to have to keep this computer always connected just to use EZ Drummer2?

In theory, no, but depending on the software that uses iLok, it looks like it may have an arbitrary length of time for how long you can go without revalidating, i.e. contact the mothership through Internet.

Also take a look at this link including the comments sections. It seems that reliably using it offline is not as troublefree as the manufacturers want you to think.

Being free of iLok or other DRM based anti-piracy makes me much more likely to buy a product. I will much rather accept a non-DRM dongle, but not something that requires activation and reactivation, and can be revoked at the whim of (or the bug of) the vendor.
Also, with a dongle solution that doesn't also use DRM, you can actually exercise your first sale rights. Which is a huge plus.


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