iLok - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

[Corky]

Welcome to the party !!! May the iLok be with you !

[Neil_Durant]

@terrybritton

The vast majority of soft synths that use iLok today DO NOT require you to own or use a dongle.

They can be activated per-computer, and that lasts as long as the computer lasts! The licences can be removed from a computer (using the activated computer) and easily transferred to a different computer.

The problem there is if you tour with a backup computer, and need to switch over to the backup. Swapping an iLok dongle takes seconds, whereas transferring software licences between computers will take a while, and may not be possible in some cases if you don’t have Internet connectivity.

This is actually one reason I don’t completely dislike iLok - licence transfer between machines is easy.

Neil

[terrybritton]

I have been seeing a trend – for non-studio-oriented plugins at least (Virtual Instruments) – toward supplying two and even three licences lately with soft-iLok. So, the manufacturers may have heard that concern and set it up so a backup computer could be already fully licenced. Backup computers are increasingly common today, so I wouldn’t doubt that pressure had been building to permit multiple licences for a while now.

Terry

[Corky]

Hi Neil

I guess the dongle and the computer license both have their pros and cons. Fortunately, I do not rely on any iLok software, but I know many do. Your point about the dongle is well understood, and I also agree with Torsten’s view:

@Torsten

but for live use, I refuse any software that requires a dongle. Just too easy for the little beast to break or get stolen; don’t want to ruin a gig just because someone thought pulling the dongle was funny…

I guess it just becomes a matter of choice and what one is comfortable with.

Corky

[Torsten]

@Neil_Durant

The problem there is if you tour with a backup computer, and need to switch over to the backup. Swapping an iLok dongle takes seconds, whereas transferring software licences between computers will take a while, and may not be possible in some cases if you don’t have Internet connectivity.

yup, that’s why I only use plugins live that can be authorized on THREE computers at the same time (studio, live and live backup).

The only exception is Scuffham’s S-Gear, which can only be activated on two machines at a time, but Mike offered me a second license at a reduced price. Given that S-Gear is - to me - by far the best virtual guitar amp, and that Mike’s prices are really reasonable, I went for that additional expense.

Yes, this prerequisite shot some more plugins from the shortlist for live use, but so far I’m happy with what remains in the elegible pool.

Cheers,

Torsten

[Corky]

Revisiting this thread … again. I previously stated above my hatred for iLok. Now that I have become comfortable with B5 and a couple of other plugs in a live gig, I am getting the occasional iLok Software Component Unavailable box, which requires re-boot or update of license mgr. So…I am trashing use of iLok live. The box has only appeared once at a gig, which of course destroyed my pre-load. I have experienced this a few times in rehearsal, but mostly at home working on song setups. So far, it has only appeared monthly (or so) and during 1st load of B5, not in the middle of a gig yet. I really wonder if this is something iLok does to force one to download newest version. I very rarely use my gigging laptop online, so I don’t know how iLok would know my version. Conspiracy aside, I will miss B5 live, and keep using my dependables …VB3 and Blue3 as usual.

[dave_dore]

Hi Corky,

Just curious, but did you update the uvi workstation lately? It usually includes a latest iLok installer as I recall. I am having no problems with uvi libraries but I use a dongle instead of the software license tool.

Thanks

Dave

[Corky]

Hi Dave,

Yes. Updated everything with last B5 update a couple of weeks ago. I am on software license. (USB ports have become a luxury)

[FredProgGH]

This is why people that own totally legit copies of things still download cracks just to work around that kind of BS. (Or so I hear )

I assume with a dongle you’d be in better shape… is there a hub out there that can work reliably in a live situation?

[Corky]

My aluminum 7 port powered hub works very well. I am quite frankly thinking to ditch my win 7 laptops (except for backups) and build a small desktop with many USB ports,SSD, and tons of RAM. KEY WORD = thinking.