MachFive and iLok

Discussion of all things related to MOTU's awesome MachFive software sampler.

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ignatius
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MachFive and iLok

Post by ignatius »

is there ever a chance that Motu will drop the dongle requirement for machfive? it's the only thing keeping me from buying it.

i know some people love the iLok and the flexibility it can offer etc etc.. but it'd be great if there was another option. some developers are offering the "no iLok needed" and essentially doing a software dongle vie pace/iLok and allowing 2 installs etc.

would be great if motu would make a change and allow this method. it's still basically the same thing.. just no dongle required.
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

No one can answer that but MOTU. I don't see it as that big a deal. Doing without M5 would be much more problematic for me than keeping an iLok in a USB port. Other programs I run also use it. Never really been an issue for me in many years of use.

Kind of like saying: I won't fly that jet until they replace the 69¢ light bulb in the cockpit! Of course, the choice is yours. You're just missing out on some pretty amazing stuff as the competition is flying their jets around.
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by FMiguelez »

ignatius wrote:is there ever a chance that Motu will drop the dongle requirement for machfive? it's the only thing keeping me from buying it.

i know some people love the iLok and the flexibility it can offer etc etc.. but it'd be great if there was another option. some developers are offering the "no iLok needed" and essentially doing a software dongle vie pace/iLok and allowing 2 installs etc.

would be great if motu would make a change and allow this method. it's still basically the same thing.. just no dongle required.
If you don't mind my asking, could you tell us exactly what your dislike of iLok is?
I take it that it must be something quite strong, if it's preventing you from getting a great program... just curious.
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by James Steele »

Does the new iLok Manager software allow you to install the license on the computer itself? I vaguely recall something that looked like that, but I could be totally wrong. I like iLok myself. I believe it keeps certain software companies alive that might not survive if their products were compromised. :(
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by ignatius »

James Steele wrote:Does the new iLok Manager software allow you to install the license on the computer itself? I vaguely recall something that looked like that, but I could be totally wrong. I like iLok myself. I believe it keeps certain software companies alive that might not survive if their products were compromised. :(

inaGRM is offering the option to authorize w/o ilok basically using the same system.. just no dongle. the technology is there.. i'm hoping more developers that use iLoks adopt it to allow for the option to be w/o a dongle.

as for why i don't like it.. well.. i have 2 computers.. desktop/laptop as many people do.. i travel and work when i travel on the laptop.. i also lose stuff, break stuff, and have been a victim of theft at one time or another. these are the reasons i don't like iLok.. along with things like the recent mega software glitch w/the iLok license drivers/authorization software.

i totally understand how it's a great thing for people who run commercial studios and have to manage a lot of different software installs on different computers at different times and so just plugging in the iLok and synching the dongle authorizes all their software. that's great.. i'm not saying that should be done away with.. i'd just love another option.

playing live w/dongles, traveling.. having them break etc.. is a nightmare.. the iLok zero down time is a joke. all you have to do is look around the forums for horror stories and disruptive let downs on Pace/ilok's end of things.

i used to use iLok for some software but a year or so ago i sold it all out of frustration and i found replacements in other developers and now i'm iLok free and want to stay that way..
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by James Steele »

Well you have a right to your opinion certainly. I have had no problems with the iLok. Have you or just what you read on the Internet? You can lose and break all sorts of things of you're not careful. That's not the iLok's fault if you lose it. If I had my way, I'd have ALL my plugs on iLok. You be happily iLok free... I'll be happily enjoying not having to mess with multiple varying online authorization schemes and hoops to jump through. You just plug in the iLok and the plugs all work.
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MachFive and iLok

Post by MIDI Life Crisis »

While I don't share the o/p's feelings for iLoks, I certainly understand his passion. I have similar feelings about other matters, such as underwear hanging out of the back of ones pants, or the feeling by some that grammatical structures in writing can be ignored.

Is it laziness, like not signaling a turn while driving? Or maybe it's a feeling entitlement that these folks are just above all that? Perhaps it's just a misguided attempt at rudeness, although that view presumes intent and one can never actually knows another's heart.

Whatever it is, I understand the o/p's desire to vent. Where we clearly differ is that I object with a capital "I" while ironically, he objects to the commercially and intentionally misspelled iLok.

Is there much difference between objecting to the form of a software license and taking license with the language? IThink so.
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by ignatius »

i'm aware that most ilok users have no issue with it and are perfectly happy. i don't begrudge anyone that happiness. as said, just curious if motu will adopt the currently available option of a software dongle that some other developers have chosen to offer.

and yes, all kinds of things can be lost or stolen but the stress of losing all my software authorizations and not being able to use them even w/jumping through zero down time hoops is something i don't want to deal with which is why i sold my ilok based plug ins a year or so ago.

as for grammar peeves.. perhaps i have very tiny hands or no pinky fingers and can't reach the shift key to make the capital i some desire.. or perhaps i've read too much beat era literature and have a more conversational style on the internet or maybe just generally lazy.. but at least i know the difference between then and than and their and they're and that should've is not should of.

count your blessings. it's just a stream of data.

cheers for your thoughts on this. it's nice to have a civil conversation. ilok/pace generally reaches some kind of hysteria in about 5 posts in other places. :unicorn:
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by James Steele »

I think at some point, in order to survive, developers are going to have to go with the most secure copy-protection—the one most difficult to crack. So far, I believe that distinction belongs to iLok.
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by ignatius »

James Steele wrote:I think at some point, in order to survive, developers are going to have to go with the most secure copy-protection—the one most difficult to crack. So far, I believe that distinction belongs to iLok.
is a difficult situation for developers but there are more than a few doing quite well w/o a dongle. but i wonder how long that will last. i suppose so long as their are enough honest users to support the efforts of people who make the stuff we use then they'll be OK.

audiodamage have said that part of the reason they are making hardware products (eurorack modules) is because of piracy but i'm sure that's only part of the equation.

maybe some other new copy protection scheme will arrive and offer other options. i'm a fan of the madrona labs method which is an individually signed installer that checks itself now and then.. but it's cracked too afaik.

ilok2/synchrosoft does seem to have a pretty good track record so far.

w/o getting too side tracked it seems there must be a happy middle ground of reasonable copy protection/reasonable prices that attracts a large amount of paying customers. valhalla plug ins seem right in that sweet spot for many people. he's one guy though.

anyway.. many things about machfive make it appealing to me as a sound design tool and i'd love to check it out some day. in the mean time i have a lot of options at my disposal and new amazing things all the time like 'the mangle' granular synth for $30. certainly no shortage of audio tools today.
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by mikehalloran »

I don't love the iLok but don't hate it either. It works. I haven't had a problem with it since since OS 9.

Frankly, I am surprised that DP didn't go that way with DP 8.
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by ignatius »

gospel musicians UVI libraries is now offering authorization w/o ilok using PACE eden system.. which is i guess what they're calling it. they made an announcement at kvr

http://gospelmusicians.com/blog/no-more-ilok/

only for new customers though..
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by James Steele »

ignatius wrote:w/o getting too side tracked it seems there must be a happy middle ground of reasonable copy protection/reasonable prices that attracts a large amount of paying customers.
What if there's not?
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by GospelMusicians »

Who knows...It may come to M5 soon.

Gospel Musicians' UVI libraries no longer require the use of an iLok dongle in order to authorize.

With the iLok License Manager, you can view your account, and add licenses to your iLok or machine. You can move your licenses between iLoks and machine as well. Legacy customers will have to continue using their iLok, but new purchases will allow machine authorizations.M5 users will not be able to authorize via machine until an "possible" update is made available.

iLok Authorization Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Av87W6j-zGg
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Re: MachFive and iLok

Post by James Steele »

GospelMusicians wrote:With the iLok License Manager, you can view your account, and add licenses to your iLok or machine.
I think I mentioned this above. That's fine with me. And hopefully it's as robust as the hardware dongle.
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