[QLab] iLok Key

[Shawn Parr]

On Oct 30, 2007, at 12:22 PM, Paul Gotch wrote:
> Apple have just removed iLok from Logic Pro and gone to a
> serial number system

Apple never used the iLok, they used the XSkey system which was a  
holdover from Emagic.  Avid used the same manufacturer for their keys  
for DV Express for a while.  Those systems were horrible, mostly  
because each developer that used them custom developed the code that  
dealt with the key.  If you had 3 pieces of software you needed 3 of  
those darn keys.

iLok is way better than that, and it is especially better than the old  
school way with two floppy disks with 2 authorizations each.  How many  
people here upgraded a SDII system, then discovered that both floppies  
were corrupted, and had to call Digidesign to beg for the chance to  
give them $100 to get another floppy FedExed to them?  I bet I'm not  
alone here.

Although in the end I would prefer not to have such an auth system at  
all, and I appreciate that thus far Chris has been able to avoid it.   
I believe there are some steep fees for using those systems too, so I  
bet Chris is also glad he could avoid it.  :)

I very much do like the idea of workspaces as bundles, i.e. having all  
the pertinent data and metadata all in one package.  That is very  
slick.  Then the whole licensing thing becomes stickier, as you would  
have to bundle the licenses in with the workspace.  So would having a  
ProMIDI license allow you to create as many bundles with built in  
license files as you need?  Or would you need to buy as many licenses  
as you had shows running at one time?  Some of the machines installed  
in theatres may have the license already, but some may not, so you  
can't depend on it just being there.

For example, we have one machine we are actively using with licenses,  
and we are working on getting two more.  Each are through grants and  
Qlab Licenses are part of the budgetting.  However we are only getting  
ProMIDI for all of them, and will have ProVideo on two.  We don't  
currently have ProAudio since I haven't ran across anything I need it  
for yet.  So if one of you guys that use ProAudio brought or sent your  
workspace to be used in my facilities you could have issues.


On Oct 30, 2007, at 2:15 PM, Matt Otto wrote:
> The ilok I do not see as a good idea. As a consumer I actively avoid  
> companies that only offer ilok as a copyright protection.

I really wish I could live in such an ideal world.  However reality is  
not optional.  Personally I find challenge and response to be just as  
much a pain, if not more.  If you don't have any yet, eventually you  
will have software that requires one or more of these things.  Between  
Pro Tools, the stuff that comes with Pro Tools, and Native Instruments  
I have lots  of challenge/response accounts to keep track of.  It is  
no fun.

So, Chris, I really really hope you can continue the honor system.  :)

- Shawn Parr

parr at shawnparr.com
ICQ:  13914925
AIM:  muskratstudios
MSN:  msn at shawnparr.com



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