jveekeres:

drbgaijin:

Watch where everyone is heading - Then get there FIRST!

I think that thought applies as much to a business like Avid as to us editors using Avid products.

Douglas,

Indeed that applies both to avid and us. Isn't it frustrating then that avid has, since the development of the first media composer, never been able to do exactly that? In this case avid is the "last" still having a dongle.

Personally I believe being the only NLE manufacturer giving users choice in SA system is much closer to being "the first one, a leader, innovator, trend setter", etc... then just "forcing" it on us.

Where everyone is going? It's a tad speculative and if course way-off-topic but internet-based SA is a very good starting point for pay-per-use. See 

http://www.tepper.cmu.edu/alumni/lifelong-learning/faculty-research/software-pricing--pay-per-use-versus-perpetual-licensing/index.aspx

for a precis of where software sellers would just love to go!

I hesitated to hop into such a long thread again as I'd already posted my opinion. However I think I have something useful to add to the debate.

At the moment you can only deactivate by launching Avid. Recently I had this problem:

http://community.avid.com/forums/t/72942.aspx

I couldn't even launch Avid! A very obscure Windows problem was causing this error - a corrupt database in WMI. It took me days to track down. Had this been an SA system I would have been stuffed, without calling the US. If i hadn't tracked down the problem (thanks to this forum) I wouldhave been forced to do a re-format and re-install (I was vwery close to doing this).

So my suggestion is a remote deactivation system - in other words you can deactivate any system via IP without the software having to run. This would allow remote deactivation over a network, so even systems that you can't boot but can log on to can be deactivated.

Would still rather keep the dongle but I wanted to to be constructive :)

Mondo:

So my suggestion is a remote deactivation system - in other words you can deactivate any system via IP without the software having to run. This would allow remote deactivation over a network, so even systems that you can't boot but can log on to can be deactivated.

Hey Mondo -

About a week ago or so, I had posted something very similar to this (link below) on the Avid Feature Request Forum.  Let's hope Avid will take this under consideration.

http://community.avid.com/forums/t/73311.aspx

best -

sw

BLKDOG:

It does disturb me to see posters here jump on the "Not new thinking" and "Avid is not Listening" soapbox.

I wrote about new thinking and listening, I believe that Avid has the right to choose whichever protection system they like for MC, that's why I focused more on the listening than the dongle vs SA debate; with the info available at the time of writing I thought that there was lack of listening, and I'm glad if I was wrong, now I'd like to see long waited for improvements to the software (better audio, background rendering, just to name a few) coming soon to verify that the Company is listening...

Here is my major concern.

If, hypothetically, AVID goes out of business, there will be no more software activation - period. You will simply not be able to install your AVID software ever again. Software activation puts you completely at the mercy of the AVID Corporation. If they go bust (or decide that your license is no longer valid for some reason), you can't re-install. If you need to re-install, you can't make money. You can't feed your kids. Everyone who buys an AVID will be gambling their career on AVID's ability to keep that software activation coming. Is that a gamble that you want to take?

I know most folks think AVID could never fail - but AVID is NO Sony. Avid is NO Apple. Sony and Apple aren't going to go out of business. But AVID? Let's fact it, AVID is not the industry standard anymore. If they are losing money, I can't imagine why anyone would want to buy them.

Regardless of all that, just humor me, and think: what if there is even a chance that AVID goes under? Are you prepared for a non-functional editing suite? That's exactly what Software Activation means for every single person here. Hypothetically.

man, talk about speculation!

switthaus:

man, talk about speculation!

NO. The points raised are very valid business concerns in tough financial times.

If Avid goes out of business a non maintained/developed software will become obsolete in a short while, switching to another editor will be the only option left; would a dongle make any difference?

I agree with Andrew and Atomike. None of us wants to see it happen, but we all know that everything comes down to the bottom line these days. It's all about the numbers. As distasteful as it is, we have to acknowledge the possibility, and perhaps plan some contingencies for ourselves.

"... would a dongle make any difference? ..."

Yeah,  After a hardwarwe crash, you could rebuild your system and still have a valid license via the dongle.  Yes, it would be stuck at that version, but always licensed.

luca.mg:

switching to another editor will be the only option left; would a dongle make any difference?

I edited with Liquid Silver system / with dongle / for about two years when it was discontinued without any problems. After this time I moved to another editing system. It can be a big difference. It is not a speculation - it is real world for me.

Best

While this may seem like a bit of "the sky is falling" paranoia, I can assure you that it is not. When Serious Magic was bought up by Adobe, my online activation failed because Serious Magic was no longer in business. All attempts to get Adobe to stand by the original sale failed.

A few months ago, during a quite unrelated experience, Mark Mapes, the owner of the now defunct Serious Magic heard my complaints and set things right. Needless to say, this is a VERY real possibility when online activation is de riguer.

Randall L Rike:

"... would a dongle make any difference? ..."

Yeah,  After a hardwarwe crash, you could rebuild your system and still have a valid license via the dongle.  Yes, it would be stuck at that version, but always licensed.

And what will You do with such a machine when Your clients will ask for odorama editing or 3d audio or superdv 4:4:4 or whatever is coming next?

...or a meteor could hit Tewksbury!  Tomorrow!

 

 

"... And what will You do with such a machine when Your clients will ask for ..."

I already admitted that the system would be stuck at the last version available.  However, that will still get people by for while, without necessarily "having to" buy an alternative system.