bobcat:

Avid DVD (current version) will not work with the software license, only the dongle.

So, if I deactivate the dongle, I can not use Avid DVD?

Does someone know if Avid have a solution?

Hi,

berga:

So, if I deactivate the dongle, I can not use Avid DVD?  Does someone know if Avid have a solution?

No, if you decide to go for software activation of MC, the dongle will still work for Avid DVD, and still be needed for Avid DVD.  Hope that makes sense.

good luck,
Carl

camoscato:

Hi,

No, if you decide to go for software activation of MC, the dongle will still work for Avid DVD, and still be needed for Avid DVD.  Hope that makes sense.

good luck,
Carl

Thanks. The dongle will not die, just forgot MediaComposer.

The uncertain stability and easiness of the online activation will prevent many of us from upgrading to 3.5 and so, untill someone takes that road and report how is working.

Butcher:

This thread is getting ridiculous.  If Avid gets rid of their dongles they'll go out of business?

Okay - AVID has very stiff compeition - which undercuts their prices to the point of absurdity. Now throw a bad ecomony in the mix. NOW - throw in AVID's attempt to anger many of their most loyal customers.

And you think that predicting a dire future for them is "ridiculous"? I find that comment ridiculous.

Ask yourself - why are they making this change? Is it because everything is perfect? No- they realize they need to make some sort of change. However, they are simply making the wrong change. You don't anger your customer base. Are you denying AVID's weak position? Will angering their base help them?

I thought this was all pretty basic. But I guess that's why economics is the dismal sciene.

Note: I'm a very opinionated person, so I want to be clear that I don't mean any disrespect or anger toward anyone - it just seems that way because I'm completely correct.

In your opinion, getting rid of the dongle is wrong.  Go to the DVXUser site and look in their Avid forum--pretty much everyone who posted there (except me) is glad the dongle is being phased out.  A lot of editors I knew in news (and particularly the IT departments) hated the dongles.  There are likely an equal or greater number of people who hate the dongle as those who like it.  If I'm welcoming this change, am I going to post on an Avid forum praising the online activation?  No, I'm going to activate my software and throw my dongle in a wood chipper.

You see the "loyal" base here because we want to keep our dongles.  People typically only become vocal when they don't like something.  I would never consider this forum as a good representative sample of Avid users everywhere.  If you did, you'd think Avid was an enormously bug-ridden piece of software because that's what's always posted here.  Problems, and solutions.

You guys are all forgetting that if you upgrade to 3.5 you can keep your dongles active.  If I upgrade that's exactly what I'm going to do.  Media Composer 4.0 isn't going to be released next week so Avid still has time to sort this out and possibly change their minds and agree to keep the dongle for those who prefer it.

The sky is not falling.  It's just a change of policy.  For all we know they polled thousands of editors and the overwhelming majority hate the dongle.  Policies change.  Adobe didn't used to require online activation but now they do.  I would hardly say their about to go out of business.

I would like Avid to look at Edius and their licensing.  They have dongles for their systems, but they also allow the dongle information to be loaded onto the computer (at least they did for the news station I used to work at).  This "deactivated" the dongle, but that dongle (I believe) could be reactived by transferring the license back. 

Dongles are problematic in a lot of situations, but perfect for others.  We need the choice, and right now you still have that choice.  Just don't agree to deactivate your dongle when/if you upgrade.

Michael.

Atomike:

 it just seems that way because I'm completely correct.

Perhaps, and I've been using Avid products since 1998 and on the various Avid forums since 2000, and there have been many times where there has been some change that some customers were unhappy about (pricing too high, pricing too low, not enough features, why not this feature, etc.) where Avids demise has been predicted. People are more likely to complain if they are unhappy, happy customers aren't usually heard from other than when making another purchase. While you may be upset, and others will be, that is only as portion of their user base, don't assume everyone feels the way that you do.

Avid will go out of business one day, but I doubt that changing the way they license their software will be the reason.

I think we are loosing focus.

Does anyone knows how this activation really works?

This is the first thing we need to find out.

If they already selling new 3.5 kits without dongles, it's final.

Butcher:

We need the choice, and right now you still have that choice.

AndrewAction:

And if you want to keep that choice NOW is the time to strongly express your opinion if you do want to maintain that choice well into the future.

Understood.  And I'm going on the record that I want to keep my dongle.  I will pay for my dongle to keep it active if it's a reasonable fee.  Avid, I do not want to lose my dongle!

But in the meantime I don't think people need to completely lose their minds over this.  Keep your dongle now, let others figure out the online activation junk and make a plea to Avid to keep the dongle system.  You have to admit, there's a lot of wild speculation about problems in the online activation process in this thread.  People threatening to never use another Avid if they lose their dongle?!  I think people should take a deep breath and relax for a minute.

Michael

And I re-affirm my vote to keep the Dongle, and let the customer make the choice. Don't make the choice for us, please.

Give me dongle, or give me death!

Butcher:

I will pay for my dongle to keep it active if it's a reasonable fee

I also vote to keep the dongle, but why would I want to pay for something I already own?

IMHO to keep EVERYONE happy give us both options for indefinite. Also let new customers decide which option is best for them and should they decide for the dongle charge them appropriately for the privilege.

This way Avid can justify the continuation of the dongle because it wont cost them anything.

Now does this make sense or not? (genuine question)

I agree with Larry. Choice is the key word. I have multiple systems. and some of them will always stay where they are and can very well be software activated. But I'm also prepared to pop a dongle on a laptop or alternate CPU if the need arises. So I'd like to be able to choose. Gracias,

BTW Larry, that tribute to your dad was awesome.

Thank you very much, Andy. I feel his presence so strongly.