I've purchased 7 copies of Media Composer 4 to install in our computer lab at school.  I am concerned by the software activation because it seems very easy for someone to steal an activation from our labs.

When the software is registered, the system ID and activation code is necessary for the software to authenticate and activate over the 'net.

The problem is:

1. Start the Avid software (which has already been activated by an administrator) and load a project
2. Select "deactivate" to release the license, but don't clear registration data
3. Relaunch the software and select online activation
4. All of the necessary licensing information (the system ID and activation code) is viewable cleartext and able for anyone to copy down and use on their own computers to steal the activation

The solution is:

• Please mask all or part of the activation key (ie: password masking)
  

Although the information is still in the system and can be used for reactivating without re-entering the code if it's accidentally deactivated, it can't be copied back off of the screen.

Thanks!

Dave

I'm right there with you Dave. I have over 20 systems that use dongles and one system that uses the activation. The dongles are chained to the systems so I know they're not going any where. But what am I supposed to do with the one software activated system. Just pray a student is never smart enough to nab the license info? Will Avid 'freely' replace/return my license if it is ever stolen? Doubt it.

They have a dongle trade-in, how about a software activation trade-in. Hey, I'll even supply my own dongle. I have a box full of old XpressPro dongles that I don't need anymore. Let me reburn one of those with new license data.

Charles

"... I have a box full of old XpressPro dongles that I don't need anymore. ..."

You know there's a very good trade-in policy toward Media Composer?  But if theye're just sitting around, hey, were a non-profit and will gladly take those off your hands.

This thread is too much of a laugh riot for me right now.  

It has been told to us (the customer) that the move to Software Activation was prompted by requests from Educational Institutions wanting to protect their systems from dongle theft.  To see a thread from an Educational Institution POV stating that the dongle was a much better solution is fantastically hilarious to me.  

So.. exactly which segment of the customer base requested the Software Activation method?

Kenton.VanNatten:

So.. exactly which segment of the customer base requested the Software Activation method?

A question I posed several times in the various "Battle of the Dongle" threads, along with "Who participated in whatever focus groups Avid conducted on this subject?".  I'd still like to see it answered.

I can only imagine the increase in software piracy that will result from this thread alone.

Kenton,

You of all people (being a past Avid employee) should know that we cant divulge that detail.  Product Management solicited feedback from all segments and the larger percentage of feedback was "remove" the dongle. 

As for passwrod masking.... that is in the development log and is being worked on.  Not that I can speculate... but it wont be that far off.  The automation team is all over that as the phase.

Marianna

p.s. Randy.... your shameless asking for those dongles :)

Randall L Rike:

"... I have a box full of old XpressPro dongles that I don't need anymore. ..."

You know there's a very good trade-in policy toward Media Composer?  But if theye're just sitting around, hey, were a non-profit and will gladly take those off your hands.

Actually Randall, for educational institutions there is no trade-in program from XpressPro to MediaComposer. Educational customers have to buy new MediaComposer's. The educational price does not vary if you have XpressPro dongle.

As for giving them to another educational customer, Avid charges a fee to change the ownership of a license. Why should someone pay a fee for an old progam when for a couple dollars more they can get a new program?

Charles

Marianna:

Product Management solicited feedback from all segments and the larger percentage of feedback was "remove" the dongle. 

I guess that's where my question falls, because to me the overwhelming response here and other venues that I frequent seems to contrast that.  

(PS, technically I wasn't an Avid employee - I held Temp/Contractor status)

>>> (PS, technically I wasn't an Avid employee - I held Temp/Contractor status)  <<<<

Bascialy the same thing though....

The reponses you are seeing are on a few forums by a small amount of people based on the LARGE amount of industry chatter across many many forums.   Believe me I check this all the time and spend a good amount of time looking up stats.

M-

+1

for a better system

(you know where I am coming from Marianna :)

One thing that works in your favor as an educational institution is that the system would have to be deactivated prior to the theft. Should that happen, based on time of deactivation, you'd probably have a better than average chance of catching the thief.

Hi All,

Thanks for the replies, it's good to know it's being worked on.

Long term, I'm waiting for the development of a license server that we can install to dole out licenses over our network as-required so per-station licensing is no longer required.

It looks like the current activation system will support it in the future.  I know the Avid reps probably can't officially comment on this, but it would sure be nice if there wasn't a (significant) cost associated with the license server.  It will after all, encourage us to buy more licenses and upgrade more of our legacy systems.

"... for educational institutions there is no trade-in program ..."

Dang, forgot we were talking about Edu Licenses.

Dave G:

I'm waiting for the development of a license server that we can install to dole out licenses over our network as-required so per-station licensing is no longer required.

I'd buy that for a dollar. (Not that I'm suggesting you charge for this *feature*.)

If this is something in the planning mix, can I suggest taking a look at how Quark has done their site license server as a guide on how NOT to set this up. Their site license server system is a mess.

Wow, I'm already coming up with new ideas for lab deployments based on this. We have a couple dozen edit suites and lab installations spread all over campus. Using a license server we could pull all those licenses into a single 25-station lab for a morning class then return them to the individual edit suites for afternoon / evening editing use.

This idea gets .

Charles