X10 - no more hardware locks


lbuttery
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Ray:

 

1. I hate doing the deactivate/activate dance

    I would have to deactivate on my desktop, disconnect from internet

    get my laptop out of the case, power up, connect to internet, activate

    when I return from client get the laptop out of the case, power up, connect to internet, deactivate, disconnect from internet

    connect to internet, activate on the desktop

 

2. concerned that someday CA may decide to turn off software locks if SSA is not kept active

 

3. hardware lock gives total freedom

 

Lew

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The activation dance is a PITA for sure and only effects legitimate Users like us , I am not sure why they don't allow a Desktop and Laptop to be active , but only one in Use at a time?

 

I am a bit surprised  CA deleted those threads this morning to say the least ...... posting a Clear statement would of been better for all....

 

M.

 

 

 

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Concerning hardware locks. I believe we need to understand what I believe to be the issue for CA concerning these keys as they can be easily worked around. 

 

I myself fully respect CA's right to take appropriate measures to protect their intellectual property. Their approach is not uncommon and from my experience it is actually more relaxed than many others. Many others do not permit a single licensed user to have the software installed on multiple systems, CA permits this along with the ability to easily via the internet active and deactivate the license between systems. All they are concerned about is to verify that you are a legitimate user and that the software is not active on more systems than your licensing permits.

 

I understand that some users may feel that this, in some manner, may infringe on their interpretation of ownership rights, or that utilizing an internet verification method may for some, be cause for potential privacy or big brother concerns. In my opinion, especially the latter, this concern as it relates to CA is highly over exaggerated, especially given the fact that everything you do in your browser, e-mail, e-commerce and the likes of Facebook is being logged, stored, scanned and disseminated to others.

 

I'm just not sure what other approach CA can take that would better address the piracy, ownership rights and privacy issues to the full satisfaction of every user. 

 

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8 minutes ago, Chief16Designer said:

No hard ware lock? what do you do  if you don't have access on line for months

 program stops working after 15 to 30 days? 

 

 

Yes, everything does rely on there being an internet connection and certainly if this is not available then you will have a problem. Not sure what the odds are that one would be without an internet connection for that length of time though.

 

If I was going to mount an argument for the need of a hardware key it would be based on what would happen if CA were to go bankrupt and there was no other company willing to assume and carry on it's business.

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15 hours ago, lbuttery said:

1. I hate doing the deactivate/activate dance

    I would have to deactivate on my desktop, disconnect from internet

    get my laptop out of the case, power up, connect to internet, activate

    when I return from client get the laptop out of the case, power up, connect to internet, deactivate, disconnect from internet

    connect to internet, activate on the desktop

 

 

This is not how it works now. You can deactivate another machine and activate the current one from the same machine at Chief startup. With active license on desktop, say, you can just open your laptop at client's house, start Chief - deactivating desktop and activating laptop. Get back to office, deactivate laptop/activate desktop when you open a new session on desktop. Yes, you will need an internet connection to do this, but most Smartphones have hotspots. However, I don't know why you would spend time traveling to a client's house when you have GoToMeeting and other programs.

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open your laptop at client's house

 

yep, what if no internet - as you mentioned in your post

 

if my laptop is in its bag and turned off - then deactivate/activate from desktop won't work right ?

 

sorry but we like the independence the hardware locks provide

 

 

Lew

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11 minutes ago, lbuttery said:

open your laptop at client's house

 

yep, what if no internet - as you mentioned in your post

 

if my laptop is in its bag and turned off - then deactivate/activate from desktop won't work right ?

 

sorry but we like the independence the hardware locks provide

 

 

Lew


I can totally understand the convenience of the hardware lock at that point. However, what's the percentage of people that don't have internet these days? It's probably around 10%. I know personally that over the last 7 years, coordination for all of my projects was done via email. If they have email, they obviously have the internet. 

That being said, to be safe, you could technically activate your laptop at home or office prior to leaving for your meeting. Also, as Richard mentioned above, you could use your mobile hotspot to activate on the spot. 

Personally I don't like physical hardware locks because it opens the door to the possibility of losing something that isn't cheap. 

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16 minutes ago, DavidJames said:

you could use your mobile hotspot to activate on the spot. 

You don't even have to set it up as a hotspot. I can deactivate and activate right on my phone.  If for some reason I was somewhere that the phone did not have a signal -a clients house, get access on their connection, middle of nowhere with no access-find the nearest McDonalds, Panera, Starbucks, rest area... Of course all of that is assuming you forgot to change the activation before you left. Forgot to bring your dongle with you though? SOL.

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 If they have email, they obviously have the internet. 

 

Clients just love to share their internet with "strangers"

NOT !!!

 

 

That being said, to be safe, you could technically activate your laptop at home or office prior to leaving for your meeting.

 

yep, if I get it out of the bag , turn it on, connect to internet - then repeat when I get home

 

 

Personally I don't like physical hardware locks because it opens the door to the possibility of losing something that isn't cheap. 

 

a business insurance policy with named property takes care of that

 

 

Forgot to bring your dongle with you though? SOL

 

no method is perfect

 

CA has had times over the weekend when the activation server was down and anyone needing activation was SOL

 

Lew

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I just read a post in here.   Talking about disagreement about new release.   Are posts being censored or deleted by people?


Seems kind of weird to not let open discussion go on.   Did I miss something?


I dont know anything about the current discourse, but I can say from experience that overhanded moderation and post deletion/censorship does not usually go down well.   I get locking threads if they turn totally unproductive.   But erasing stuff starts to raise eyebrows.    Just as in this case.   It makes whoever is deleting them look 'guilty' of sorts.


We are adults here.   We are also paying customers.   Now I am curious as to what is going on.   

 

AND if someone decides to delete this thread.......well, I will know where my 20 years of Chief loyalty gets me.   Whats up guys?....  

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8 minutes ago, VisualDandD said:

I just read a post in here.   Talking about disagreement about new release.   Are posts being censored or deleted by people?


Seems kind of weird to not let open discussion go on.   Did I miss something?


I dont know anything about the current discourse, but I can say from experience that overhanded moderation and post deletion/censorship does not usually go down well.   I get locking threads if they turn totally unproductive.   But erasing stuff starts to raise eyebrows.    Just as in this case.   It makes whoever is deleting them look 'guilty' of sorts.


We are adults here.   We are also paying customers.   Now I am curious as to what is going on.   

 

AND if someone decides to delete this thread.......well, I will know where my 20 years of Chief loyalty gets me.   Whats up guys?....  

I can't say for sure but I think that the threads in question might have been reported by other users to the moderators, I know someone asked "where are the moderators when you need them". FWIW the poster started 4 or so threads with lengthy rants and at one point posted to my personal profile NOT a PM just to my profile. I didn't appreciate that. If you want to question something I posted why not in the public forum where it was posted to begin with. Sneaky crap.

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3 minutes ago, MarkMc said:

I can't say for sure but I think that the threads in question might have been reported by other users to the moderators, I know someone asked "where are the moderators when you need them". FWIW the poster started 4 or so threads with lengthy rants and at one point posted to my personal profile NOT a PM just to my profile. I didn't appreciate that. If you want to question something I posted why not in the public forum where it was posted to begin with. Sneaky crap.

10-4

 

Have no idea of beef going on, but find it strange to just wipe it away.   Anyway, as a long time user, I have proven my loyalty to a company.   I still do have concerns when I see issues raised.   I'd prefer to decide on my own what my opinion might be rather than just "erase" them and be left wondering....

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Just now, VisualDandD said:

10-4

 

Have no idea of beef going on, but find it strange to just wipe it away.   Anyway, as a long time user, I have proven my loyalty to a company.   I still do have concerns when I see issues raised.   I'd prefer to decide on my own what my opinion might be rather than just "erase" them and be left wondering....


They were erased because a lot of what was written by the original poster was just absurd. He even went so far as comparing Chief Architect to Harvey Weinstein... :blink:

 

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3 hours ago, TheKitchenAbode said:

Concerning hardware locks. I believe we need to understand what I believe to be the issue for CA concerning these keys as they can be easily worked around. When I had X1 with a dongle I was always forgetting to take it with me, very frustrating. Took about 10 minutes of googling to find someone who was able to write a small patch that acted like a virtual dongle, any system with this patch installed did not need the physical hardware key. In this situation my purpose was just to alleviate the frustration when I forgot the key and not to circumvent my licensing agreement. However, it demonstrates that this could easily be done and utilized for the purpose of pirating the software.

 

This is the 1st time I have ever seen this mentioned anywhere........

 

I however have been caught out with the no internet access issue , while working out of Town and CA could not / would not help , even HD Pro would not work as it also Checks , so I see both sides of this..... there was a time when you could use most software on your Laptop and Desktop without an issue, if it is a legitimate Sign In ( Known Machine ) why can't the Activation Server not do an Auto Switch of the machine registered / used ? Of course that doesn't help if you don't have Internet.

 

M.

 

 

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4 minutes ago, DavidJames said:


They were erased because a lot of what was written by the original poster was just absurd.....

 

10-4.   But I guess I just have to take your word for it in this case.   What makes it look bad is when another poster inquires about it, and HIS post is deleted.


Again, I still dont have any idea what is going on.   Just does not look good.   This forum is usually made up of pretty even headed guys (and gals ;) .)   I just like to make those judgements on my own.

 

Anyway.  Back on topic of no hardware locks.   I have debated this internally for sometime.   I really dont like the reliance of a server somewhere to have access to my work.   BUT i have lived with it as it seems to be the way things go these days.   But....as I do in other aspects of my life.   "What if"......    What if Chief closes its doors and turns off the lights?  Valid question for sure.

 

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1 minute ago, Kbird1 said:

 

This is the 1st time I have ever seen this mentioned anywhere........

 

I however have been caught out with the no internet access issue , while working out of Town and CA could not / would not help , even HD Pro would not work as it also Checks , so I see both sides of this..... there was a time when you could use most software on your Laptop and Desktop without an issue, if it is a legitimate Sign In ( Known Machine ) why can't the Activation Server not do an Auto Switch of the machine registered / used ? Of course that doesn't help if you don't have Internet.

 

M.

 

 

Expanding on this idea.   There is a truth in life.   If people want to steal something, they will.

 

The idea of a software company needing to make their software company needing it to be so secure that it cant be worked around.  But who is this stopping?   It is only stopping people who would not have bought the software anyway.  Sure, they got on a torrent site and got a "free" copy of chief (except library probably wont work).   Is this really adding to Chiefs bottom line?

 

I dont think so.   I dont think those people would have bought the software anyway.   Most people using 'cracked' software just like to collect things I think and get off on getting them for free.   Chief is not a bootleg copy of an audio file.   It is a professional CAD tool, that takes major investment of time to become proficient with.   Are those teenagers in their parents basement really gonna get a bootleg copy and then find a way to populate the library, and then go really use the software?    I just dont see it.

 

I have no problem paying for something that I use as much as I do and keep revenue coming in for chief along with improvements.  (some I want more than others ;) ).

 

I think Chief may be risking alienating  some long time users with some valid points.   I am in the camp I would just like to register once on a machine my valid copy.   I dont like to work from laptops (at all).   I am addicted to my workstation with 3 monitors, a programmed gaming keypad and 2 mouses.   I also NEVER want to draw in front of a client.   Just the way I use the product.

 

Just a thought.   Crooks will be crooks. Its my opinion that making the software harder to crack, does not necessarily generate more customers.  

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1 hour ago, DavidJames said:

I can totally understand the convenience of the hardware lock at that point. However, what's the percentage of people that don't have internet these days? It's probably around 10%. I know personally that over the last 7 years, coordination for all of my projects was done via email. If they have email, they obviously have the internet. 

That being said, to be safe, you could technically activate your laptop at home or office prior to leaving for your meeting. Also, as Richard mentioned above, you could use your mobile hotspot to activate on the spot. 

 

 

If you live in a big City or even a small one in Nth America all is fine ...usually . not so much if you work in a remote areas sometimes , that in some cases (mine) don't even have Cell coverage... CA is sold worldwide too remember , not everyone on Earth has a 100mb Broadband connection sitting on their Desk.

 

M.

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