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Mysterious Avid Issue Knocks Out Mac Pro Workstations Across Hollywood

variety.com

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Re: Mysterious Avid Issue Knocks Out Mac Pro Workstations Across Hollywood

#22

Post by episodeiv »

RealDinosaur wrote: post #16
dvfjsdhgfv wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> their copy protection management tool/device driver - iLok. They're still using that? These things were successfully cracked in the nineties, I was convinced nobody uses hardware dongles anymore.

Oh, it's not just Avid. Some audio production software such as ReFX Nexus still uses a USB dongle. There is no way to use the software without it plugged in. It also has a policy where if you damage the dongle, you have to buy again and get a 10% discount off the FULL price of the VST. In the age of people gigging on laptops, I'm not entirely sure how they think they are gonna sell any more of them. I fancy it myself…

To add to that, it's not just media production.

In the medical field, almost all software for performing and analyzing EKGs, X-rays, MRIs etc. comes by default with some sort of dongle-based protection. Apparently, it's not enough that you need the biggest dongle in the world (i.e. the machine itself!) to use the software. Some vendors do offer alternatives if you fight them hard enough but the default still is a trip to dongle town.

Re: Mysterious Avid Issue Knocks Out Mac Pro Workstations Across Hollywood

#26

Post by hajhatten »

dvfjsdhgfv wrote: post #4
foxhill wrote: post #2

yikes. having written aax plugins for a while, i have to say, i’m kind of surprised this came from AVID. from what it sounds like (having scraped the surface), it’s not their editing software (Pro Tools, et al.) but their copy protection management tool/device driver - iLok. i’m sure there are some very anxious engineers in the AVID offices today.

> their copy protection management tool/device driver - iLok. They're still using that? These things were successfully cracked in the nineties, I was convinced nobody uses hardware dongles anymore.

Steinberg Cubase uses these aswell

Re: Mysterious Avid Issue Knocks Out Mac Pro Workstations Across Hollywood

#28

Post by raverbashing »

flukus wrote: post #9
foxhill wrote: post #2

yikes. having written aax plugins for a while, i have to say, i’m kind of surprised this came from AVID. from what it sounds like (having scraped the surface), it’s not their editing software (Pro Tools, et al.) but their copy protection management tool/device driver - iLok. i’m sure there are some very anxious engineers in the AVID offices today.

> but their copy protection management tool/device driver - iLok. Maybe Hollywood will learn that DRM hurts legitimate users. But they probably won't, I won't be shedding any tears either way.

It would be fun if those affected companies put a nice lawsuit for the downtime they're facing, but they might not want to rock that boat

Re: Mysterious Avid Issue Knocks Out Mac Pro Workstations Across Hollywood

#29

Post by tecleandor »

episodeiv wrote: post #22
RealDinosaur wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Oh, it's not just Avid. Some audio production software such as ReFX Nexus still uses a USB dongle. There is no way to use the software without it plugged in. It also has a policy where if you damage the dongle, you have to buy again and get a 10% discount off the FULL price of the VST. In the age of people gigging on laptops, I'm not entirely sure how they think they are gonna sell any more of them. I fancy it myself…

To add to that, it's not just media production. In the medical field, almost all software for performing and analyzing EKGs, X-rays, MRIs etc. comes by default with some sort of dongle-based protection. Apparently, it's not enough that you need the biggest dongle in the world (i.e. the machine itself!) to use the software. Some vendors do offer alternatives if you fight them hard enough but the default still is a tri…

Ah, but they need to control that CD recording device on the workstation, just in case you're handing out CDs to your patients WITHOUT A CD RECORDING LICENSE. They have the weirdest licenses.
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