I’m at the give-up phase on license with cubase. If you get new computer, or switch either direction PC < – > MAC, the license workflow has not been successful (or easy) for me, and even more layers of difficulty with upgrades. I’m a computer guy by trade, since they were given to the public, I’m old and I know what I’m doing. I’m so missing the dongle days, and other manufacture ways.
Now to my question?
Is there a simple way to deal with Cubase license, that I just am not understanding. What workflow are people doing to keep it simple, successful, and working for years to come as the software evolves?
— Like, stay on PC or MAC forever
— keep to one version
— etc, what are yall doing to make it through the years
I’m not sure what kind of difficulties you have and I guess you are asking about the new licensing mechanism.
The way you get a license doesn’t need a complicated workflow, it is as simple as
Install the software (via Download Assistant)
Start the Activation Manager and login using your mySteinberg Account
Press the Activate Button.
That’s it, there is no need for dongles or so (except if you still have software that has not been upgraded) and you can activate three computer at the same time.
If you need to change a computer and forgot to deactivate the license you can simply do that afterwards in your online profile.
Regarding your three points, I don’t understand what you want to know here. You can stay on PC or Mac as long as you like, no one is stoping you here.
I agree. The new Cubase licensing is clumsy and clunky. I had to get Steinberg help to upgrade for Cubase 12 in the first place, and now every time there is a maintenance update I get problems; license not found, license not valid, cannot connect to server, etc. I have to click around in circles until I find a way to continue. Download manager does not work, I have to manually bypass it.
And why do I have to keep on accepting cookies on different Steinberg web screens during the same visit? BRING BACK THE DONGLE!
I despair about what might go wrong after the next upgrade. Perhaps Steinberg are quietly aware of these issues with Cubase 12 and with Steinberg licensing and that’s why Cubase 12 is remaining the current version for so long.
I will be fair to and state, the TRANSITIONING process has been less than smooth. However, once you are on the new licensing system, it is definitely easier than the dongle was. Even if a computer gets lost or crashes, you can simply log into your Steinberg account and click to deactivate license on the unavailable computer.
Another issue was that even though you have a copy of a software title authorized on the computer, you also have to separately make sure the eLicense is synchronized to your Steinberg account, or you do not receive automatic coupons for free upgrades. That is not very evident or self-explanatory.
To be honest the back and forth or simultaneous Mac and PC usage did not make a difference, it is just multiple computers with a license.
I think calling it an existential survival quest is a bit of an exaggeration.
It’s nice hearing I’m not alone, saying it’s easy, click a button, everything is great does not represent the 30 years I’ve been doing this. I was writing drivers on the first (or one of the first) cards, Roland pci-mpu-401 on a dos lunchbox portable on royal cruise line floating in the black sea near Russia because cakewalk dos had delay issues. I, like others have moved on to more advanced tools, but every now and then for a customer I need Steinberg tools and I’m fumbling through a license issue for re-activation, up-grade, full-grade, I’m now mac not PC for this re-install, etc… The list goes on.
I do take some blame for the difficulty, part my fault going through workstations and hardware upgrades yearly, of all the tools, this Cubase has been one “interesting” tool to activate. Thanks for the response, just wondering if anyone else over the years had the same issues.