As many others have complained, I too find it problematic to work with a dongle. I will not repeat the argument, but instead suggest a new way for this to work:
I vision a system where the files produced are locked in some way when the dongle is missing without blocking for the creative process of writing and editing. Practical I suggest that the Print mode and the producing mp3 files are blocked when the dongle isn’t attached.
The best would of course, be to get rid of the dongle. I never understood why we the paying customers must suffer because other non-paying customers might misuse a product.
I am not sure why two internet activations does work for steinberg? seems common enough. Must be something that I am not understanding from their point of view. New juiced up laptop coming in March for the road and I have to convert. do already have the ilok dongle, already. it did go bad on the road and was out of business for a bit (no laughing matter from my point of view; although, I understand that steinberg is not taking pleasure with this). Gives me the hives that I will have the possibility of losing two dongles, now. Oh, what have I done to have such punishment from the muses?
I’d just chime in on this to say I use Propellerhead’s Reason and I think their solution is fine. You can install Reason on as many computers as you want, but you are limited to running it by two methods:
You have the inserted dongle which has a codemaster thingy, much like Steinberg’s with a record of your licences.
You have internet access and sign on to your Propellerhead account, which is protected via a username and a password. Once you are successfully logged on, the program opens and you have full access as normal.
I’ve never tried logging onto my account using two computers, but I would imagine this wouldn’t be possible. As internet access is available pretty much everywhere, it saves taking your dongle out on the road.
I have found shaky if no available internet wireless access in too many halls to be comfortable, or sometimes fast access but don’t have access on the system. I still think that the best solution for the user is too activations. Steinberg would not be losing money. I would opt for the dongle as it is and might lose it (steinberg did get the bucks for the dongle).