I really hate this application! When you launch it it always asks you login and authenticate. It will automatically update your elicencer and activation software. And when it finally appears it’s a maze of menu’s with all available applications and sounds that let you decide what you need. In mine it insists that I need to update the Allan Morgan Signature Drums. But I’ve never bought it and it’s not on my elicencer! So go figure Steinberg!
I just hate it that this application insist on installing most applications from a download and wont let me download and save the updates! I can imagine this could be handy in some cases but I usually save my downloads so I won’t have to download +40 GB again when needed!
Also the version comparison between installed and ‘maybe’ updated content is next to impossible. If you want to be up to date on for instance Groove Agent Drum Kits there is no way of knowing if you’re running the latest version. Because there’s no version history in there.
A good example of total uselessness is the old Padshop Pro, which is now Padshop 2? All the Pro downloads are now converted to "for Padshop 2’. This would suggest you to download several gigabytes again because Padshop Pro has been discontinued and Padshop 2 is automatically installed? They make it sound that if you’ve switched from Pro to 2 you need to download these sounds again. `But the *.vstsound content is exactly the same! The only difference is that the original Padshop Pro came with an installer and the new Padshop2 only has the *vstsound files to be directly installed into the Library Manager . Is it really too much work to mention in the SDA that if you have the original files you don’t need to download these again for Padshop2?
It looks like Steinberg just wants us to download as much as possible of the same stuff we already have over and over again without ever thinking on how this can be managed more efficiently!
Same with switching from Cubase 11 to 12. Almost all of the content is the same but it’s listed in both without even a simple mention that if you already installed this in prior versions you don’t need to download this again. So I can imagine a lot of people don’t realize this and go ahead and download 25 GB of data they already have installed!
So this “Download Assistant” is a crying shame and generating a massive amount of unnecessary network traffic.
For people like me with a fast and unlimited connection it’s not a problem. But for people less fortunate it’s of course a major disaster!
So next time Steinberg complains after a major update that their server are overloaded you have all the right to blame this on them! Because they do nothing to decrease network traffic. In fact they make it worse by endorsing an application like the SDA!
I know Steinberg said it’s a work in progress? But for most users it’s becoming a major pain in progress that keeps lingering on!
Especially with the amount of data involved today I think Steinberg should really make it a high priority to sort this out as soon as possible!
