Steinberg Licensing - It's flawed and I don't get the point

I followed the instructions. Redeemed the vouchers. Still can’t use Wavelab Pro without the USB. Can’t use Cubase 12 without it either, as all the Steinberg VSTis need the dongle. At this rate, it will be years before I need to stop carrying around the dongle. And I can’t even use WaveLab on my Mac, because it was an upgrade from Elements and no matter what I do, it won’t run on another computer. Why didn’t Steinberg just use iLok cloud? Or buy any third party system.? Slate works too. What am I missing here? Are we still all just beta testers for Yamaha?

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It doesn’t help if you want Steinberg to switch to iLok or whatever. Even then all software packages need to be modified, the new license checks need to be developed and integrated in each and every package, This is how software works and not just for Steinberg.

You will need the dongle beside the new system as long as it takes to change all packages to the new licensing system. This change is a major task and not done in a day or so.

Regarding Wavelab… what did you do? It’s hard to tell if you just complain, but not explain.

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I followed the instructions on the video. Groove Agent 5 worked. WaveLab says it’s “pending” Pending what? And what is going to happen to all the VSTi’s I bought? I have a lot of them. Are they all going to be ported over? Is there a timeframe? You can see how frustrating this is. My MacBook doesn’t even have a USB port! I don’t really want to run Cubase on two computers - it would be impractical. But Wavelab on the MacBook would be very helpful. I’ve contacted support and it’s very slow and all they said was “wait”. As for complaining - let me tell you - the last 12 months of Steinberg would make anyone complain - especially someone who’s been paying them since Cubase SX.

Yes, as I said… each and every package needs to be ported to the new system and again, it doesn’t matter what licensing system you chose. All of them need that.

So you are not the only one who needs to wait, I do the same and I’m not frustrated, because I simply keep the dongle on the USB port. If you Mac doesn’t have one it is not the problem of Steinberg, it is an Apple problem (no I do not want to rant about Apple). Btw. what MacBook doesn’t have at least a single USB Port and can’t use a decent USB Hub? They all have USB-C, so why not take a Hub?

I share your frustrations with Steinberg’s new license system. It has shown me a few quirks I wasn’t aware of with how they license their software like you are not allowed to use dongle-free software if you did buy your software as part of a dongle. It doesn’t seem to me that Steinberg is prioritizing the switch either, I see no signs of Steinberg making products that won’t need updates other than to remove the dongle protection available dongle free, like their sample libraries.

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It has shown me a few quirks I wasn’t aware of with how they license their software like you are not allowed to use dongle-free software if you did buy your software as part of a dongle

It is interesting that this point comes up all the time over and over again, which makes it still not true.

A software is not simply magically switching a license system, just because you want it. Software needs to be modified by developers to implement the new system. That takes time, especially with the amount and the complexity of software as it is from Steinberg.

I asked this the OP already, what is your problem with keeping the dongle for the previous release and the parts that are not yet upgraded?

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What else can a company do, but publish the details about the change and respond to questions about it, which they have done? Customers should at least do the reading so they can understand what the process is projected to look like.

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the thing that annoys me (the problem) is that there is software available to be used without a dongle - BUT - not if you bought thru a bundle like Absolute pack.

and sample packs like funky guitar, indie pop guitar etc etc aren’t complex software. It is just wav files packed in a copy protection system.

so before when everything was dongle protected I was fine with that as it was how it was, but now that Steinberg is selling how great it is to go dongle free I am not feeling their commitment to these statements. Yes I agree with Steinberg, dongle free is better, but I am disappointed with their tempo.

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They have been proactively open about the amount of time it would take. They have said from the beginning of this transition, it would take a period of years.

It doesn’t matter what they tell us though, if people don’t read it.

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Again, what is the problem with keeping the dongle and use it until the software has been changed? I don’t get it… I can easily live with it and change when the upgrade is available.

Have a look at the links provided by @steve and read what Steinberg is openly communicating about this change in their licensing system.

Sorry but this is nit picking. It’s complete nonsense to put every tiny piece out to download, just because it is a tiny piece. This is horrible work for developers and testers to go through it, it makes much more sense to create large distribution packages and avoid tiny downloads every other day.

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Yeah, agreed. These ongoing complains about licensing stuff, that has been commuinicated beforehand is really unnerving. May the people read the statements published by Steinberg and understand them. And I think it is somewhat frustrating for Steinberg themselves. What else can you do than planning the process and communicating beforehand, what people should now and just a rough time frame?

Of course one can wish, this would go faster and that would come sooner or whatever. But one cannot say, “I didn’t know”. At the end SB is a business, and I’m sure after a number of “free” updates to the SB licensing, they do have some priorities to update some products with the next planned major release - as this will bring some fresh revenue.

Everybody can use the products as before even with the dongle, so… stay tuned and stay patient, everyone. :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

Cheers.

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A post was merged into an existing topic: Steinberg Licensing killed Groove Agent 3

Ummm - they could make it work? - you know - for money?

Can’t use my products. So . . . not patient . . . walking away . . .

What is wrong with you?

Reading the threads you created over the years it is always complaining that Steinberg is too dumb to create software and you are the hero that knows how the world is ticking… especially with the language you are using in many of your postings.

You’ve got tons of material to read how this all works, but you obviously decided to ignore that, because you know better than others what is “crap”.

Does that mean you are no longer ranting here and constantly blame people for your problems? Cool,

Sorry - I am I disturbing you? If you don’t have an answer to why Groove Agent no longer works? Why comment? If you have a link to something helpful - as in “how to authorise older VSTi’s” post that. Otherwise - move on dude.

Please explain how this is my problem? Do you own any VSTi’s that have been cut off from authorisation?

You got the answer to that already in another thread.

Yes I own a variety of VST’s and I have an eLicenser that enables all of them.

Anyway, it doesn’t make sense to do any discussion with you, because you always start getting rude immediately. So for me this is end of discussion with you…

@pkmusic please read the info here: Steinberg Licensing: A New and Exciting Era Begins | Steinberg.