Support does NOT Respond - Bad Intro for Sonar User

If possible, I’d like to try and point this thread towards what I (maybe clumsily) originally intended. :frowning:

That is, could Steinberg provide an optional discounted second Licence Key for those Users who were happy to purchase it because it helped their workflow when switching between computers?

This is NOT to get around Copy Protection, NOT to do with Cakewalk vs Steinberg Support, NOT to do with Sonar vs Cubase, etc etc.

Many people may have good reasons to say it does NOT apply to their needs. Fine.

What I am trying to find out is whether there are people that, like myself, would want the option.

Diversity is good. I am asking for additional choice. Where Steinberg get Some extra Profit and Customers get Extra Flexibility. :slight_smile:

What would happen, the discounted licenses would turn up on eBay a little cheaper than the regular full price.
Not that I would not mind some sort of deal that took into account the number of Steinberg products we own.

My understanding is that the Key is linked to the Account (Email Addreess and Individual) so is traceable. I understand your point, but given it would be an extra Licence for typically a serious Musician (Cubase is NOT really an impulse buy), I hope this would NOT be typical. :open_mouth:

There are always people trying to take advantage of things and try to make some extra cash. Like already said, it’s no requirement to stay online so no way for Steinberg to check if the license are being used by another person.
While it is recommended to link the license to your account it is not really a requirement afaik.
As also already told in this thread, the license policy is pretty clear and easy to find BEFORE you buy a product, so it shouldn’t be a surprise to you that what you are asking is not possible. Just live with it and move on to making some music instead.

Unlike Sonar or any other DAW, an added personal benefit of Cubase is, it hasn’t been pirated in a long time. I don’t like to subsidize illegal users. It’s the same reason I also like UAD and their hardware. And I think it’s a reason Waves is being forced to go $29. With that said, if you could figure out a fool-proof protection scheme that didn’t add much to the overall cost of Cubase, I 'm sure there would be interest. So far, I haven’t read of many alternatives that would continue the non-pirating streak. Can you offer any that are 100% secure on and off-line?

This could be said about most feature requests too. And considering Cubase is the most feature-rich production environment, with so many users working so many different ways, everyone wants different things. I suppose the key is to figure out the most common issues. Apparently this may be one, but based on yesterdays Steinberg on-line survey, subscription won’t be for myself unless it’s financially advantageous to their current annual pseudo-subscription plan which I like.

I would guess there are users who desire what you wish. I doubt anyone is objecting to your desires, but it can’t infringe with existing methods, needs to be 100% fool-proof, and should not add to the overall cost of the product.

Diversity with a DAW can be a double edged sword. More added features, more bugs or issues. Personally I wish more resources go toward fixing the bugs and issues that have been added in features for the last several versions. It’s happening, but at a very slow pace, and some seem to be ignored permanently. So with your copy protection request, just figure out a better way while keeping what exists intact and pirate-free.

I also had wanted the option, nevertheless I had to pay the full price for my 2nd license, so I think, it’ s only fair (to me and to you) you have to do that also…

LoL :smiley: - Fair point!

On a serious note - I cross-graded from Sonar because of the offer last year - however - I am now watching the real possibility of Sonar being brought back under another name - just announced - plus using MixCraft - which I also cross-graded to.

So this lack of flexibility from Steinberg does make me look at basing my work on a DAW-Neutral ‘philosophy’ where all my VST Instruments and Effects are NOT part of the DAW.

I had been quite keen to fully migrate to Cubase, but I need to feel that there is mutual trust - rather than an expectation that I am trying to mis-use Licencing.

I am not looking for others to agree with me - but the market place is competitive - so I do NOT think I am unreasonable to expect more of a balance between Vendors and Customers requirements.

PS - I have been told to concentrate on making music. Which I am doing, including both Sonar and MixCraft. :smiley:

As said earlier you could have learned how the licensing works with Steinberg before you bought it. It’s public information available on the STeinberg website.

I think most people here are not saying that they don’t agree with you to some extend and that they also wish it was possible to get what you are asking for, but we do understand the licensing decision made by Steinberg. Cubase hasn’t been cracked since version 5. Sonar on the other hand, well, every time a new version got released by Cakewalk it was just a matter of days before cracked version was available all over the internet.

Also i can only laugh a bit here. You start this thread by complaining about support, from which you did actually got a correct answer, and you wanna go back to Sonar which have had absolutely no support at all.

Now I’m not sure what you mean by “DAW-neutral” but in that matter Sonar, Mixcraft and any other DAW are no different than Cubase when it comes to VST instruments. They all include some and are able to use 3rd party VSTi so not sure what your point is whit that.

Anyway, good luck with Sonar, and let’s hope their online licensing servers are actually online the day you need to activate or reactivate you license.

Thanks KHS, I’m keeping all my options open at the moment and having fun playing music. :stuck_out_tongue:

I have kept Sonar X2 running which only needs a serial number. Plan Z.

If you decide to stick with Cubase you can do like suggested, buy a license for Cubase Elements which will do all the basic stuff just fine including tracking and basic editing stuff or just learn to remember to always bring the dongle with you to use Pro version on another computer.

What I just don’t understand is, why, if the OP claims he’d never use a license concurrently, he’d ever need more than one dongle. Just take the dongle with, for chrissakes.

I have my dongle well down at the back of my PC.

I could take it out and put it back, but my PREFERENCE would be to have a second dongle I could take with me.

I am just ‘pro choice ‘, and am used to it with virtually all my other software.

You also got the license at the crossgrade promotion price for sonar users. So, buy a full priced version of Cubase and count your original purchase as your discounted second license. Problem solved.

Heh, good point!

Hi Shaun,

I guess you are quoting me here since I answered your PM. My answer was that there is currently no solution to your request. The eLicenser system just doesn’t allow multiple activations of the same license. If it would be an easy task to change it, we would do it right away. As someone stated here before, we are currently working on a new copy protection system, that we will allow all you are asking for. But this is a massive project and will take time to be implemented.

The idea to offer a second discounted license may sound like a simple solution, but it is impossible to be administrated with the current eLicenser system. Until the new license management is implemented, you can only use the USB dongle to move the license from one system to another. I know that is not what you are asking for…

Cheers,
Matthias

If internet forums exist primarily for complaining, this is a very successful forum. :wink: :stuck_out_tongue:

Not as much as KVR! :wink:

But, I’m not complaining. :laughing:

I guess you mean :wink: rather than :laughing:. :stuck_out_tongue:

Yep I just read that, great news, competition is good for everyone.

I have my dongle well down at the back of my PC.

I could take it out and put it back, but my PREFERENCE would be to have a second dongle I could take with me.

Could get a USB extension lead so your not rummaging around the back of your PC all the time, I’ve done this for my Ipad when I use metagrid