Why I will never buy a full version of Cubase!

I have been a Cubase user since SX or whenever they introduced VST era.

I have had several LE and AI editions, current Arist 11.0 edition and one previous full SX edition for my son as his first DAW some years ago.

I feel Steinberg are making me feel like the criminal as a paying user. Jumping through this hoop, dancing on those hot coals etc. While everyone is entitled to protect their intellectual copyright, these guys take it to the extreme. I previously purchased Artist 11.0 with dongle.
I hardly used it one one machine because my personal circumstances changed and I was away from my hobby for a couple of years. Over the holidays I was trying to transfer the license from the old desktop to a new laptop running Windows 11.0 as well.

Nope! Steinberg Cubase required me to download 5 different programs downloaders, license applications etc. I thought the dongle meant plug and play on more than one machine. so I got a message. This version has already been used, contact support for more assistance.

Yeah right, wait 6 months and by that time the idea and inspiration has passed.

Honestly guys, If you spent more time writing good code and beta testing it rather than spend all your time trying to trick your users into tighter and tighter updates, you would actually sell more copies because users would be prepared to buy a stable product with more features and update frequently. As it is we pay for more restrictions and harder to use software. Its nothing to do with Yamaha purchase of the brand, Steinberg were always the same, although it is getting progressively worse. Simple to install. simple to use, tighter code to run more effectively. These are the things you should be concentrating on.
Get your act together Steinberg.

I never thought I would say it but I am moving to Cakewalk.

Lost customer Tee

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Well, actually it sounds like you tried to use your Artist 11 activation code. But your license was already active.

Of course, as you say, there is no need to transfer a license, because the dongle needs only to be plugged into a machine that has elicenser and Cubase software installed. So it sounds like you might have misunderstood.

Steve thank you for the reply, I think you missed the point.
Download (1 file)
run
install
Go!

That’s all it takes.

No need to be online every time to ensure I am legal.
network chips or cards cause noise.

That’s the last thing we need to introduce in a daw.

You think Steinberg are correct in their approach, fine!
I do not after many years of putting up with this I dont.

Make a better product, not a better protection system!!

Thankyou.

I’m terribly sorry, but that’s not actually correct.

There’s no need to be online except to download the files. The Elicenser Control Center does not go online except when you explicitly tell it to.

What you could have done on the new machine would have been,

  • download the Steinberg Download Manager, and use it to download and install the product(s) you own, as well as the Elicenser, which is installed automatically.
  • plug your already existing USB elicenser into a USB port
  • Launch Cubase

Best of luck to you.

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