Dietz and Jasen,

You will notice that in my post I stated quite clearly that I am all for DG replying with helpful information.

It is just unfortunate that he keeps posting how everything is just fine as it is because things are working for him in response to someone else reporting a problem. This belittles the problem brought up by others and is particularly inappropriate when a MacOS issue is discussed as his signature and the nature of his comments suggest he uses a Windows PC.

So again I would request that he avoids making excuses for and defending VSL. We all love VSL, but certain things do need to be improved and we don't want our threads diminished by unhelpful opinions that are not even regarding the same platform.

DG, perhaps you could consider your comments before you post them and really think about if they are helpful to the issue at hand, and not advocating changing to a Windows PC. That would be much appreciated.

Tom

@inwinterhesleeps said:

Dietz and Jasen,

You will notice that in my post I stated quite clearly that I am all for DG replying with helpful information [...]

Tom

You're applying double standards, don't you?

@inwinterhesleeps said:

This belittles the problem

I've got this issue that I'm reseaching on my computer with the .fxp saves the Vienna Instruments is supposed to do from the stand alone menu-they won't open and the VI folds up and packs its bags when I try to save in the fxp mode of saving presets. I'm working on the issue as a thought problem right now and when I get some time I will dig into the hardware and software (reloads) that have to be worked out. But right now I feel that VSL is not working with me, when I get back to it we'll probably all be on the VI pro anyway.

I find this discussion very useful. VSL does show more openness in accepting criticisms, suggestions, ideas from the users. I don't think any of us appreciate Microsoft or Apple [:@] doing their thing to our plans for using their software or in my case buying out the manuracturer (E Magic) and then abruptly ending support for some wonderfully pricy equipment . And actually Microsoft has gotten a lot better over the years in listening to their customers. The slow license reads to me I guess are just not an issue-the analogy with the car didn't work either.  "Hey love, sit tight while I visit the gents, OK? I'm back in three little minutes" then run and get the valet to start the car. Or whatever. The big name artist or producer has a cell phone right? " Say what guy, could you give me a call just before you pull up to the studio? You can? You're the greatest! "

Whatever.

The fact is, every musician has issues with the bow hairs breaking, the rosin crumbling , the reeds splitting, the cases getting dented , the bench, being too low, too high,  the out of tune piano (damn that tuner), the jam left on the ivories,  the flem blocking the larynx, the stiff wrist that only yields painfully, the flimsy music stand, the flyaway paper music scores, the crappy copy, the poor lighting, the squeaky chair, the irate conductor, the noisy audience, the failed air conditioning or heater, the sunlight in the eyes when out of doors, the bossy impresario who then won't pay,  the . . . .

other cranky musicians.

Hello rverne 10,

the load/save bug in the VI menu is already fixed in the next version of VI (not PRO) - should be released very soon [:)], we´ve been tangled up in some other beta testing, sorry for the delay.

The workaround for now is to save and load from within the Vienna Instruments, using the "disk" symbol and the preset/matrix list.

Best,

Paul

.

Coming back from a long break I just realized it.

The original poster was right...

Thanks all VSL workers for your efforts, but seriously.

You, and your company have f***ed me over so many times, that I have no choice but to feel utterly betrayed and horribly cheated. Your products just don't live up to the needs of fast producers. VST standard and speed that I expect from your competitors (EWQL etc.)

First, you discontinue the 1st edition, without giving us users a free VST upgrade. I, a loyal customer, unlike the pirates out there, spent €5.000 on, that I had to work 11 months to get it. Then gigastudio shuts down, not giving up their code for Open Souce Software so that we can keep developing it's issues. (Like crashing and having a win 3.11 stoneage interface).

Second, you have me tangled and bogged down by your stoneage installers. What happened to copy paste, and a small installation .exe? If my system crashes, I wish to just be able to copy my files right back in from some faster medium. We're not talking 4GB here, we're talking double and tripple digits.

Third, you treat me like a thief with your "protection" wich is actually more like a "spyware", but the ludicrous aspect of it is, that the minute your company decides to do something new, you drop the old users like they were nothing. Just like your did me in your 1st edition.

How do you expect users to trust Vienna Symphonic Library, when you can't even show the courtesy of printing a few real update DVD's for customers that spent €5000, that will cost you less than €30. I think it's outrageous.

It's important to vent this anger because I don't think you understand how mistreated we, the paying customers feel.

Steinberg manages to run their business whilst charging for upgrades, but they don't ask for €5000. They ask for €500 for the reaaally big leaps. I think you are overpricing customers.

With all this said. I feel better. I can't stay quiet. You need to improve your loyalty to customers aswell. You are as dependent on us as we are on you.

You have rewarded piracy, and not your paying customers. When will you give us 1st edition buyers a reasonable upgrade pricing?

To end this on a happier note, your product is great and has wonderful potential. As it is now, though, people are better off buying from more serious competitors that reward paying customers.

Not letting the 1st editioners upgrade, at a heavy discount, is a move that will cost you more in the end. I'm sure of it.

I'm sorry, that's just the way I feel about it.

For what it's worth, on my Mac Pro 2.26 Nehalem, the first time I launch VE Pro it takes about a minute and 45 seconds.  Any time after that it takes maybe 20 seconds.  I usually launch a VE Pro 64 bit and a 32 bit.  The first one takes 1:45, then next is lightening fast.  It was definitely slower on my old G5, but I have absolutely no complaints with start up time.

I have also learned to keep the dongle plugged in directly to the the computer, rather than through a USB hub.  This avoid any "no licenses found" problem I was getting when using a hub.  All in all, I'm extremely happy and I really can't imagine what VSL could do to improve this.  Wish I didn't have to use a dongle at all, but for the thousands of dollars that this software is worth, I can totally understand why they would want to make it hard to "share".

My system has been rock solid.  And I must also add that by VSL releasing VI Pro, it has added tremendous value to all of my existing investment.  They could have milked that 100 ways, but instead they offered a very inexpensive upgrade to their VI software that unlocks previously unfathomable potential to the libraries that I already purchased.  I can't tell you how much I have appreciated that!

On top of that, after having met Paul in NYC when he does his tours, I can tell you that these guys are not only talented but genuinely nice guys and seriously want to put the most powerful tools in their user's hands.  Why else would they have undertaken this absolutely insane task of sampling a complete orchestra?  It's crazy.  Their piano is second to none, I could go on.  I know of no competitors that come close to matching VSL in sound quality or listening to their customers.  VI Pro is proof of that.

@midnightstudios said:

For what it's worth, on my Mac Pro 2.26 Nehalem, the first time I launch VE Pro it takes about a minute and 45 seconds.  Any time after that it takes maybe 20 seconds.  I usually launch a VE Pro 64 bit and a 32 bit.  The first one takes 1:45, then next is lightening fast.  It was definitely slower on my old G5, but I have absolutely no complaints with start up time.

Are you using the latest version of VE Pro? On my W7 system launch time has gone down from 4 minutes to around 30 seconds.

DG

I lost more production time with FxPansion's way of authorizing a few weeks ago than is probable with any dongle scheme. Suddenly and mysteriously there was a corrupt serial number and I had reached my maximum of three auths, their server was hinky, didn't handle my first 4 support tickets - so there's me and three production days working around 'no drums'. I've had other annoyances with disk auth, and prefer syncrosoft overall.Their server snafu cost me minutes but not days waiting for somebody to see a support ticket, for instance.

The license check, OSX.6.4, goes right quick here, coupla seconds, but I have a dozen or so licenses and not hundreds.

@DG said:

 Edgar, I know that we don't see eye to eye on this issue, but some of your problems are actually caused by the fact that you are using OSX (the need to re-boot, for example). I don't really think that it's fair to try to hold VSL responsible for the inflexibility of Apple's OS.

However, I (and I'm sure VSL) would be interested to hear about a better copy protection system, if there is one. Do you have any thoughts? I'm assuming that it is not cost effective for VSL to come up with their own. To my knowledge there are 3 main sorts of copy protection:

1. Challenge/response. This one seems to be cracked almost before it has been released.
2. Dongle. I only really know anything about Syncrosoft and iLok. I do know that most iLok products are cracked very quickly, and Syncrosoft ones take a lot longer. I also know that if VSL was using iLok, we wouldn't even be having this discussion, because there are no 64bit drivers for OSX yet for iLok.

   DG