I have to agree that the current policy of VSL in case of a damaged dongle is quite absurd.

Being forced to pay 20 Euros for each single license in case a dongle is damaged?

That's like turning the misfortune of your customers into a profitable business!

It means that those customers who have invested a lot of money in VSL libraries and who therefore are the greatest supporters of VSL as a company are punished the most, because they will literally have to pay hundreds of Euros to replace a damaged dongle! 

I think that is VERY unfair and unreasonable.

If I had known this policy before purchasing licenses I would have thought twice about purchasing any license.

It would be much more reasonable if we could simply back up each license in a non-activated state on a spare dongle, so that in the case a dongle is damaged, we would simply be able to send the damaged dongle to VSL and activate the licenses on the spare dongle.

Hello,

What if the iLok is so much damaged, mayby by fire that there is no possibility to read anything from it? Or it get stolen? I do not understand why there is no option of an unique "Mac" Address, in the iLok like on W-LAN-Cards which is connected to the License.
In case of an unfortunate event VSL could change the "Mac" Address to the new buyed iLok, and so the licenses are still only on one key.
To avoid abuse the iLok could check in a period of time (all 15-30 days) if the "Mac" Address is valid. The only thing what´s needed is an internet-connection. And that´s something we all have. :-)

regards

Torsten

1. VSL doesn't use iLok
2. We don't all have Internet connections on our production machines.

DG 

@DG said:

1. VSL doesn't use iLok
2. We don't all have Internet connections on our production machines.

DG 

1. You´re right. My fault. e-licenser but does not change anything

2. But you must have one to download the license ones. And I think it´s more welcome to let it check periodic, than pay again for something you have allready payed for, right? 😊

regards

Torsten

@ToTeMusik said:

2. But you must have one to download the license ones. And I think it´s more welcome to let it check periodic, than pay again for something you have allready payed for, right? 😊

regards

Torsten

Of course you're entitled to your opinion, but I have no wish to dismantle my studios every few days just because some people don't wish to purchase a new dongle every couple of years.

DG

@DG said:

1. VSL doesn't use iLok
2. We don't all have Internet connections on our production machines.

DG 

1. You´re right. My fault. e-licenser but does not change anything

2. But you must have one to download the license ones. And I think it´s more welcome to let it check periodic, than pay again for something you have allready payed for, right? 😊

regards

Torsten

Couldn't agree more - as it is we all have to do periodic updates to the e-licensor software on our studio machines so to have periodic licenses checks would be far more palatable than living with the potentially very high cost of re-placing licenses lost from a damaged or mislaid key.

Insurance against such issues may be available but is generally very expensive and with numerous exclusions/excesses and even if viable any claim would likely make the total policy re-newal cost rise sbstantially such is the modus operandi of insurance companies.

Julian

@ToTeMusik said:

2. But you must have one to download the license ones. And I think it´s more welcome to let it check periodic, than pay again for something you have allready payed for, right? 😊

regards

Torsten

Of course you're entitled to your opinion, but I have no wish to dismantle my studios every few days just because some people don't wish to purchase a new dongle every couple of years.

DG

DG do I get you right that you buy every two (couple) years a new key and switch your license over?
I´m thinking about possible problems while transfering them over.

I do not know where you live but in germany you have 2 years guarantee BUT this is divided in one year gurantee and one warranty (that means, that you have to prove that the hardware-damage was there on the day you bought it). So in a case of 
an unfortunate event you can hope that the manufacturer is in a good mode...

And what will you do if someone breaks into your studio and steal your keys with all your license or its totaly destroyed by what ever?
If I understand VSL right than you have to buy a new key AND all products for full price again.
If so I think not many people here on this forum can handle this and will! 😊
I could not and thats the reason I´ve stopped to take it with my Laptop for working outside.

Another way could be to buy a single key for each License to keep the lost low, of course your PC will look then like a mushroom. 😄

regards

Torsten

@ToTeMusik said:

in germany you have 2 years guarantee BUT this is divided in one year gurantee and one warranty

This is wrong, and often misunderstood.

In Germany you have warranty (Gewaehrleistung) ensured by law, and this is, where after the first year you have to prove that the damage has been there before (Beweislastumkehr)

Guarantee (Garantie) is given you by the manufacturer on a voluntary base, and it's scope depends entirely on the terms of the company.

So if VSL guarantees you the functionality of their dongle for 2 years, is really means 2 years without any restrictions. If they would give you 5 years, it would be 5. If they'd give you not any guarantee at all the legal warranty would come in.

@The Lighthouse Sleeper said:

... if anyone has had the misfortune to have a broken key I would be interested to hear how it was dealt with. Thanks very much for your attention.

I don't know if this is unusual or if there has been a change in policy but this anecdote is true.

I wounder how long it took to get all this done?
It´s nice to hear that VSL and Steinberg worked fast but how long you could not work?

And still there´s the question what will happen in a case of stealing/total lost.

I remember a threat here a while ago where someone got stolen his MAC? with all Sticks on it but haven´t heard anything about the end of the story.

regards

Torsten

I lost almost no time, maybe a couple of days. Christian here provided me with demo licenses in the meantime. For one option, one can buy a Vienna Key which has 180 starts for all licenses, which I did in addition. 

This happened right before a (US) holiday. There was no one answering Steinberg phones, but I got an email response within a couple of hours, which was fortunate as there could have been four days I couldn't have moved at all on this.