If it's the law it's the law. However, I couldn't disagree more with it, and as a composer living in this world you should think the same. When you buy a music CD, you are buying the actual plastic that contains it, not the actual music itself for all time. Sure, you also buy the permission (a very limited licence) to play that plastic to your heart's content, in the privacy of your own home/car. If you break it, lose it, eat it, spoil it, you have to go out and buy it again! If the plastic deteriorates through 1000 plays of your favourite tune, then just buy it again - it seems to be worth the €15... You should just be more careful, and accidents will happen, but just be more careful. I don't know how many hundreds of records and hundreds of CDs I own, but I know that I have damaged in the period of some decades only 2 or 3. I'm very happy with those statistics. As far as software is concerned, again personally I have never had a problem in the same few decades. Once it is installed, there already exists a hard copy from the purchase sitting on the shelf for emergency purposes. [Note: Companies that sell virtual software over the Internet just have to allow for backups]. Now, in case of theft? Well if somebody lifted my whole collection one day and I found my shelves empty, that's it isn't it? Should Sony, Chandos, DG, Phillips, EMI, etc. just re-fill them for me? Of course I would be completely devastated, but it would just be tough luck. Now just imagine that the whole VSL Cube doesn't come in a huge box of DVDs, but just inside a tiny USB key. What if that got lost/stolen (for damage see last paragraph)? It would be the same as if a diamond ring got stolen, wouldn't it? What then? It is from this premise that any discussion should ensue.
Now, the case of VSL (and other sample libraries) is different in that the software costs thousands of €, all virtually contained on a small piece of stupid fragile plastic. I agree that a solution should be found so that no one should be liable for even half the amount of their software should something happen to that key. BUT do you remember the days of the Pro Edition? That library had no stupid little key that had to be inserted anywhere, did it? There was no date with Herb on the Internet for validating your legitimacy every 60-90 days, was there? Vienna Instruments could have easily been available in such a format, but what transpired back then??...
People copied those libraries and sold them or just gave them away to their friends, didn't they? Same as with Logic and every other program.... Is your copy of Microsoft Word registered anywhere? Have you ever done any Peer2Peer shyte (for P2P read F***2F***!!!!)? Has anybody else here shared other people's blood and sweat as if it was their own? If so for "anarchistic" or other retarded political reasons, have they been consistent by also denying remuneration for themselves in their day-jobs?
Finally, I thought a while back about the Internet validation thing (I would put it once a year or every 6 months at most), but I also thought it a bit too Big Brotherly back then and didn't suggest it - also what happens if a company (not VSL necessarily) closes down? And there are other issues as well... Maybe another idea would be for the key to be a more sturdy, metallic construct that can take some punishment (if heat is no issue?), and then one would just have to insure it against loss, for the value of the cost of re-validation. All this is the result of pure theft (piracy) with which most everybody seems to be so comfortable these days. What cretinism! Those people don't realize this attitude is going to bite them back 1,000,000 times harder than any (presumed) guilt-pangs at the acceptance of some pirated music/software....
P.S.: The diamond ring analogy is valid if we are allowed to transfer our licenses to somebody else at any time, as we should be.