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I deleted the previous posts because I should not have responded to begin with.  

This entire thread is wrong, because once the dongle system is used for copy protection, there is no way to distinguish between theft and loss.  So VSL is not in the wrong.   To compare other companies is a false comparison because they don't use the same system.  

Also the statement that comparing physical products is wrong is completely wrong itself - it is exactly analogous, because the posters of this thread want a replacement for something stolen,  for free. That doesn't happen in the real world.  

I have no interest in debating this however - it is utterly fruitless since the people on this thread are hostile and their minds are made up.  They hate VSL and want to tear it down.  It is as simple as that.  My question - if you love the other companies so much - why don't you use them instead?    

Here is a solution that would completely protect both the legitimate business interests of VSL and the equally legitimate security concerns of their customers:

Simply offer a copy protection scheme where the licenses that are loaded onto a dongle can be temporary and in this case the user has to update/validate them at regular intervals. We know that this works from the countless demo licenses VSL offers its users. Since VSL has to pay fees for these licenses to Steinberg they can surely bill these fees to the customer. This would exactly be the “insurance feature” many customers would like. VSL could offer different schemes where the licenses would e.g. be monthly, yearly or unlimited, depending on how much security the customer wants and that correspondingly come with normal, smaller, respectively without any premiums. 

Should a customer loose or damage a key with licenses that last only another few more weeks anyway it should not be any problem for VSL to replace them immediately at no or a minimal fee, whereas if the licenses last e.g. for another half a year the fee could at least be much more reasonable than what we see now). Since Steinberg will earn considerably more money within such a scheme, VSL could negotiate a deal that keeps the premiums for such a service at a very reasonable level for the customer - after all everything will be automated anyway. Moreover VSL could issue bundle licenses for e.g. the entire Symphonic Cube to reduce the cost. 

The advantage of such a scheme compared to cloud-based solutions is that the customer does not need to have a fast and fully reliable internet connection at all times in order to work, but only a minimal one, occasionally: if you forget to update/validate your licenses, you can do this even while traveling at some cafe around the corner.

I told you all this is a touchy subject on the forum😊

It boils down to this:

1. Don't lose your key

2. Don't lose your key

3. Don't lose your key

4. If you can get insurance, get it.

Oh! I forgot to mention, don't lose your key.

If you're going to use VSL then you have to abide by their license agreement.  I don't particularly like it either but the benefits justify the risk.  If you feel differently then use somebody else's product.

@ Kai

Your solution has already been suggested in one form or another before.  VSL tends to keep mum on this I guess because of the obvious hostility it generates so we'll see if a beter system is in the works.

Okay now nuff said? 

@Another User said:

"They hate VSL and want to tear it down.  It is as simple as that.  My question - if you love the other companies so much - why don't you use them instead?"

Dear , dear, I would guess you dont know anyone in this thread personally, some people might actually be trying to improve VSL customer support 

Z

I will repeat and repeat :

VSL IS A GREAT COMPANY MAKING A GREAT LIBRARY WITH GREAT SOFTWARE, THEY SHOULD WORK WITH STEINBERG OR WITH ANOTHER PROTECTION SYSTEM TO MAKE THERE USER HAPPY TOO

The years have passed but VSL does not listen to it's users, not a single step have been done !

They say that we have to take an insurance, they could provide a list of insurances or make a deal with an insurance company.

As I have said before I have contact a dozen of company, no one insure the contents of the dongle, only it's hardware !

OK I try to sum up as far as I understood the vivid discussion.

• Everybody here does apreciate VSL and the extreme high quality of their products.
• Many of us here are ready do pay high prices to work with the powerfull Products offeredn by VSL
• The more we have paid for, the more seriously afraid we are to simply loose all by chance or badluck
• The way how the loss of a Dongle is handled right now is currently obviously not able to calm down fears like that.
• VSL is not the only company in the world who sales expensive highquality software which defenitly has to be licensed for more than good reasons.
• Many here do know many companies, who established much smarter ways to handle the problem of lost or broken dongles (even Steinberg with their System to register the dongles with the licenses on them seems to organize this problem much smarter, even with using exactly the same Dangle which are in use here.)
• (As far as I can see seems no one to know any company with such a risky and dangerous handling of such expensive Licesnses)

For me the conclusion is pretty clear:

VSL has to get in contact with other companies to learn how a save Licensesystem can be established and improve their currently unsatisfying solution. There are enough save and working examples out there, that we must not invent anything new here in this thread, or even are honestly in the situation to pretend that there would be no solution at all.

BTW. I am strongly convinced that those who criticise VSL in this point, does it because of their high esteem of VSL, their outstanding Products and just want to help to improve the savetyness and usability of VSL-Products with their criticism.

....just to come finally to an conlusion here 😉

@William said:

This entire thread is wrong, because once the dongle system is used for copy protection, there is no way to distinguish between theft and loss.  

Of course there is, if the 1st dongle is still used after a second dongle is issue and using the same license,  VSL will notice that there is piracy, and can disable the license on the pirated/loss dongle

There are plenty solutions so we are not charged of the 50 %

Another solution is that VSL joins Apple Apple store protection system !

THE SOLUTION

nm, due to 'interest'

Most of the solutions that have been brought to the table here are not VSL's call because they have no access to the licenses themselves. In my view, they should either negociate a more reasonable arrangement with Steinberg / Yamaha, find another one, or set up their own protection system.

Technology allows software to be dealt with in a different way than the common goods and so it should, it's called progress ;)

@9u10m said:

Most of the solutions that have been brought to the table here are not VSL's call because they have no access to the licenses themselves. In my view, they should either negociate a more reasonable arrangement with Steinberg / Yamaha, find another one, or set up their own protection system.

Technology allows software to be dealt with in a different way than the common goods and so it should, it's called progress 😉

Agreed completely.