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Hi Ludwig N.,
I understand your situation.
This solution is the best option we could find within the possibilities of the eLicenser system, and we are indeed very happy that we can now offer this additional protection.
I know it takes a while to transfer all licenses to one key with the system you describe, but I believe it's worth it (always depending on your hourly rate, of course).
Transfering one license takes around 5-7 seconds here.
Best,
Paul
While I am very happy that a new solution to protect the Vienna Key exists and the situation has undoubtedly improved dramatically for users with many licenses (especially given the new availability of Vienna Emergency Licenses) I still hope you will continue to monitor and tweak the pricing scheme.
Let's not forget that all forms of copy protection - while undoubtedly necessary - are usually an inconvience to the paying customer. Until now, the main argument for not replacing lost/stolen licenses was that it was technically impossible to invalidate licenses on stolen/lost keys. If I understand your post correctly, fortunately that seems to have changed.
However, the following things are a little hard to understand:
1) Why did you decide to introduce the new Vienna Protection Plan as a subscription based service instead of just charging users with a one time fee for the needed services when the key is actually lost/stolen?
2) If this is supposed to be something close to an insurance, why is the Vienna Plan used up in case of key failure? It sounds like the worst of two worlds: Users have to pay a recurring fee to be protected for a limited amount of time like in an insurance, but the plan is used up after you have to use it once - like in a fee based model.
On top of that it sounds like the plan only protects the licenses itself, not the physical key, so the user will have to buy a replacement key even if protected by the new plan.
Now, I understand that these technical solutions involve some work and people need to get paid. However, your customers are now in a situation, where they basically have to pay an additional recurring fee to protect themselves against the risk of loss of their licenses - a risk, which only exists in the first place because of the copy protection.
Sure, I will agree that this is much better than having no protection against loss/theft at all. But I must admit it leaves an uneasy feeling that being a VSL user basically comes with a new mandatory annual fee to limit the potential risks caused by the USB key copy protection.
If I am right I should put all my libraries to one key where the protection licence is stored, take all three keys to Cyprus and there I should put the licences back to the "unprotected" keys. I
I doubt that all your licences will fit on one key. I have many (but not even all) of the VSL libraries and I have to use 2 keys at the moment.
This is something that makes me even more unhappy with VSL's new Protection Plan as I would have to pay for 2 protection licences every year - one per key.
The good people at VSL are very clever and creative - hopefully they can come up with a better copy protection system than this inelegant comprimise.
2) If this is supposed to be something close to an insurance, why is the Vienna Plan used up in case of key failure? It sounds like the worst of two worlds: Users have to pay a recurring fee to be protected for a limited amount of time like in an insurance, but the plan is used up after you have to use it once - like in a fee based model.
On top of that it sounds like the plan only protects the licenses itself, not the physical key, so the user will have to buy a replacement key even if protected by the new plan.
The way I understand it, if your key fails and it is less than two years old then the warranty should cover the cost of replacing the licenses. The warranty is seperate from the protection plan and comes automatically (free of charge) after you purchase a Vienna key (register). However, if your key is older than two years then the protection plan would kick in assuming you purchased it. Note that the warranty doesn't cover lost or stolen keys. Or if it is determined that the key failed due to negligence on your part.
As a general rule of practice, you should have a spare key(s) because, with or without the protection plan or warranty, you can't run the libaries without a Vienna key.
I think one of the purposes of this protection plan is to get you up and running as soon as possible in the event something happens to your key so you don't have projects in limbo with deadlines looming.
One thing I'm not sure about is if the key fails and it is still on warranty then VSL will send you a new key free of charge? I think that's right.
1) Why did you decide to introduce the new Vienna Protection Plan as a subscription based service instead of just charging users with a one time fee for the needed services when the key is actually lost/stolen?
Wouldn't that be like buying auto insurance AFTER you get into a car accident?
If you had just a quarter of the possible licenses that VSL offers it will still cost them much more to replace those lost licenses than it would cost you for the protection plan.
As i mentioned in another forum, i suppose this "Protection Plan" is acceptable for those who invested a vast amount of money on VSL libraries. Ofcourse they are relieved that they won't have to pay again for their big investement ! They are forced to pay an annual fee instead.
But it's BAD service because now we know that a dongle that's stolen can be disabled. VSL could follow Steinberg's or i-lok method but choose to punish us customers. As much as i like these fine libraries, this whole licensing scheme is almost offensive .
Hi,
I have just added those 2 questions to our VPP FAQs, the answer is the same for both:
K) Can I move the Vienna Protection Plan license to another key?
– Yes. All VSL licenses on a key which contains a Vienna Protection Plan license are protected.
L) Can I also use an old key?
– Yes. All VSL licenses on a key which contains a Vienna Protection Plan license are protected.
Best,
Paul
Just purchased the Vienna Protection Plan yesterday! Thank you Paul for the clarification! I have a permanent setup and my Steinberg Key doesn't move at all out of my studio, but I feel safer that way. I wasn't even aware of the alternative and how costly it could be if something happens to your dongle and you have no plan! Been paying yearly ZDT plan on my iLok for years at very similar price. After communicating with a VSL representative a couple of times, I realized how great it is to finally have this Protection Plan!
Hello, as my time is indeed limited, please clarify me.
Just bought the vienna protection plan. I put it on the key where I have most valuable things like Synchron Strings and one of ViennaEnsemblePro licenes
1. What if this key gets broken and does not work anymore?
2. What if this key gets stolen?
I read " you should have a spare key(s) because, with or without the protection plan or warranty, you can't run the libaries without a Vienna key" but it is not clear to me. Where should I keep this protection plan. I want to secure the licenses mentioned above.
How to behave to secure it?
Hello Adia,
1+2) Simply report it to us.
Please keep the VPP license on the key with your licenses.
The spare ViennaKey is there so you can keep on working RIGHT AWAY in case anything happens (you will receive a time-limited license right after reporting a key).
Best,
Paul
Hi, when VPP was first released I remember reading that it was a one-time use thing. If you report your key as lost / stolen / damaged, then you get a 50-hour emergency license, the original key is deactivated, and your protection plan is used up.
I was under the impression that those licenses would never be eligible for protection again. That is, you'd get new licenses, but you wouldn't be able to buy VPP for them again. If you lost a second key, those licenses would be gone forever (and you could replace them for 50% off, per VSL's original policy).
However today I see on the Protection Plan page a bullet point (#6) that I think wasn't there originally:
5. Your lost/broken/stolen ViennaKey will be disabled and cannot be used anymore. Your Vienna Protection Plan is now used up.
6. Buy a new Vienna Protection Plan for new coverage.
My reading of that is that if I lose a protected key and receive replacement licenses, I can buy a new protection plan for the new key / licenses. If I were to lose this new key, it would be protected and I could use the protection plan to receive replacement licenses (and buy a new protection plan).
Is that correct?
Also, will VSL notify me when the 2-year protection period is about to end, so I can renew it?
(Obviously my goal is to never lose my key in the first place. When I thought VPP was a once-in-a-lifetime use thing, I still needed a fallback insurance in case I ever had to use VPP. But if it's a one-claim-per-purchase thing, it becomes a lot more comfortable to buy in to)
Since day one and until yesterday I assumed that the eLicenser application “manages the Licenses”. I had fabricated this dream —entirely reasonably but critically incorrectly— where eLicenser secures in their database one’s license information (i.e. the license itself).
Having awakened after reading the entire thread here, I once again realize I know just enough to be dangerous, and I see I don’t understand the features & limitations of dongle/key protection. The level of responsiveness and dedication of all VSL folks is indisputable, and I admire and appreciate it. Please and thank you, it’s with respect I voice my blunt opinion to be weighed on whatever merit it may have.
The fact that the VPP itself goes on the key —& ∴ is subject to being lost when my 15-yr. old key fails— is just (redundantly?) silly. From my evidently ignorant perspective I believe issues of licensing implementation should be maintained by the vendor 100% so that customers shouldn’t have to think about it (much less pay for insurance!). But what do I know? I’m an individual, out of the loop, expecting Amazon to deliver my purchases in 2 days and for free… and then take it back for free.
Don’t misunderstand; I recycle & I voted for Bernie ;) My relevant experience, and where I learned the word “dongle”, was working customer field support for AVID in Manhattan in the early-mid ‘90’s, then as a software engineer for two other companies for a few years. In those mostly pre-internet days, licensing issues were resolved with a 5-minute telephone call and a database tweak. Of course there are probably administrative expenses for VSL, but, absent the Protection Plan, charging the customer 20 Euros per license is disproportionate.
Is this (and VPP) revenue stream industry-standard practice?
Contributors to this thread are very polite, understanding, and grateful to give VSL more money for something that, imo, should be included in the original cost of purchasing any license —especially if it’s the case that licenses on failed keys can be deactivated (who knew they couldn’t be?). Great that “this new system” is so much better, but as Gustar pointed out, this situation we need insurance for was created by the vendor. You understand I’m not wearing white gloves b/c I believe you respect my input/ opinion. Neither the history or the particulars of the issue should concern customers, should they? The reality of my indignance is that replacing my 22 licenses for a failed key would cost me $500US, so, it’s a no-brainer that I need to submit (buy a VPP).
~Itchy
(wishing you are well while he eats his feet)
Itchys comment is in fact a comment VSL should learn from. All technical hardware can broken/lost/stolen, so we are responsible for that, it's true enough!
But there is a "MyVSL" button top right on the homepage. Is that really "MY" what I have paid for? I have 16 licenses, just a small amount instead of pro-users, but wich costs are there for VSL? If they have to deactivate the sticks "numbers" just to generate new "numbers" for another stick... ok, I will pay maybe 50,00 Euros for that. 16 or 250 licenses, doesn't matter. I don't think they use a paper storage with all that informations about theirs customers. Otherwise it will be ok for the effort. But hey, they use computers and on that computer they can see our payment for the software we bought.
There are just a few companys outthere using this old methode. No one of them wants to get money for a retrieve so far I have verified... (expt. transfer from ilok to eLicenser and vice versa)
I'm with itchy (so pleasing to read his lines), or Gustar, I will pay the VPP.
Next month.
But with protest and feeling a gun on my chest.
Michael
