In the absence of detailed info on the topic, I'd tentatively guessed that this upcoming migration to a different licensing security system by both Steinberg and VSL was being driven entirely by Steinberg's new and rather secret strategy.

That is, until I found this little snippet in Steinberg's forum, dated May this year:

https://forums.steinberg.net/t/migration-from-elicenser-to-ilok/718648

So now it appears - please correct me if I'm wrong, VSL - that Steinberg and VSL are each going in their own direction on this matter.

And looking more broadly at opinions from user perspectives, I found this decent opinion-editorial by MusicTech sums it up nicely - for me at least:

https://www.musictech.net/features/opinion-analysis/steinberg-elicenser-whats-next/ 

So now I'm really puzzled by VSL's strategy of offering either iLok dongle or iLok Cloud but no machine activation. Much earlier in this thread, my take on VSL's move away from a dongle key was that it bodes well for VSL's future business. But now I'm not so sure about that - and I find it a bit depresssing. I'm certain I'm not alone in wanting VSL's customer base to keep expanding, since that can mean big benefits for both VSL and users. And I'd wager a substantial amount (indeed I'd probably bet the farm) that if we were able to poll a huge number of music tech users on their feelings about any dongle key, the majority would give it the thumbs down.

As for the idea of continuous Internet connection being required, I'm aware of the trend of ever more pushy and absurdly hyper-ambitious IT-centric corporations trying to "catheterise" the web into ever more punters (especially as we see happening in China). That's just another nasty, underhanded, slippery slope, and I don't believe they'll succeed in the long term. What may appear now as an unobtrusive and ever so helpful litle 'web catheter', might well eventually become more and more like 'enteral feeding' - somewhat like TV before Internet came to the rescue. But nowadays, fortunately, we've had Edward Snowden and others alerting us to the cynical, sociopathic, dark side of the web. Public resistance to the sly, underhand tricks will at some point become gigantic - perhaps even including colossal crowds with pitchforks and flaming torches turning up at various IT corporate HQs, lol. (Storming of the Bastille in 1789 was a weird historical glitch, out of the blue, right? Lolol.).

I don't see VSL as an IT-centric company at all; so why would they adopt the idea of the 'web catheter'? Who convinced them that that crock is a good idea and the way to go? Or is it perhaps just that there is no other viable off-the-shelf solution at present?

Unless we hear otherwise, I don’t think iLok makes any better advantage for us and vsl continues to support elicensor dongles for a while so i see no pressing urgency to convert to iLok. ILok cloud is the only new advantage if you are willing to use that instead of hardware dongle. The cloud option is safer then dongle insomuch that vsl insurance or iLok zero downtime will not be mandatory to protect yourself from the danger of your dongle being lost or destroyed. A vsl-imposed danger, but a danger no less. I suspect that a large number of vsl users will choose this option to avoid paying for dongle insurance

Hello! I'm considering buying my first VSL library but honestly the physical dingle is keeping me from it. Is it already possible to use VSL products without having to wait for a dongle in the mail or has it not been implemented yet?

Being a user of Avid, Slate Drums, and UVI, I will prefer using the existing "zero downtime" service rather than paying for two different "protection" systems. Even though that I'll end up throwing out 4 eLicensers.

Though I do wish that there was an option for machine activation (like Adobe, DxO, CCC, Waves, etc.) -maybe there are piracy issues with this type of licensing. IDK...

Hello LPA, 

There is currently no way to use our products without a physical key, but that will change with the transition to iLok and the iLok cloud. 

Best, 
Paul

So I just tried to install and check out Gullfoss (Dynamic EQ Plugin) that requires an iLok account. I forgot my ilok password and user name as I haven't used it for years (since hollywood orchestra days). I requested to reset and recover the password and user name. They sent me an email with a link to click as per the usual procedure. 

First, no matter what password I typed in, I would get a strange 'Capture Invalid' come up. I triple checked I had followed all their requirements for a safe password.

Second, I tried to create a support ticket which led me to a page where, you guessed it, I had to sign in to my iLok account, which is going to be hard considering I don't know my user name or password.

Third, I thought I would return via the email link to the original page to have another shot at resetting and recovering my password. The link was now dead. It would just give me a blank screen.

Moral of the story:  If VSL are going to migrate over to this company and expect thousands of users to deal with iLok, I would suggest someone at VSL tell them to get their iLok'n act together.

Hi JBuck, 

I just tried the same and didn't have any troubles. 
We will keep an eye on these procedures, and I hope that you situation was just a glitch. 

Thanks for letting us know, you are absolutely right that these basics have to work reliably. 

Best,
Paul 

@beatpete said:

Paul:

I'd just like to re-iterate how useful it would be to have a third option to have iLok locally on each computer therefore not requiring a dongle OR an internet connection.

Looks like a good option, three iLock dongles in my case is a lot of money, and there will be situations that somebody doesn't want to be dependant on a good working internet connection to work with the VSL products.

Does this all mean that I can have my VSL licences stored on an iLok dongle and the iLok server so if anything happens to my iLok dongle I can use the cloud instead?.

This is why machine activation would be great for the users of VSL products. Then we can just deactivate the licences on the machine that was damaged/stolen and reactivate the licences on our new machine. Done.

Very safe for VSL and users. 😃

Why not?

Hi JBuck, 

There will be no machine activations available with our products. 

All other possibilities that come with iLOk (Zero Downtime, Theft & Loss Coverage) will be available for all users. 

Best, 
Paul

1) If I choose to use the iLok cloud service for my VSL licences, will I need to first deactivate all licences on my eLicencer dongle. If not, what is to stop someone using both at the same time?.

2) Is there a quick way to transfer multiple licences from dongle to cloud and vice versa in the iLok licence manager?. AFAIK I must drag each licence to my account one by one. For someone with over 20 VSL licences this seems very tedious.

If I choose to use the iLok dongle and it becomes damaged, will I be able to immediately transfer my licences from my damaged dongle to cloud via the iLok licence manager and continue using my VSL products?.

Hi JBuck,

@JBuck said:

1) If I choose to use the iLok cloud service for my VSL licences, will I need to first deactivate all licences on my eLicencer dongle. If not, what is to stop someone using both at the same time?.

2) Is there a quick way to transfer multiple licences from dongle to cloud and vice versa in the iLok licence manager?. AFAIK I must drag each licence to my account one by one. For someone with over 20 VSL licences this seems very tedious.

If I choose to use the iLok dongle and it becomes damaged, will I be able to immediately transfer my licences from my damaged dongle to cloud via the iLok licence manager and continue using my VSL products?.

1) You don't have to decativate your eLicenser licenses. You CAN use both at the same time. Great, right?

2) I'm afraid I don't know of a bulk-transfer, but I also hope that this is something that will be added by iLok. 

3) If your dongle is damaged in a way that does not let you access the licenses, you cannot transfer any licenses from it to the cloud. Here is an overview of the possibilities with iLok. That's why iLok offers Zero Downtime. And this is the link to the iLok FAQs regarding broken, lost or stolen iLoks. 

Have a great sunday!

Paul

@beatpete said:

Paul:

I'd just like to re-iterate how useful it would be to have a third option to have iLok locally on each computer therefore not requiring a dongle OR an internet connection.

Quite a few composers I'm in touch with state the dongle/cloud (or, to put it another way, lack of machine activation) is the only thing preventing them from purchasing VSL products.  It's anecdotal, but I see that sentiment echoed throughout various forums as well.  I suppose it comes down to a cost/benefit analysis...

Hi JBuck,

Regarding Bulk-Transfer: You can select multiple licenses in the iLok license Manager and transfer them at once (Ctr-A / Cmd-A to select all, ctr+click to select multiple, click+shift-click to select a range; drag-and drop to new location)

Best, Ben

Given that eLicenser is gone anyway sooner or later, I think the change to iLok is a good move. Cloud will bring new customers who have for years asked that from different vendors.

However, there's one thing I don't see specified anywhere, not even in iLok site. Cloud requires constant internet connection and if it is lost, after few minutes there's supposed to be a nag about it. I'm wondering how often Cloud will check the connection? I'm interested in this because my net connection slows down and fails often, like every 30 minutes or more and can be down for a few minutes at any given time. Obviously this will be a problem if the connection is checked, say, every few seconds and I can't do anything in the meanwhile.

Does anybody have actual experience about this?

I'm Pretty sure that iLok will check the licence/connection every 3 or so minutes.

I really like VSL as a company BUT this whole machine licencing thing is sort of baffling to me. I understand that there is not going to be machine licencing. But I would like to know WHY there isn't going to be machine licencing. I personally, was under the impression that machine licencing was as secure as cloud/dongle licencing no?.

Hi JBuck, 

Machine licensing by no means offers the same level of security as the cloud and key. 

Best, 
Paul

iLok gives us expiring licences (TLC) that we must renew every 90 days. But they only offer this service if you are subscribed to ZDT for $30 USD a year.

They could give us TLC for free. It requires zero personnel and costs them nothing. Nice one iLok!

@JBuck said:

iLok gives us expiring licences (TLC) that we must renew every 90 days. But they only offer this service if you are subscribed to ZDT for $30 USD a year.

They could give us TLC for free. It requires zero personnel and costs them nothing. Nice one iLok!

That $30 US per year is the cheapest insurance you can ever buy for music related stuff. I wouldn't be without it. Or a second iLok. I have two iLoks and separate ZDT (zero downtime) on each one.

@Paul said:

Hello LPA, 

There is currently no way to use our products without a physical key, but that will change with the transition to iLok and the iLok cloud. 

Best, 
Paul

Any idea when the transition will happen?