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I wholeheartedly agree.@cgernaey said:
There is so much stupid unnecessary focus on this dongle for someone like myself who moves around with it daily that it's ridiculous.
cm, would you please tell me which insurance company insures software in Finland. Thanks. You're a pal!
@sasha said:
Can't the licenses just be terminated in case of the loss of a dongle?
the next generation of eLicensers will be WGTS-capable (Worldwide Geo locating and Terminating System) - a mesh of more than 60 satellites will be able to locate dongles with a precision of down to 1 inch and terminate licenses using EFHR (Extremely Focused Hard Radiation). they will be slighly more expensive though ....
@PaulR said:
[quote=julian] Each night I removed the dongle and took it with me. So I to would welcome some respite from the worry of dongle loss! Julian
You're a funny guy Paul.
Gotta love that British humor
Erm.... Paul is Viennese [:#]
(That's Vienna, Austria btw)
To add something to this discussion, what if one had documentary proof in the form of a police report stating that one's studio had been broken into and various things - - including one's Vienna Key - - had been stolen? Filing a false police report is a serious crime - - so it seems unlikely (at least to me) that anyone would go the the trouble of faking a break-in and then jeopaordize their freedom by filing a false report with the police. On the other hand, it also seems unlikely that the average burglar would know what a Vienna Key is - - more likely that it would be stolen simply because it was plugged into a computer that was the burglars intended object.
As some have pointed out, convincing an insurance company to issue a policy for an inexpensive USB dongle for many thousands of dollars because said dongle contains expensive software licences may not be easy. Listing potential sources for such insurance in various countries would be helpful.
@stevesong said:
As some have pointed out, convincing an insurance company to issue a policy for an inexpensive USB dongle for many thousands of dollars because said dongle contains expensive software licences may not be easy. Listing potential sources for such insurance in various countries would be helpful.
I have never listed a dongle on my company insurance - I am however required to list anything of value. Thus, as pertained to in the EULA of my various sample libraries and plugins, not to mention my DAW software (which being Nuendo is also held on a Syncrosoft key) are all denoted as covered in the insurance. Therefore if my Syncrosoft or iLok dongles were stolen or damaged, the insurance company would replace those products that it held - the fact that it holds only the "licence" for a product is immaterial.
Likewise, anyone running a Windows OS on a PC bought from a shop or common OEM supplier would find the licence key to their OS on a sticker attached to the computer - you don't own the software, you are licenced to use it, just like a sample library. If someone then makes off with that computer, even if you have the original disc, the lack of that licence sticker and its denoted code means you need to replace it.... there's really very little material difference between this and a sample library, plugin or other dongled software.
@stevesong said:
As some have pointed out, convincing an insurance company to issue a policy for an inexpensive USB dongle for many thousands of dollars because said dongle contains expensive software licences may not be easy. Listing potential sources for such insurance in various countries would be helpful.
I have never listed a dongle on my company insurance - I am however required to list anything of value. Thus, as pertained to in the EULA of my various sample libraries and plugins, not to mention my DAW software (which being Nuendo is also held on a Syncrosoft key) are all denoted as covered in the insurance. Therefore if my Syncrosoft or iLok dongles were stolen or damaged, the insurance company would replace those products that it held - the fact that it holds only the "licence" for a product is immaterial.
Mind if I ask who's your insurance company? Because this doesn't sound like the sort of thing that Allstate or even Loyd's Of London would cover. Or maybe I'm wrong.
Also, do you mind if I ask how much this insurance costs you? Does your insurance company have any competitors so that we could shop around?
Not sure my company is going to help you much Jasen, as I'm in the UK.... I have been through several insurers in the last fifteen years, and not one has yet had any issue with it whatsoever. Perhaps it's a problem that's specific to the US market, but I'd find that unlikely.
Remember, you're not insuring the dongle, you're insuring the product licence held within.
Customer - "Hello Mr Insurer, I'd like to insure my copy of Nuendo for £1,500 and my VSL Libraries for £12,000 please"
Insurer - "Hello, that'll be £500"
Customer - "Thankyou"
Edited to add - Hiscox / Hencilla Canworth / Doodson / Palladium etc....
@synthetic said:
iLok offers replacement insurance, but not Syncrosoft. I don't think my insurance plan covers software.
'ello old bean, fancy meeting you over here 😉
iLok's insurance only covers the software of participating companies - which is relatively few...
In the event of any theft, an insurance company would require a certified police report before issuing any reimbursement. If insurance companies are willing to shell out x thousands of dollars on the basis of such police reports, why would VSL not take a police report as proof of theft?
That's why you have car insurance - if someone steals your car, and you own the original sales invoice, get a police report, and then get all the CCTV footage of it being stolen, will Ford give you a new car....???
@synthetic said:
iLok offers replacement insurance, but not Syncrosoft. I don't think my insurance plan covers software.
I've broken a dongle before while moving a computer, so I'm also nervous. I'm considering adding an internal USB port to my PC and using a Zip tie to fasten the dongles inside.
what i noticed is a *zero downtime* option ... but i never took too much care about all this since we have a hard- and software insurance here ...
breaking a dongle is basically no problem, since as long we can identify the eLicenser, your licenses will be replaced for a little handling fee ...
in case a dongle stops functioning within the warranty period actually no handling fee applies.
if you're in troubles because in the middle of a project just email support - we have solutions and can help you out.
christian
@stevesong said:
As some have pointed out, convincing an insurance company to issue a policy for an inexpensive USB dongle for many thousands of dollars because said dongle contains expensive software licences may not be easy. Listing potential sources for such insurance in various countries would be helpful.
I have never listed a dongle on my company insurance - I am however required to list anything of value. Thus, as pertained to in the EULA of my various sample libraries and plugins, not to mention my DAW software (which being Nuendo is also held on a Syncrosoft key) are all denoted as covered in the insurance. Therefore if my Syncrosoft or iLok dongles were stolen or damaged, the insurance company would replace those products that it held - the fact that it holds only the "licence" for a product is immaterial.
Likewise, anyone running a Windows OS on a PC bought from a shop or common OEM supplier would find the licence key to their OS on a sticker attached to the computer - you don't own the software, you are licenced to use it, just like a sample library. If someone then makes off with that computer, even if you have the original disc, the lack of that licence sticker and its denoted code means you need to replace it.... there's really very little material difference between this and a sample library, plugin or other dongled software.
This is not same. If you owned that machine, and wrote down the license key on the CD itself or somewhere else for safe keeping the fact if someone ran off with it or not doesn't claim you can't use it. You have proof of purchase and both the original disc and the license key. That gives you every right to use it on a replacement machine as long as you are not using it on more then one simultaneous machine. You could also report the CD key you have stolen, provide them that key and request another one, hence catching the person the next time they try to use your key and it flags microsoft during the activation/registration process. This may cost a small fee but is very doable. Yet again, you yourself aren't out that terrific or horrific of a loss. Not to mention we are talking about a couple hundred dollar software license. No where comparable to a possible $20,000 bill you could have in no time with these vienna packages.
On top of this, how often do you walk around with that big box in your pocket? How many times do you take it on the road? I highly doubt it is something that moves more then a few times a year (if at all) so that your other half can hit that untouched area with a vacuum cleaner once in a blue moon. It still doesn't level with the idea of a license code that even though is connected to your name and your hard earned money, if you lose that little blue dongle you're done for. It doesn't matter wether you wrote down your activation codes etc, recorded in blood (or your very own DNA) means nothing if you don't have the little blue dongle itself which is far more susceptible to loss, vandalism and or theft and damage. It is in fact the most fragile part of the entire system and yet has the greatest level of importance and significance attached to it. Also, the cost of the machine and its parts whether you insure it or not, will get slammed with depreciation so don't count on getting your money back on that one. part of it yes, all of your investment, don't bet on it.
@RedLeicester said:
That's why you have car insurance - if someone steals your car, and you own the original sales invoice, get a police report, and then get all the CCTV footage of it being stolen, will Ford give you a new car....???
Another bad example. You pay for car insurance mostly for the idea of protecting yourself and others in the case of a collision or accidental death. It eliminates your liabilty for wrongful death of another person and from the liability of paying for their medical bills from you slamming into them from not paying attention. That's just the collision coverage. The remaining side being comprehensive coverage protects from vandelism and theft etc. Anything basically not related to an actual collision or accident while the car is running and operationally moving.
What your saying more equates to someone walking up to my car and stealing the smallest and most fragile component they can possibly find within hands reach such as a pretty beamer logo or a sexy lotus emblem on the hood. Should they get away with this does this place your car out of commision? Do you find yourself stranded and completely and utterly screwed because someone decided that your door handle would look good on their bedroom dresser top? No, you find yourself slightly inconvenienced and most probably upset at the idea. However, within a few short days you have a new emblem or handle and life goes on virtually unhindered.
The most crucial point here is that all emphasis and security of our libraries is placed on the very thing which is most unsecure, unstable and easily stolen or broken. There is nothing I can think of more fragile in the process then this little blue dongle and yet our lives (those of us who make a living with these things) depend on it. The risk versus reward here is quite lacking.
I am reminded by the fact that just the other day, I had to re-install my Kontakt players and my Sibelius Notation. During the original process I took detailed notes of every step of the setup process. When I re-installed Kontakt it went flawlessly. Then I installed the service center licensing software and it instantly took me to the activation window. It auto filled out my registration information and serial number etc (from me typing it in earlier). A great big "activate" button lit up and the moment I clicked it, it returned a "your product has been activated, thank you" message and I was on my way. I couldn't have asked for a more simple solution. All of this because I chose to archive my license files and CD registration keys etc to multiple locations (including on the internet in protected storage to protect from a complete house fire etc). Some companies go on a more honor system basis and others take the I will not lose at any cost. The way it is handled here I believe they go for the later of the two.
All the insurance talk of these libraries seems so subtle and necessary to some people here but I wonder how many of you have actually had to go to your insurance agent and say, "Hi, I need $20,000 to re-buy everything I already own because I lost, or someone stole my dongle". "So sir, you are saying you actually have all the products, all the CD/DVD's and all your samples and computers and your entire recording studio is in perfect condition but you lost (or had stolen from you) a dongle that's probably worth about 1 dollar?" "Is that correct sir?" "Yes mam it is". I would just love to hear one of those conversations. Because even if you find a legit insurance company who specifically deals with insuring odd things such as this, they are in it to make money. Not to pay you back. Unless you have unlimited funds this just seems to risky for me but to protect myself I can continue to pay someone monthly, quarterly or annual payments. Maybe this is ok and I am wrong in all of this. I just haven't heard anything convincing enough to make me believe this is the best way for us customers who support your very existance by buying your products.
Maestro2be
@cm said:
counterquestion: what if your 48 channel digital mixer is lost in a break.in - would you then have to buy it again?
