Any virtual dongle software (for a legally owned dongle?)

[Mbira]

Well I had good luck with a software question so I figured I'd try here on this one.  At the risk of ranting, I had a cracked version of Cubase for many years.  I loved it and it was stable and I cut my teeth on that DAW.  I finally got the money (and moral conviction) to buy Cubase 5, and I have to say it has been an incredibly frustrating experience!  I have found the legal version to be slower and much less stable that the old cracked version I used!  Not only that, but they discontinued one of the main plugins I used (a great simple delay) and so I'd have to redo every one of those inserts...

But most frustrating of all is the god*&^%ed DONGLE!  Oh my god!  What kind of ridiculous joke is this?!?  If I was working on a home based computer, I could plug it in the back and forget about it, but I'm on a laptop.  I have found myself on many occasions frustrated that the dongle is on the other end of the house while I need to do something quick in cubase...

I think it is very very sad that a 5 year old CRACKED version of Cubase is head and shoulders better than the legal version they offer.  I'm thinking of installing the old cracked version on a Parallels version of Windows just so i can be back up and running!  How ridiculous is that?!?

OK-rant over...

Now the question-is there any way I can have my legal dongle here emulated so I can have it always "connected" to my laptop?  I know that was the basis of the cracks, and I know they have cracked versions of Cubase 5 out there (for PC) but I'm wondering if there is a legit way I can do this on a Mac?  That would make everything else bearable-otherwise forget it-I'm switching to Logic (though I like it less).

 

[strangeandbouncy]

    . . . not sure I would be publicly declaring that I had been using cracked software . . .

 

[Kingston]

and also, the answer to your question is a strict no.

 

[pucho812]

from a tech standpoint, some of these companies, in the attempt to prevent  cracks, make it more difficult for the legit user.  I am sure if you look for your dongle crack you will find what you seek. In My Personal opinion using a crack when you own the legit software is o.k. as cracks can be easier to manage. But from an official company standpoint cracks are not allowed and anyone caught using them is subject to job termination.

 

[Mbira]

I guess I'm not worried about calling myself a reformed warez user.  When I started doing programming myself, I learned about the value of the time involved and that just because something is easy to steal doesn't make it ok.  In any case, the irony is that I do feel strongly that because I used their cracked software, I bought the software.  I am 100% certain that I would not have bought the software if I had not tried it out first.  Again-the silly dongle keeps users from trying legit versions of the demo (buy the dongle to use the demo?  yeah right).

 

[wtmnmf]

I have been looking into making my licenses available to any computer on my network.  It looks like the solution is something of this sort : http://www.cdw.com/shop/products/default.aspx?EDC=2000211 , a USB to Ethernet bridge or 'device server'.
I'll be trying this soon.  It should actually allow you to keep your dongles in a secure server location and access them from any network anywhere, if you've got your network configured correctly.  It also means that if you are collaborating with someone, you can allow them to work on a project remotely with access to all of the plugins that you have used.  It won't allow multiple users at once, so no problem with the license terms.

 

[livingnote]

Yeah this pissed me off something fierce too. AFAIK, Steinberg went broke and got sold to Japan because of everybody copying and cracking Cubase, so the Dongel thing is I guess what you get for it. However...

...I just forgot my Dongel at Zurich Airport Security on my way to Florida and now, no music. Their lost and found hasn't written back now for a few days and I'm just glad I'm not anywhere on a serious project because not only is Cubase on it, my Nexus is on the same thing too, and as far as I remember, so is Korg Legacy. They all pack it onto the Steinberg key and if you lose that one little stick, guess what?

They should AT LEAST provide a means of getting or making a backup dongel. Native Instruments allows you to license your software to I think 3 computers and last I heard, they're still in business.

 

[owel]

Native Instruments computer/software authorization is a much better solution than dongles. Easy and painless. I have several of their products.

But I've passed purchasing many software titles and plugins when I find out it uses "dongles" for copy protection. 

 

[MartyMart]

I've owned Logic since version 2.5 .... on floppy disks !!
I had so many problem early on, that I used a "hack" of 4.7 for ages even though
I owned it !!
I'm now at version 9.1 .... which requires no dongle apart from updates as I am
still an old "dongle registered user"

I also like the NI approach and would be "screwed" if I lost my ( at last count ) 4 dongles !!

Get some insurance is my advice !

MM.

 

[Mbira]

Thinking more on this:

I think Steinberg seriously needs to rethink their position.  The moment someone came up with a crack to their dongle, they should have dropped the dongle method-because the moment they cracked the dongle, then the cracked version was better than the version you have to pay for. 

Imagine if someone had figured out a way to emulate Pro Tools hardware as a crack?  How much longer would they have stayed in business?  As things stand now, the only people that are stuck with the dongle are Mac users.  If I was on a PC, I would own the software (but use the crack to get off the dongle).  It's kinda crazy to read some of the notes talking about how the crack has actually increased stability and seriously reduced clock cycles of redundant code running (constantly checking for the dongle in the background, etc). 

Yes, they really need to wake up to the fact that the dongle doesn't help them but hurts them.  Speaking of stealing intellectual property-I was very happy to see that Cubase just totally ripped off the comping feature of Logic 9 :-D  Can't wait to get that in the update :-D

 

[livingnote]

Well looks like my dongle wasn't found.

And I'm certainly not gonna shove another x Euros up their heini just to get it working again.

Certainly not when in the long haul, I like Ableton better anyway. Specifically for clip view.

And Warp markers. And the interface. And the fun.

 

[Mbira]

I use both Ableton and Cubase.  Up until recently I have done all my composing, etc in cubase, and then exported the clips and dropped them into ableton.  I have found that faster for my work flow.  Just last week, I got hip to using Ableton as a rewire slave in a project and then I can do the same thing and instantly check things to be sure things are all lining up right in Ableton.  It's very cool and convenient. 

 

[livingnote]

Funny because I did my composing in Live and then switched to Cubase for the "better" audio engine
and native plugins.

It's good to see you did it the other way around because really that says a lot more about it than anything
comparison-esque.

Thing about these darnded dongles is that it's not only one software that goes kaflooie if you lose it,
it really adds up once you get this plugin and that instrument and yada...

 

[mulletchuck]

no audio software really works with Parallels because your audio interfaces never really work correctly, so don't bother trying that. 

There's a reason for why the legit version runs slower than the cracked version.    if you read any of the documentation that accompanied the crack for cubase 5, the team noted that over 25% of the executable code is strictly for the copy protection.  So, 25% of the code that's running while you're using the software is running strictly to make sure your dongle is plugged in and the program is legit.    it sucked up TONS of CPU cycles, and really held the actual program hostage in terms of available horsepower.    So, all legit cubase users should complain to steinberg about the wasted horsepower due to the inclusion of the dongle in the software.   

This is why i'm a logic user, and haven't needed the dongle ever since logic 8.0.

 

[Kingston]

So, 25% of the code that's running while you're using the software is running strictly to make sure your dongle is plugged in and the program is legit.    it sucked up TONS of CPU cycles, and really held the actual program hostage in terms of available horsepower.    So, all legit cubase users should complain to steinberg about the wasted horsepower due to the inclusion of the dongle in the software.

That bit of information was greatly exaggerated. It was the crackers trying to score extra points and nothing else. There was never any actual measured performance impact. What was happening was the copy protection using your CPU idle cycles for it's own purposes. These are standard asynchronous programming patterns. You're a bad software engineer with no job if you can't handle such basics (maybe the crackers were?). I doubt even Steinberg has anyone that bad.

 

[New Soul Rebel]

I use both Ableton and Cubase.  Up until recently I have done all my composing, etc in cubase, and then exported the clips and dropped them into ableton.  I have found that faster for my work flow.  Just last week, I got hip to using Ableton as a rewire slave in a project and then I can do the same thing and instantly check things to be sure things are all lining up right in Ableton.  It's very cool and convenient. 

Hey everyone.

look, its a free world and all that, and I guess I don't want to make enemies on PP (as you guys are all my friends), but Cubase gets my goat. I started on Cubase and i would have stayed were it not for the shite dongle situation, and sheer lack of love toward its user base. It's lost its place now.

Steinberg Amps - a thin, pale imitation of Logic's Amp Designer. Crap by comparison
Interface - always enjoyed it. very fast and intuitive compared with Logic's rather frustrating at times, interface.
File management - Logic anyday. the pool in cubase has to be the most confusing thing ever invented
Audio engine - Logic hands done. (and Protools just knocks seven shades out of Cubases 'over glissy' sound)
Sends/bussing - Logic from 8 onwards - light years ahead of Cubase. Christ!
Automation - Logic is god vs cubase
Tempo/beatmapping - Logic Logic Logic!!!
Native plugins - Space designer! Sidechain compression! lol! Cubase can go and do something rude to itself
Editing vocals - LOGIC! (steinberg are a bunch of stealing bastards! What does it say about Logic vs Cubase that Steinberg have to STEAL one of logic's most unique features - i'm surprised that Apple didn't sue Yamaha)

I am Logic and I will never look back.

I have to concede to one thing though. I do find Logic slower to work in in some ways... I'd like them to make it feel a bit more intuitive like Protools, but as for making music - it is so much more fun for making music than cubase.

 

[mulletchuck]

a bit more intuitive like Protools,

Protools is intuitive?

When did that happen?    hardest piece of software to use EVER.  harder than 3DStudio or AutoCAD.

 

[[silent:arts]]

Protools is intuitive?
When did that happen?

1993 with Pro Tools 2.0 ;D ;D ;D
I trained 50 year old women in the film business, some only edited tape before.
One day training and they have been able to do their edits in PT

 

[Emperor-TK]

Editing vocals - LOGIC! (steinberg are a bunch of stealing bastards! What does it say about Logic vs Cubase that Steinberg have to STEAL one of logic's most unique features - i'm surprised that Apple didn't sue Yamaha)

If "stealing" from another piece of software is a dealbreaker for you, you should be aware that Logic "stole" from Ensoniq Paris, who had similar vocal editing in 1997 with freeform mode.  Cubase/Paris dual-users have been requesting this style of vocal editing in Cubase for about 14 years, and Steinberg finally caved.

 

[Stagefright13]

I used Logic for years. Then my son gave me a crack. (For PC no dongle) and it was faster. Worked better etc. But ended up throwing Logic away. Still have the Dongle tho LOL! First time I used Pro Tools back then I was like WTF this is so easy. Without even reading manuals etc. I was recording. Within minutes. Done deal for me.

I keep that Logic dongle as a trophy of stupidity for ever buying Logic all those years and updates. It's not Logic anymore anyway. Was bought by Apple.

And have used many 3d software packs before for video. Like Imagine, 3d studio etc. etc. And several other programs to remove triangles to reduce file sizes or ones that are better for animating.  I wouldn't compare that stuff to Pro tools LOL. Whole different world. Used to do video for a living. I was the king of ray tracing and morphing a river into a logo. Don't have a genlock or that equipment now tho.

John