[Peter]

Info on the ilok, personal opinions on it and what plugin manufactures are using it.



Also check a past poll on copy protection. Preferred Copy Protection

How to create an iLok.com account

Register your iLok at iLok.com

Transfer assets to your iLok @ iLok.com

http://ilok.com

one of my favorite things on the ilok site are the videos goto ilok.com -> about -> funstuff

whos using it ?

URS
Waves
PSP audioware
DUY
Digidesign
MacDSP
Audio Ease
Nomad Factory
Princeton Digital LLC
Serato Audio Research Ltd.
Sony Pro Audio R&D
Sound and Form
Antares Audio
Focusrite Audio Engineering
Grey Matter Response, inc
GRM Tools
Mark Of The Unicorn, Inc.
Trillium Lane Labs

What is an iLok?

Introducing iLok, PACE's revolutionary smart key

The iLok smart key enables you to carry all of your software licenses with you wherever you go using a single key. iLok is portable, convenient and hassle free.

It's Portable

iLok enables you to easily move licenses from one computer to another. Use your software at home, at the office, at a studio, or at a friend's house. iLok makes it portable.

It's Convenient

Store all of your iLok-enabled software licenses on a single iLok, regardless of developer or platform (Windows or Macintosh). You register your iLok at iLok.com to identify your iLok and the licenses on it.

It's Hassle Free

licenses are stored in the safe, secure iLok -- not on a computer or hard drive. iLok is immune to problems caused by machine upgrades, disk maintenance, hardware failures, and software updates.

Here's how it works:

Many iLok-enabled software products ship with a License Card in the box for full retail (when you just have to have the cool packaging). About the same size as a credit card, a License Card holds license using the same "Smart Card" technology used on GSM cell phones and American Express cards. Alternatively, some products might ship with registration information used to pick up an license at iLok.com.

The chip on the License Card contains the license necessary to activate and run the software you purchased. Simply insert the GSM format license chip into the iLok when prompted by the software. Follow the instructions and your license will move to the iLok. Your software authorizes instantly. Once authorized, unless expressly stated by the software publisher (developer, or plug in vendor), the license is no longer on the license chip. Save the license card and chip for proof of purchase with the vendor.

In addition to License Cards, developers can offer iLok licenses via the web using automated Internet Activation or via the deposit of such licenses into your iLok.com account. You can authorize software purchased over the Internet with a single click -- and there are no code words or long numbers to type in.

And, of course, once authorized, your licenses are stored safely and securely inside the solid-state iLok smart key.

Sign up at iLok.com for a free account and be sure to synchronize your iLoks when you add new products via license cards. In order for PACE to support you, please keep you registration current to show all your licenses. Registration of iLoks at www.iLok.com is separate from registration of your software products. Please register your software products with the software publisher to receive support from them.


Please share your experience with iLok.

[mersisblue]

Id rather have my Xkey for this

I dont want more then one USB dangle

And I dont like PACe or Ilok because its nopt the customers responability to cover THEIR Protection

And the key is a cheap build

AGAIN XKEYS make it for plugins aswell plz

[Peter]

I was fishing for you Ted.

I take it you haven't learned anything about ilok yet.

I would have liked to see the xskey take hold too, but it hasn't. The ilok has been in place for some time now and seems to be a very efficient system. emagic (at the time) should have used ilok, instead of creating there own.

As far as the iloks durability, its just as if not more durable as the xskey.
if you would like to learn more goto ilok.com
check out the videos- goto ilok.com -> about -> funstuff - videos on experiments on how durable iloks are.

Really how durable do you need the key to be ?

I think having all your authorizations located in one place is easier and much more convenient

Peter

[rlsproductions]

I agree, mostly with Peter! I don't know about anyone else, but I've broken 2 XS keys in my time, by splitting the case in two, but it still more or less worked. They should've caught on, but they didn't and now they never will! But I've never broken the new Logic key, or my ilok for Pro Tools. However I do wish that Logic, and every othe company (i.e. Steinberg who have their own key) would all agree on the ilok, or any other "key", as it is a solid idea and saves having up to 5 seperate "keys" for software.
The only beef I have with the ilok is it drains too much power to put it on the keyboard slot, unlike Logic's new key, so you have to sacrifice one of yr good USB 2 ports or buy a hub, next thing you know it's cost you $50-$60 just to register a product you already own or jst bought.
Bottom line ... Love to hate it!

[northernlogic]

I'd really prefer to live in a world where everyone had enough respect for other peoples' work to avoid the need for an iLok or XSKey, but that does not seem to be the case.

Overall, I think it is a good method of copy protection. Easy, portable and transparent in its operation.

I would also prefer to see one 'standard' key for all applications, but every manufacturer has their own concerns and I doubt it will happen anytime soon. I was hoping that more plugin developers would support the XSKey, but it was almost inevitable that they wouldn't, given that Digidesign supports the iLok and the user base for ProTools is so much larger than the user base for Logic. The iLok also uses a much more efficient online authorization system that Apple would do well to imitate. Getting a permanent authorization for an XSKey from a third party (for the Vienna Orchestra Library, for instance) can take weeks or months!

Think of it this way: you can use Logic and carry around an extra key to enable the program to run on your laptop, or you can use Pro Tools LE and have to carry a whole audio interface. I know what I'm choosing... :-)

[andyeb]

A 100% software studio is just so convenient for use on the road (on a laptop).

It is therefore rather ironic that the one thing that spoils the convenience are these USB dongles (XSKey and iLok) - they are a liability!

I completely fail to see the logic of software companies who make life difficult for the very people who are keeping them in business. They should wise up.

Andy

[malgfunk]

I feel as a software developer and musician, ILOK and XSKEY are great to protect the intellectual property of it's authors. It takes extensive man-hours utilizing many talented programmers to produce our DAW platforms and plug-ins we use everyday. If those cmpanies start losing money due to piracy, then the support of the products we buy will start to suffer and it will be hard for the companies justify further product development. You wouldn't Itunes to allow free downloading of your album you just produced after you spent your budget having the producers and session players on it.$$$$$$

[stratology]

Used the iLok for a short while a long time ago. Started getting crashes and all kinds of weird behavior right away. It installs a kernel extension, which means it goes deeply into the OS, and messes with it. Quality standards for anything that goes into /System are a lot higher than for things that go into /Applications - when an app crashes, the system remains unaffected. Not sure if the software that comes with the iLok has improved. I refuse to purchase anything that comes with an iLok. What's the point in paying for software, when the copy protection makes it just as crashy as pirated crap??