Amarra and ILOC

[roccoriley]

I understand that Amarra is finally getting rid of their horrible copy protection scheme that involves the ILOC and Rootkit in favor of a more conventional and less intrusive system.

 

I didn't see anything about this on their website but I know that the new version is being used by some people already.

 

Sure glad to see this! I hope that it goes into general distribution soon; the only thing that kept me from buying Amarra was the ILOC/Rootkit issue.

 

[omasciarotte]

roccoriley wrote:

I understand that Amarra is finally getting rid of their horrible copy protection scheme that involves the ILOC and Rootkit in favor of a more conventional and less intrusive system.

 

Can’t comment on the rumor but, I can state that PACE’s iLok licensing method ain’t a rootkit, despite your misuse of the term. To quote Wikipedia, “A rootkit is software that enables continued privileged access to a computer, while actively hiding its presence from administrators by subverting standard operating system functionality or other applications.” In short, rootkits are malware.

 

On the other hand, iLoks and their accompanying software:

a) Do not enable any privileged access to a computer…PACE software does not effect ACLs and user privleges

b) Do not actively hide their presence from administrators…you can un–install it at any time

Finally, c) Along with SafeNet and Syncrosoft (the two other copy protection vendors for Mac OS), PACE is an Apple–approved company that does not subvert standard OS functionality or other applications

 

[twist222]

Just to prove you can't keep everyone happy I would not like to see the ilock on Amarra disappear.

 

I currently use Amarra on a G5 powermac but i am also trying to get a Mac mini to sound as good as the G5. Previously I have also tried my wifes iMac and my sons MacBook with Amarra on my main system. With the ilock it's easy to try different macs. Just plug the ilock into the next Mac and give it a try.

 

I have also reformatted the operating system hard drive on the G5 a number of times. With the ilock no problems.

 

As a different example I also have a licenced copy of Spectrafoo. At the moment I am yet to install it on any computer. Why ? I usally take my initial speaker measurements in a large hall so I can get the speaker well off the ground and away from walls. For this I want Spectrafoo on the MacBook. But at home I use the G5 on the main system so I would like to have spectrafoo there. Spectrafoo complete is not a cheap program and I only have one copy. I only do this as a hobby If only Spectrfoo was available with an ilock licence I could swap between the 2 computers as required !!

 

A different view

Mark

 

 

[roccoriley]

If you do a search for ILok you will find a lot of criticism of ILok by users who have encountered problems involving this system. While you are welcome to cite Wikipedia as your technical source when you state that ILok does not use a "Rootkit" you will find users that will not agree with your view.

 

Here's a sample of iLok user's problems as published on the Internet:

 

This user had to reformat his hard drive four times: http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread.php?t=242565

 

This user wants to boycott protection schemes like iLok:http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Psyg6DacY6EJ:rekkerd.org/should-copy-protection-schemes-like-ilok-and-pace-be-boycotted/+ilok+problems&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari

 

This user says he can't synchronize his iLok from the website and his protools won't work:

http://www.fixya.com/support/t1147377-pace_ilok_problem

 

There are pages of Internet posts of problems with iLok and similar dongle based systems, and there are also Internet posts about how to circumvent this type of copy protection. Companies like Microsoft and Adobe have huge investments in software to protect and considering that they chose not to utilize intrusive, inconvenient and risky systems like iLok, it makes perfect sense for companies like Amarra to modernize their copy protection technology by abandoning intrusive systems like iLok. I understand that Amarra is an excellent system however I have not purchased it only because it utilizes a copy protection scheme that I consider to be dangerous. When they market a system that is not intrusive and risky I will be among the first in line.

 

 

Oliver Masciarotte, do you have a commercial relationship with either Amarra or Ilok?

 

[Audio_ELF]

@roccoriley...

It's my understanding that Amarra has been available as either a "transportable" (multiple machines but only one concurrent copy running) iLok protected license or a single machine license for quite a while now...

 

Having said that; iLok having problems does NOT make it a rootkit... It is a legitimate copy protection scheme used by MANY professional audio applications where the user may wish to run (often very expensive) software on multiple machines but never more than one (or two) at once. iLok is invaluable in this situation for studios, etc.

 

(I have no commercial interest in Amarra or iLok)

 

Eloise

 

[blueixus]

I use Amarra and was initially a little worried about the iLok as I am not great with computers.

 

It has never given me any trouble and like some of the previous comments I find it very portable between different machines.

 

That said I am sure I will curse it when I loose it, but absolutely no complaints so far.

 

[omasciarotte]

roccoriley wrote:

 

There are pages of Internet posts of problems with iLok and similar dongle based systems, and there are also Internet posts about how to circumvent this type of copy protection. Companies like Microsoft and Adobe have huge investments in software to protect and considering that they chose not to utilize intrusive, inconvenient and risky systems like iLok, it makes perfect sense for companies like Amarra to modernize their copy protection technology by abandoning intrusive systems like iLok.

 

The internet hosts every opinion possible but, opinion is not fact. If you look, you'll also find hoards of complaints about both Microsoft's and Adobe's licensing schemes and practices so, theirs are not shining examples either. That said, any decent company’s customer service (CS) dept. will work to make a customer happy, which I can say is the case for Adobe.

 

This user had to reformat his hard drive four times: http://duc.digidesign.com/showthread…

 

You have to take into consideration that the above thread concerns a company with a less than stellar CS reputation.

 

I understand that Amarra is an excellent system however I have not purchased it only because it utilizes a copy protection scheme that I consider to be dangerous. When they market a system that is not intrusive and risky I will be among the first in line.

 

Still not sure where you're seeing a danger but, for the 1% of customers who have had iLok problems, Sonic Studio CS has always found a solution for them.

 

do you have a commercial relationship with either Amarra or Ilok?

 

As stated elsewhere in this forum, Sonic Studio is one of my many clients. PACE and Adobe are not. Business people are always looking for ways to prevent theft but, there are no perfect solutions.