actually guys the copy protection is a bit naff

[forge]

on the whole I like it, but we need a way of getting a computer unlocked instantly like with NI stuff - although I hate the way NI makes you have to permenantly uninstall it from a hardware configuration

but the thing of being able to only unlock Live when you have used your unlocks during Berlin business hours is really quite irritating - especially for musicians who often gig on weekends

so leave it as is, but add a way of authorising more automatically so it can be 24/7

or lock authorisation to the hardware

or both

my personal reason:

I just got a new laptop and because Microsoft are still a bunch of twits I have already had to completely restore my machine and lost everything I installed just because I wanted to install XP on a seperate partition without wiping the drive and losing my vista partition that I spent about 8 hours yesteday configuring to my preferred state of being with all my (actually only some of my) software installed and authorised

so now I have to re-install Live and all it's various synths, sounds and samplers and the unlock has run out

so it seem's it's not related to the hardware profile, which means even though it all installed on this machine fine the first time this time it wont now, even though the computer is the same

[dCross]

on the whole I like it, but we need a way of getting a computer unlocked instantly like with NI stuff - although I hate the way NI makes you have to permenantly uninstall it from a hardware configuration.
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.
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so it seem's it's not related to the hardware profile, which means even though it all installed on this machine fine the first time this time it wont now, even though the computer is the same

I assume you're talking about 'extra' unlocks beyond the default number with each serial?

[forge]

sorry Dave - yeah I just edited that

really I think the issue is more about not being locked to the hardware - because that means just reinstalling windows requires an unlock

I remember a guy came here not long ago saying this about reinstalling windows once a month and everybody here caned him

but I understand his point because those of us who have for various reasons stayed with microsoft - be it for included dvd-writers,120GB hard drives and slightly bigger screens, or whatever reason, we are occasionally subject to unbelievably painful ordeals to do simple tasks

my last 24 hours since the happy moment of getting my new laptop are forever tarnished because it was too much for microsoft to make it simple to install xp on seperate partition on a vista machine

I have been nearly in tears over what would seem to be a relatively simple task

so my point is, when we have been through this, it's really disappointing to then find we cant save anything we do with Operator for the whole weekend

[Josh Von]

, it's really disappointing to then find we cant save anything we do with Operator for the whole weekend

At least you can bounce to audio with a 3rd party VST.

Small consolation but if you come up with something cool you might lose the patch, but dont have to lose the result

.

[Tarekith]

I do wish we could manage our own registrations online for this reason, would help a lot. I need to reinstall OS's often to make sure I have clean installs when betat testing new software (depending on what the developer is asking for). so this would help me out. That said, Ableton HQ has always been VERY fast in helping me with this in the past, though I've always needed it when they were open too.

[Angstrom]

I've done a couple of extra unlocks recently, fortunately they were for my new desktop so it doesn't impact gigging.
The response was pretty quick from Ableton HQ, so I am not complaining about the service. But I do understand your point.

The system works most of the time, but when it falls down it is when the user is in the worst situation - away from home, with a knackered laptop, reinstalling everything and stressed before a gig. I know that people can use it in demo mode, but ignoring that for now ...

Why is the current 'request another unlock' system handled manually now?
I guess it is so an Ableton person can analyse the request for validity, is this the 120th unlock request? is it for a different PC altogether.

I wonder if an algo could cover all this and automate the process a little.
If the main need for a human in the process is to analyse the reason for the extra unlock, to prevent an 'unlock flood'
but surely that analysis could be automated?

our serials are all on the server already, couldn't the same system handle a button marked 'ask for new unlock' which determines whether this is a valid request via a points system. Only reverting to human intervention if the point system reaches a high total.

UNLOCK REQUEST VALIDITY POINTS
1: points determined from unlocks (4 unlocks on product = 4 points)
2: points for new computer hardware (product installed on 8 different systems =16 points)
3: points from unlock frequency (4 unlocks in the last week= 5points)
etc ...

any user reaching 10 points would require a human Abletonian to respond in the current manner. Other wise, let the robots deal with it.

just an idea.

[forge]

I wonder if an algo could cover all this and automate the process a little.
If the main need for a human in the process is to analyse the reason for the extra unlock, to prevent an 'unlock flood'
but surely that analysis could be automated?

our serials are all on the server already, couldn't the same system handle a button marked 'ask for new unlock' which determines whether this is a valid request via a points system. Only reverting to human intervention if the point system reaches a high total.

UNLOCK REQUEST VALIDITY POINTS
1: points determined from unlocks (4 unlocks on product = 4 points)
2: points for new computer hardware (product installed on 8 different systems =16 points)
3: points from unlock frequency (4 unlocks in the last week= 5points)
etc ...

any user reaching 10 points would require a human Abletonian to respond in the current manner. Other wise, let the robots deal with it.

just an idea.

I was thinking something similar, but in the interim, it seems just locking to a hardware profile would sort out the "reinstalling windows" people, which I would hazard are a good 80-90% of the people finding this to be a problem

[Poster]

if the unlock would be hardware config based you could regulate your unlocks yourself..

so after you do a OS reinstall you just put back your Unlock.cfg file and you're done..

[forge]

if the unlock would be hardware config based you could regulate your unlocks yourself..

so after you do a OS reinstall you just put back your Unlock.cfg file and you're done..

yeah - I really like the idea of the unlock.cfg being portable too - so you could save it on a USB key and treat it like a dongle

[hoffman2k]

That actually works/worked.
I think I did that once with Live 4.
Made a backup of all the prefs and .cfg files. Did an OS reinstall and placed them all back. Live didn't notice a thing.
If that doesn't work now, it might be due to hidden files or something you forgot to back up. Or it simply doesn't work and I have a bad memory.
I believe that it worked on the G5, but the same backup didn't work on my G4.

[Poster]

That actually works/worked.
I think I did that once with Live 4.
Made a backup of all the prefs and .cfg files. Did an OS reinstall and placed them all back. Live didn't notice a thing.
If that doesn't work now, it might be due to hidden files or something you forgot to back up. Or it simply doesn't work and I have a bad memory.
I believe that it worked on the G5, but the same backup didn't work on my G4.

I did a OS reinstall 2 weeks ago..
I knew I was out of unlocks so I emailed Support if they could add one..
I also asked if I could just collect all related files and put them back afterwards..
They said this is impossible..

It might have worked prior to L6 though..

[kineticUk]

Ableton have always been helpful when I have needed to reinstall Live.
Plus if you want you can backup your unlock and use it if you need to reinstall the OS. I have had to do this and it went smooth as.
Nah Minus one..I'm happy with the current system.

[forge]

just happened again

the only bastard way to get vista and xp to co habit successfully on my new computer was to wipe clean and install 2 copies of XP and upgrade one of them, then when I did I finally discovered after all that stuffing about that actually HP dont make any XP drivers for this machine

well that's just typical

I so wish I got the macbook

if only they made the screen an inch bigger I would have

[Poster]

I so wish I got the macbook

if only they made the screen an inch bigger I would have

sorry to hear all that PC related grief..

the screensize of the Macbooks is just another stupid marketing trick..

before this generation is was 14" versus 15.1" which rules out that spec when considering which one to buy..

now it's what? 13" versus 15.1"?

13" is just a deluxe typewriter if you ask me so you're almost forced to buy the Macbook Pro..

[forge]

I so wish I got the macbook

if only they made the screen an inch bigger I would have

sorry to hear all that PC related grief..

the screensize of the Macbooks is just another stupid marketing trick..

before this generation is was 14" versus 15.1" which rules out that spec when considering which one to buy..

now it's what? 13" versus 15.1"?

13" is just a deluxe typewriter if you ask me so you're almost forced to buy the Macbook Pro..

prob;lem is they are so cheap - and they are actually really nice - I've been using my girlfriends but I've just been finding the screen size gets really irritating after a while

The one I got is only 14" and I think it's pretty much perfect size

the 15" one was so big and heavy to carry around, this one is nice and light, but it's just big enough to look at

actually I'm quite liking vista at the moment - now that the headaches of installation are gradually being ironed out, the overall way things are done is alot nicer than XP

it definitely feels better, it's just all the set up - but thinking back I think it was the same when XP first came out - I clearly remember people in the audio world saying "stick with 98"

there is one very cool thing the lappy does - this "lightscribe" thing where the laser in the DVD burner can print on the discs if you buy the special ones