Hiya. So far in my software buys through sheer co-incidence I have avoided iLok. As I’ve searched around for bundles, ideas and more - I’ve noticed the free iLok account (as a pose to the actual dongle) come up a bit. At this point I’ve carried on avoiding it, essentially because I’d need a really good reason to get an additional layer of software centres cluttering up the computer.
Is there a specific reason why this software gets a bad rap? I have heard the odd horror story about people being offline and not getting access to their software, but I wondered if this was with the actual dongle or the software version. For example if you buy Soundtoys, they say that you need an account, which I imagine means you have to download and authenticate the software through iLok. And loads of people swear by Soundtoys.
So what’s your take on it? Is it a minor inconvenience, or something you avoid like the plague?
Depends on how much you want the iLok based plugins compared to the alternatives. I use iLok cloud with one of my mastering plugins. It’s a PITA to set up when you don’t know what you’re doing and yes you need internet connection for it to run but, for me, it was a minor inconvenience I was willing to put up with.
Same, never had any problem with it. Pretty unobtrusive on my computer (mac). Only ever gets annoying when I forget to plug in my USB dongle then I get a load of authorisation request pop-ups when opening Live or some other software. If you just keep authorisations locked to one computer then that won’t happen anyway.
I have Soundtoys and a Sonnox and Softube plugin that use software ILOK.
You have to install a seperate app to validate the licenses, but other than that it’s not much different to something like Arturia where they want to install a license manager app on your computer.
…i hated and avoided all sorts of i lok products throughout half my life…
when i got back in the box with bitwig and the first silicon gen of latest macbook pro’s, starting to curate a new plugin collection via the usual suspects like plugin alliance (they run their very own way of licensensing, which worx very smooth, once u know ur/their way) and plugin boutique, i also bought one plugin by accident that needed ilok certification…no hw dongle though, but that mentioned soft license manager ilok offers these days…
and what can i say…not too bad…worx fine…and the hussel to set up an ilok account to be able to run licenses is just the usual thing we gotto to do these days…
so, if there’s a plugin that needs ilok verification, but u really wanna add it to ur collection, just do it…it’s all same same and just a little different these days, when it comes to buy soft ware licenses…
just make sure, u write ur various password and account details down somewhere, apart from ur computer, to always be able to recall it easily, when needed…
I just noticed a lot on online hate and wanted to test whether it was people shouting at clouds in an unrepresentative way; or whether it’s just one of those necessary plugin admin things most people do and then forget about once they have it all set up.
I’ve seen a nice free plugin (Slate Digital Fresh Air) and I noticed iLok is required and wondered if it was worth the hassle. But as @monquixote says, I suppose if it’s just like the Arturia/Izotope/Native Instruments thing where you have to d/l a software to install that’s fine. Some of the free Kontakt libraries I have also found a downloader to access the files, which I guess was a bit of a pain, but once I’d done it - it was fine. Also considering the Soundtoys bundle which is also an iLok deal too…
There’s just so many excellent alternative options for reasonably implemented or non-DRM plugins out there that I don’t know why I would ever bother with the inconvenience. Strong DRM has pretty much always been a pain for the legitimate consumer, an extra expense for the company that makes the product, and a minor roadblock/fun challenge for the pirate.
Personally have not had any problem with the ilok software. Activation was always smooth. I was also hesitant because what I had read but I imagine the biggest problem or hassle is if you get a new PC or mac and have to re-install everything then it’s another password to remember and another thing to install.
I’m on a new machine now, so this thought is way out of my head. But I always suspected this process is behind the “I only reinstalled A and B and sold X, Y and Z” posts online. I kinda like these discussions though because I had a similar one about NI. Turns out most people are either happily using these things, with a small group particularly against them or with specific gripes.
I have more than 100 activated products for last six years on my iLok account, and I had problems only once when I replaced too many parts of my PC at once. iLok have decided I use another machine. But I was able to deactivate old PC without physically running that.
However, dongle version looks more reliable to me. I’m just too lazy to buy a dongle.
Speaking about alternatives, on my iLok account I see Softube, Soundtoys, UVI, Eventide and EastWest. All of them are too good to ignore them because of iLok.
I swore not to use anything that requires global installer/background deamons when moved over to my mac studio about year and a half ago but recently got the burning desire to try the Softube Weiss DS-1 mk3, welp, the plugin is great, and I would love to have it but…
this thing bothers me way too much. I cannot concentrate on the plugin knowing that it requires 3rd party background job doing who knows what.
I own expensive plugins from other vendors that don’t require continuous process of authentication which gives me piece of mind, whatever the reason for using this - I don’t get it and it bothers me way too much. why do I need to make sure that this thing on my Launch At Boot list? why do I need to worry if it’s going to open next time I open the project?
no thanks.
what a shame though, would love to have it.
I would prefer everything to use iLok instead of having 20 different licensing apps on my computer. It was supposed to be crap at the beginning, but in last maybe 10 years since I use it, I haven’t really had any problems with it. Obviously good old serial number was the best from user standpoint, but nowadays almost everything is DRM and internet connection dependent anyway, iLok or not.
I had similar story with a Softube plugin (once only.) Then it started working out of the blue. I prefer machine activation if it must do so, but I’ve drawn the line at UAD which from a bit of reading seems to need both iLok and a constant internet connection to use the plugins. They’re decent, but I’d rather use M4L devices if I have to be internet connected at all times.
Sortof accidentally, via a plugin cull, I find myself with way, way fewer iLok licenses installed, but there are one or two outliers. I did put Soundtoys onto my iLok to move machines. Happy to have fewer bits attached to iLok overall though.
I have Native Access because, well Kontakt… But I’m happy to put NI’s system down to a rag tag of plugins and libraries that’s hard to maintain (UVI actually does use iLok lest we forget), and mild incompetence, rather than any big brother stuff.
Tbh the cull reminded me what a pain installing the plugins is, and so I actually now prefer just being able to authenticate on a website (ala: Mastering the Mix) for quick & easy management, or via a code in the plugin itself.
I can see a pro studio doing actual commission work/professional services to put up with these methods, but even with them I fail to see the use case, I mean, if the DAWs stopped doing these things why would plugins still do that?
what’s the point? a professional studio/artist that makes money from their work will buy it regardless, no need to over-complicate things, Cubase stopped doing that, ProTools stopped, SoundToys stopped, none of them went suddenly bankrupt because of piracy, so why continue using these outdated layers of abstraction?
Ilok is better now. I’ve been using it for 8 years now with softube, uvi, Alamo, metric halo, steinberv.
The phone home that Roland Cloud does is even worse . Sometimes in the middle of of ableton session it will not phone home and you are stuck in demo mode purgatory. I got so upset two weeks ago I uninstalled and bought Korg Collection 5 instead. Roland Cloud losing connection on me happens at least once a month in a session and on my day off .
iLok got better with time.
But I’d try and refrain from it if you don’t like to, sporadically, fiddle through failed authorizations. UAD comes to mind, more than anyone else.
I’d be wary of any software still heavily relying on it, more so for live/out of the studio use (connectivity is a prerequisite in some cases).
But all in all, iLok is stable in itself.
It’s the iLok+Manufacturer+OS Updates combo that is unstable at times.
I also can’t complain, with almost 200 active licenses from 7 publishers on it.
It’s a pain when you upgrade your computer, but any one publisher activating a key will make everything work again, so you just have to pick a good time to switch.
