Sick and tired of the license dongle

[Jvz]

When are you going back to the software license??
I've got a Vray license from work. I work in the office but also at home.
Till now we have gotten extra dongles to work at home. But when we tried to upgrade to vray 2 we were told we have to send the extra dongles back??
Even though 3d max gives the possebility to install the software as a home copy through the subscription program.
Conclusion: I can't work at home, or i'll have to take the dongle with me every night and can't render at the office at night?
Don't start about the possebility to activate my license via a floating licence on the internet. I don't want to be restricted to the up-time of my ISP. please fix this.
I'm trying to use your software legaly, but you are making it very hard.

Kind regard,

Jord

[vlado]

There are no plans to go to software license at this time. We don't normally give out extra dongles (that would mean you have two separate licenses), however if you have more than one license, then it is not a problem to move one of them to another dongle that you can take with you. What people usually do (me included) is to connect through VPN to their network at the office and use the license from there - or just physically take the dongle with them.

I understand your frustration, but on the other hand software licenses had their own set of issues.

Best regards,
Vlado

[joconnell]

I'd imagine most isps would go out of business if they don't have 99.9% up time!

I installed a copy of logmein hamachi on my work computer (which is free) and a copy on my home computer - it automatically does the networking for you and when you connect at home, it tells you the ip for your work computer so you can set your vray license server to this ip and port 30304. You don't need a fast connection since it's only doing a very quick check on the dongle. The dongle was introduced to do exactly what you want to - be able to take it home at the end of the night, if you've already got multiple dongles, you only need one dongle for all of the machines that are network rendering at night. You need one vray dongle for every copy that is changing settings in materials, the render dialog and vray objects in the scene, but if you're only doing network rendering with backburner overnight, one dongle is enough for about 20000 machines!

Out of all the vray dongles you use is it not possible to leave one in the office at night?

[instinct]

I don't get how the software license would solve that in addition. The software license would be bound to your license server and you could not take it home at all, no ??

[Jvz]

Isn't it possible to supply 2 dongles for 1 licence?
Taking the dongles with you isn't realy a solution. It would fall apart after 2 months if I have to take it everywhere. (not to mention the number of dongles that would get lost)
Working over VPN like you (even you can't get a extra dongle? means i'm at the mercy of my internet service provider and our system administrator if it's down ik can't work, or if it's down at the office i can't work.
And does the render on my workstation stops if I remotely log in and use the license?
I understand illegal software is a big problem for you, but now you are punishing by limiting your paying customers, and there are still enough cracks for the guys who don't want to pay.

[Jvz]

@instinct

Multiple instals on one license, like 3ds max.
Just give us a home license.

[instinct]

You are essentially asking for being given a free license for every license you pay. The second dongle could just as well be used with another seat. And of course checking out the license does not permit
the license to be checked out a second time. If you need 2 licenses at once you have to buy 2 licenses. I seriously fail to see how that is limiting paying customers.

[BcM]

There are no plans to go to software license at this time. We don't normally give out extra dongles (that would mean you have two separate licenses). What people usually do (me included) is to connect through VPN to their network at the office and use the license from there - or just physically take the dongle with them.

I understand your frustration, but on the other hand software licenses had their own set of issues.

Best regards,
Vlado

The network connection at some places isnt as stable as on others. It is annoying as hell if you cannot use 3dsmax because one of the two connections is down again.
Physically taking the dongle has another set of problems. From losing them, to quickly breaking dongles.

The frustration is logical. The choice of Chaosgroup not to give a home-copy version of Vray is, in my eyes, a stupid one. 3dsmax subscription allows you to install a version of 3dsmax at home. But if you cannot take your renderer with you, it makes no sense.

That gives you five options

1) Buy another license of vray
2) Accept that installing a home copy makes no sense, because you have no renderer
3) Stop the 3dsmax subscription all together
4) Use another renderer which does have that option (i.e. Mental Ray)
5) Cracking vray. It is not a real option

Because 1 2 3 and 5 make no sense , only 4 is a logical option.

I really cannot seem to grasp the marketing-strategy behind this? It only restricts people in their use of Vray. Most of my experimental attempts in Vray are at home. Now that will become experimenting with Mental Ray.

Taking up the 3dsmax policy is much more useful. If you have a 3dsmax subscription, you get an extra dongle.

And even if your connection is down Vlado, you probably have enough dongles rolling around in your house? Or you can just compile a version without Wibu-check?

[BcM]

You are essentially asking for being given a free license for every license you pay. The second dongle could just as well be used with another seat. And of course checking out the license does not permit
the license to be checked out a second time. If you need 2 licenses at once you have to buy 2 licenses. I seriously fail to see how that is limiting paying customers.

Because the Autodesk 3dsmax Subscription gives the following option:

Subscription Advantage Packs for 3ds Max or 3ds Max Design, and flexible licensing privileges

Perhaps it would be time for Vray to make a subscription package which gives the same service?

[Jvz]

@ instinct

Are you serious?
So in your mind i got 2 3d max licenses?
Of course not.
Vray is a plug in for 3d max, which can be installed twice. It's strange that the plugin you buy for 3ds max can't do that.

[instinct]

3d Studio Max cannot do that either. Subscription can. If you look up subscription prices you will see that you can buy another seat of vray for a year of subscription. And that license is for a lifetime, not a year..

[vlado]

Perhaps it would be time for Vray to make a subscription package which gives the same service?

While there have been some thoughts in that direction, it is not an easy decision to make - we are a much smaller company and a subscription program would require substantial resources to implement and maintain. It may work out well, or may fail miserably...

Best regards,
Vlado

[joconnell]

The only way this could work would be by using license exporting like the old max portable license utility. It'd mean your work vray dongle would have to be deactivated as a workstation license, and you'd be given a text file or license file to mail home that you could activate your home license with.

To be honest I think the current setup is more than fair if you've got multiple dongles in work - you leave one behind with all the machines checking their render licenses from that, then all the other operators take a dongle home to play with at night. They're fairly toughly built so you've just gotta be careful about losing it.

Is there a feature limited or watermarked demo of vray 2 for trying things out at home?

[vlado]

Is there a feature limited or watermarked demo of vray 2 for trying things out at home?

There is a demo version on our site.

Best regards,
Vlado

[BcM]

The only way this could work would be by using license exporting like the old max portable license utility. It'd mean your work vray dongle would have to be deactivated as a workstation license, and you'd be given a text file or license file to mail home that you could activate your home license with.

To be honest I think the current setup is more than fair if you've got multiple dongles in work - you leave one behind with all the machines checking their render licenses from that, then all the other operators take a dongle home to play with at night. They're fairly toughly built so you've just gotta be careful about losing it.

Let me emphasize that this did not happen on purpose, and is not because of extreme forces being applied to it. (Just regular use)

Is there a feature limited or watermarked demo of vray 2 for trying things out at home?

Using a watermarked version is not an option of course.

I just want to work with the license, not spend all my time remembering to bring a dongle and carrying it around (Also a point, i live 1 hour away from my work, door to door. So if i forget it, its a weekend without working)
But perhaps it is wise to use Mental Ray at home.

It just seems strange that the Autodesk Subscription does not match the Vray license rules. It makes no sense, and I will never understand it. It may seem logical to you guys, but it doesnt to me.

Even Adobe has that.

2.4 Portable or Home Computer Use. The primary user of the Computer on which the Software is installed may install a second copy of the Software for his or her exclusive use on either a portable Computer or a Computer located at his or her home, provided the Software on the portable or home Computer is not used at the same time as the Software on the primary Computer.

So most of the programs used in this business allow one home-copy, except Vray.