If I had known beforehand that some companies would go bankrupt, I would not have bought some of the VSTi.
In retrospect, one is always smarter.

There is another way. The only "software manufacturer / programmer" I knew was the Vember Audio - Surge VSTi manufacturer. He said he ran out of time and put it into the good hands of the open source community for free. And the folks at Github made the best of it and we got a repaired synthesizer with new features of the very highest order.

 

Well, Camel Audio was bought out by Apple and their stuff integrated into Logic so no chance of going free/open there. But that's the problem with smaller devs, you never know. I'd be very dismayed if say, Sonic Charge went under as I rely on their stuff quite a bit. So I've got them "archived" just in case. Not that the protection is especially heavy though.

Surge is a special case for sure. It's a synth that I originally bought and was a bit dismayed of no updates originally, but I'm very happy that it's going on and everybody can get their hands on it as it's an excellent VA synth, especially with the latest upgrades. Folks, if you haven't done so, you owe it to yourselves to give it a go: https://surge-synthesizer.github.io

 

I also bought Camel Audio - Alchemy back then. Zack and gone was the company. No updates in sight. Now I have a 4K monitor and Alchemy is very small and that's why I installed Cakewalk - Sonar, an old version, so that I can still play the "old" plugins. Of course, Ben the programmer has to make a living from something. Oh yes the H.G. Fortune died recently and previously gave away many of its plugins for free. It is his life's work, because one would like to continue playing the other one of his creations and the instruments he has created.

HG Fortune - Nearly Forgotten Gems - Pro versions now Freeware!
https://audiosex.pro/threads/hg-fortune-nearly-forgotten-gems-pro-versions-now-freeware.59266/

It would be nice if the LinPlug programmer Peter would walk away as well. Pity!

 

You might wish to consult Karl Marx on that topic. It's another - legal - kind of robbery.

 

It's time we printed the money ourselves! Or introduce a basic income.

The problem was that many people loved money, otherwise many people were quite ignorant and distanced themselves further and further from nature. You'd rather count your money than save the world. in which they lived. You distracted yourself with television and other nonsense and bought things that you later threw away. Some called themselves humans even though they had lost the human.

 

Last edited: Sep 13, 2021

I want VSTs that I know will still work in ten years' time, or when the developer goes under. I bought Synthmaster (the original Synthmaster) years ago, and then when KV331 got a bit more successful with the next version of Synthmaster, I tried to reinstall my copy of Synthmaster (the original version which you can't get nowadays) and it wouldn't work. I emailed their support time after time, and it took them ten MONTHS to reply, telling me they couldn't work on the original version and that it was no longer supported. So basically I paid for a synth and then within a year or less it didn't work any more (I had to reinstall Windows for some reason, so I obviously had to reinstall all my VSTs.) Back in the days of Sampletank 2.5.4 I bought that, Sonik Synth, and maybe £500 worth of other VSTs over time. Things like Air Music Tech stuff (Hybrid 3, Loom, Vacuum Pro, Transfuser, etc.) I bought because they were available so cheap that I wanted to support them, and they are all great synths - but I still use the cracked versions, because I know there will never be any problems with them.
After I had spent a fair bit of money over several years, I just downloaded cracks because I am interested in new stuff. I don't make any money out of my music, and for the past three years I haven't written a song, due to lack of time! I still download new stuff to try out, for five minutes, but I would never buy them, because I don't want most of them. I prefer having a maximum of 20 VST synths, if that, to actually write music with, otherwise you end up having to reinstall 50 different VSTs to open old projects, the next time you reinstall Windows, and most synths can produce 'good enough' sounds for any music you want to make.

 

LMAO I really don't give a shit, the fact everyone can't just admit they pirate for the hell of it is funny. You are literally PIRATI G stuff, who cares! I'm not saying it's bad, all I'm saying is just fricken embrace and stop acting so high and mighty like you are above everyone else, you are a pirate. It's ok. That is the truth why most people do it, it's just hilarious seeing everyone try to dance around it, you are literally pirating, who gives af

 

Good point.
I use cracked plugins because I can, fuck you.

Feels good lol.

 

Why do I use cracked plugins?

For the same reason I'm watching movies via unofficial streaming platforms: because they exist and are free.

 

Imagine tomorrow there will be no money and everything will be free. I think it takes 2 days then the planet is empty.
At the supermarket it takes less than 7 hours then it is emptied.

 

You are right, I am a "pirate" and I am ashamed of it!
I would like to have more money to support all the great manufacturers, but unfortunately I can not. I was raised to have respect for other people's property and accomplishments and not to be a miserable thief. I pay for my DAW monthly through a subscription because it is within my budget. Also, I have already purchased the most important plugins/libraries and I also use freeware.

I think it's a shame when someone says they could buy stuff but don't because they like to be a pirate. Pirates belong on the gallows!
There is a difference between wanting to be a pirate and having decency and at least being ashamed of it!
Then at least produce good music with all the software and give something back to humanity.

 

Last edited: Sep 13, 2021

If every person honestly looked at every project they had ever done, a majority I believe would find that they have 'go-to' plugins and synths.
This means that if they added up the FX and virtual instruments they used frequently, they would likely come to not much more than ten of each. A lot of people have plugins they probably will never use.
In a perfect world, you could work that out quickly, but you can eventually, and theoretically get rid of the dead weight. Additionally, if you totalled up the cost of all of them used regularly(other than Kontakt libraries), the entire batch will probably come to well under $5,000.

 

the software I use for a living is licensed, however I have usedthe cracked versions rather than the legit version, as some cracked dll's actually fix certain bugs the legit version has.... (cough cough Aut0d3sk)
also, when your license is server based, and your IT department is understaffed, and the license server not responding, Having that cracked version just makes so much more sense.

 

No need to imagine because that's the goal of AI and robotic research.
In a not so far future, everything will be made by robots, from extraction to delivery at your door. Human labor will disappear, and so will money. Everything will be free and we all gonna be spending our time devoting ourselves to our hobbies.
I know it might sound unrealistic today, but who would have believed twenty years ago that anyone could print money at home by mining bitcoins with a computer powered by solar panels?

 

Or they get a denial of service attack, or you are in a storm and/or your ISP is down - anything network related that is not LAN, it makes 100% perfect sense and I agree totally.

 

You now what's a bitch?! inequality

To put on perspective, my own case and the other fellow Brazucas here, 1USD = 5BRL (not long ago this would be 1USD=2BRL - much fair).

So, for me to be able to spent 1USD i have to pay 5 times MORE. Is it right for you?
For me it's fucked as fuck, even tho, sometimes i do spoil myself/my family to get something over the country boards, but i guess software isn't a priority...

Now a gray area, i do agree that devs should get some, but in my own experience, i also don't get what's deserved for me at my work, guess it's the way it is (capitalism?!), you can always look for another one if programming audio software isn't paying you enough... but that's just my head.

 

One way or another, most of the the lionised titans of industry/commerce are crooks and these 'worthy' gentle(wo)men are only ever miserable if held accountable for their crimes... which, unsurprisingly happens only very rarely indeed.

 

Last edited: Sep 13, 2021

All of the audio software on my iPad is bought and paid for. Why? Because the average price was £20 for a DAW, £5-10 for a synth or an effect.

None of the audio software on my PC is paid for. Why? Because the average price is £4-500 for a DAW, £1-200 for a synth or an effect.

 

Better ask them the question for what they make their shit sites with shit windows when loading the cracked software. They just 15 years old?

I no longer use a cracked, only legal soft. But I still do not pay anything for it.
And I will help some crackers to make his work.

Some companies deserve payment, but how can you pay such greedy bastards as Avid?
Have you seen a conference for Avid developers in which a fatty pig against the background of his stinky bed filmed a video for all developers? How can you pay such pigs?

 

when thinking about warez, i mostly dont think about myself.

my first connotation is always "south america, africa, indonesia, india, unemployed, disabled, students, kids!"

that alone would be worth the effort and risk put into it.

"try before buy, buy but install the crack, but i only do collect and not use!" is cool to have, but less important to me since 1.) i am a developer myself - and 2.) can afford hardware.

in 2000 PSP pianoverb was free - in 2020 it requires ilok? fuck that.