Use a raspberry pi 3 or 4 running Virtual Here Server. Plug in your e-Licenser there as well as your iLok if you have.

install the Virtual Here Client on your DAW and off you go. You can even run Cubase from outside your LAN if you want..

I don’t like the dongles as well, but I’m more impatient on them making running Cubase natively on Apple Silicon.

 

@BaSsDuDe software vendors get out of a lot of reverse compatibility nightmares by simply stating "the product is no longer supported". Obviously, there are actual legal definitions of when they can do that; but many companies will often choose to do that rather than support existing old products when they are no longer legally required to do so. So that is more a question of just timing, rather than any Good Samaritan RC feelings about old projects over there at Steinberg.

 

Oh I hear you.
Perhaps in some ways that is a flaw on Steinberg's part because for whatever anyone can say, they still tend to try and support older products.
Like a lot of posts already. I could have taken the negative stance and do the "Let's see what we can shit-bash today" which happens a lot on this site. I chose to attempt a logical thought rather than an automated "Oh it must be Steinberg/Reaper/PT/Logic/Ableton/FL...because they're all crap" type of reply which the world needs less of.

None of us really know until they release some statement, so I saw no point in crapping on something or someone when just like everyone else on here, I do not know enough about Steinberg's inner-workings.

 

"losing" the dongle, not loosing.

loose, loosening, loss, are other words but "loosing" is not a word.

 

Docking on poor features on an already poor framework from the 90ies and adding plug-ins and sound content ...

 

Last edited: Nov 16, 2023

I was on vacation but I had to work on a big project. I forgot to take the dongle with me. That was the day that I stopped using cubase. Bought reaper and I have it installed in all of my machines no problem. For the work that I do reaper is years ahead of cubase.

 

PreSonus - Studio One:
The two former Steinberg developers Wolfgang Kundrus and Matthias Juwan are responsible for this project.

How many people are currently involved in the development of Studio One compared to the early years?

There were three of us started in 2006. Today we are around 20 people in Hamburg, around half of them developers, the others take care of product planning, quality assurance and UI design. Everyone has his or her priorities, but we distribute resources as the projects require, that is, nobody works exclusively on Studio One. About half the time is spent on other projects. We are a small team compared to many of our competitors.

Our advantage is that we have known each other for almost two decades from our time together at Steinberg and we therefore work very well together. The senior development team, which technically sets the direction, consists of Maik Oppermann, Mario Ewald and me. Maik was there from the start, Mario joined us in 2012, together with Arnd Kaiser, who has been our General Manager ever since. In recent years, many young IT talents with a passion for music have also joined the team. By the way, we are currently looking for software developers again - so feel free to apply to us!

Source and the whole interview

Translated into English
For the 10th anniversary, we spoke to Matthias Juwan about the creation of Studio One
https://recording-de.translate.goog...sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=nui

Original in German
Wir haben zum 10-jährigen Jubiläum mit Matthias Juwan über die Entstehung von Studio One gesprochen
https://recording.de/threads/studio-one-erfinder-matthias-juwan-im-gespraech.247207/

 

this just landed .........
A New and Exciting Era Begins at Steinberg


Dear Steinberg customers,

I am writing today because I want you to be the first to know about the start of the transition to a new method of Steinberg product licensing. Earlier this year we announced our intention to migrate to a new ID-based licensing system — Steinberg Licensing — and I can now confirm that we will begin to roll it out early next year. While this announcement might not be news to all of you, I'm sure it comes as quite a surprise to many. But, in the way of all good surprises, this one brings new benefits and has inspired us to look at things in fresh, innovative ways.

Steinberg Licensing is a big step forward, a huge milestone in further developing our vision to bring to you the best user experience. That experience includes sophisticated tools for creating music, premium content to work with, and various useful services that bring our global community together. Over time, Steinberg Licensing will be the key to unlocking enhanced opportunities and greater convenience in different areas, both within and beyond the world of Steinberg.

You will soon be introduced to Steinberg Licensing, with the release of Dorico 4 early next year. I can also tell you that Cubase 12 has been moved to 2022, allowing it to be the next software after Dorico to harness the potential of the new system. As new versions of other products are released, they will use the new system, too.

As with all new technology, the full potential will gradually unfold. Steinberg Licensing will be a work in progress for a while and, at first, features will be restricted. But as we move forward, more and more features will be introduced.

We are excited to be opening this new chapter and we look forward to going ahead into the future together with you.

I wish all of you the very best.

Andreas Stelling – President of Steinberg

Introducing Steinberg Licensing
Simply start your software, sign in with your Steinberg ID, and you’re up and running instantly — with no need for a hardware key or dongle. Steinberg Licensing is simple, quick, and flexible.

Where we came from
We know that you value your creative tools highly, and that protecting your investment in those tools is important to you. It’s important to us, too, as minimizing usage of unlicensed, pirated or cracked software means that we are able to invest as much as possible in building new and improved creative tools for our customers.

For many years, Steinberg products have used our eLicenser system, with its combination of the USB-eLicenser hardware key and the Soft-eLicenser software key, and it has served us and our customers well. But times change, and for many years now our customers have been asking us for extra freedom and flexibility.

Today, many musicians are able to use a laptop or other portable computer as their main music-making computer: but more and more these devices have limited USB ports, and plugging in a hardware key is inconvenient or even impossible.

Today, many musicians have two or more computers: but the eLicenser system only allows the software to be used on a single computer with a Soft-eLicenser, or on the computer to which the USB-eLicenser is connected.

Today, many musicians expect to be able to try out a new software tool simply by downloading it from the web: but customers have had to buy a USB-eLicenser before they can try out Cubase Pro.

These and other changes in the way musicians want to buy and use software mean that it is time to say goodbye to the eLicenser system and leave it behind.

Where we are going
We are beginning the transition from eLicenser to the new Steinberg Licensing system. Over time, as new versions of our creative tools and instruments are introduced, our product line will use Steinberg Licensing — starting with Dorico 4 and Cubase 12 in 2022. We expect the overall transition will take between one and two years.

Steinberg Licensing will provide greater convenience, more flexibility, and enable you to use your Steinberg software in new, more powerful ways. For example, single-user licenses can be activated on two computers, so you can easily run your software in your studio and on the road. You won’t need to remember your USB-eLicenser when you travel or need to work at a new location: you can simply download your software, sign in with your Steinberg ID, and you will be up and running right away.

Later in 2022, we will also be introducing dedicated support for institutional and enterprise licensing, making it easier for schools, colleges, universities, and businesses to deploy, manage and use Steinberg software.

How it works
Steinberg Licensing is an identity-based license management system, where your identity as our customer is at the heart of everything. Whether you are an individual customer, or you represent an organization, educational institution, or enterprise, your entitlement to use Steinberg products flows from your Steinberg ID.

Signing up for a Steinberg ID is as simple as entering your email address, choosing a secure password, and verifying your new account. It only takes a couple of minutes — and if you are an existing Steinberg customer, you probably already have a Steinberg ID.

Online activation
With Steinberg Licensing, you can simply download your purchased software, run it, sign in with your Steinberg ID, and you’re up and running right away. When you sign in, your computer contacts Steinberg over the Internet to check your license, record some information that identifies the computer you’re signing in from, and activates your software.

After activation, you can disconnect from the internet altogether if you need to, and run your software for 30 days without reconnecting. However, most of us have our computers connected to the Internet all or most of the time, and when you run your Steinberg software, if a connection is available it will periodically contact Steinberg in the background to update its activation. If you find yourself unexpectedly without an internet connection, your software should always have plenty of time remaining before its activation requires renewal.

This online activation system also allows the flexibility to activate your software on two computers at once — and if you buy a new computer or temporarily need to use a different one, you can easily release your license from one computer to activate another.

Offline activation (coming soon)
We know that in some special circumstances, you might not be able to connect the computer on which you run your Steinberg software to the internet, and very soon we will provide the ability to check out a license for a period of one year. You will be able to do this either by temporarily connecting your computer to the Internet, checking out the license, and then disconnecting again, or if you prefer, you will be able to use the Internet connection on another computer to generate a check out license that you can install on the offline machine.

Managing your licenses
You can check the status of your licenses using the new Steinberg Activation Manager software, which will be automatically installed when you install software that uses Steinberg Licensing. Steinberg Activation Manager lists your licensed products and allows you to activate them on your computer, or release a license if you want to activate on another computer.

If you are unable to run Steinberg Activation Manager on your computer, because for example you are working from a new location, you can sign in to the Steinberg web site using your Steinberg ID and release a license from there.

 

A few comments above, I said
"I really hope the current dongle protection, that many users hate, won't be replaced by some kind of shit like the one above."

I think people are going to miss the old dongle, after all ...

They have so very few employees, that even the fukin cubase update has been delayed.
Come on, there were around 180 employees at steinberg. Maybe +100-120 are developers.
Don't tell me most developers have been working on the new copy protection, to the point the new cubase must be delayed.

Didn't like the dongle ? Prepare yourself to hate the new system.
Mandatory online connection for authentication... once every 30 days.
I mean, people either HAVE internet, or they DON'T have internet. If you can have internet one a month, then that means you can have the internet ALL the time....
The transition should take 2 years... and some features, such as the offline authorization should come later.
Translation, for the audioz/audiosex users:
' we will first deploy our cubase 11.5, with forced login once a month, and we will see what VR and r2r folks are able to do with it. If no Crack gets released, we will proceed with the 2nd phase, the offline authorization for 365 days'.

The question I ask is:
With such id/1 login every 30 days SYSTEM, can we really say we 'own' whatsoever ?
'Ohhh, I just purchased cubase 11.5. Now I have a lifetime license, it is soo amazing !'

Can we really say 'I purchased cubase 11.5 ! ' ???

Is the 'buy' button even legal, at the steinberg website ?
With such system, we can no longer talk about buy, or 'purchase'.
And we aren't't even buying ' a limited license that gives us the right to run the software'.

This is almost the same as a subscription model, only instead of paying once a month, we pay everything in one shot.

In my opinion, this system is 1000000 times worse than the dongle.
At least, with the dongle, you can today install a powerful 5950x- based computer, you install win 10 or win 11, you download and install all your steinberg apps, you install the elicenser manager... you can now grab your computer, put it in a basement, at -50th floor, or a cave, 500ft underneath the surface, powered by some solar/wind/fart power, without any kind of wifi or internet... and in theory, you should be able to run your computer and all your steinberg apps, until 2030, 2040 or even 2050, without any trouble(unless steinberg has put a timer on the elicenser manager, that asks for an upgrade every 12 months..24..36..)...
And that should be the 'normal', for all apps and licenses !

With the new system, you don't buy an app. No. you don't even buy a license.
Just like the 9/11 brought the patriotic act, where every single citizen of the planet, whether he is 95yo, 30 or 4yo, is a potential terrorist, that must be tracked, spied, watched, recorded, filmed, etc etc,

With the new copy protection system, ALL users are potential hackers/crackers/pirates. We need to identify you every 30 days, because if you don't do it, it means you are a pirate.
I wonder what the human rights commission would say about it, and the famous 'presumption of innocence '.
Because yes. According to the new system, ALL steinberg users will be considered thieves and pirates, way before they are 'users', or 'customers'.

Just like I hate, when I go to a store, and someone starts tracing me, disguised as a regular customer, to check if I'm going to steal something, I don't like the idea of being treated as a potential steinberg pirate.

Message to the steinberg employee who is reading this (we know you read everything that talks about cubase, etc) :
When Yamaha purchased you, was it because Air 'cracked it Allright', and cubase 5.1 was fully cracked.... or was it because some folks at the management fucked up hard, and the Gods from Yamaha came with a bunch of cash and purchased you... and rescued you ?
Was it the 'pirates' fault?
Steinberg totally fucked up the amazing cmc units, that could have sold millions of units, if only it was cheaper...was it because of 'piracy', or was it because some greedy dudes from the management /board decided 150€ for 1 single unit was a fantastic price ?

Your current situation, are the guys who still use cubase 5.1 cracked, that prevent your company from making much more money ? (Hey, the financial results from all German companies, including yours, are accessible to ANYONE, did you know that? ) ? Has 'piracy ' affected your business, in some way ?
It's always the pirates..pirates...pirates...
Anyone who doesn't know the truth, if they listen to/read your statements, he will have the feeling piracy is such a big deal, for all companies, and steinberg, that at least 80% of the software that people run is illegal/ cracked !

And regarding piracy... are 100+ top steinberg developers, experts in cryptography, security, etc, with FULL ACCESS to the source code, LESS INTELLIGENT and LESS TALENTED than 2 or 3 'little Japanese' , who have no access to your servers, your tools, your source code... to the point that you can't come up with a different copy protection solution that doesn't ask the user to login once a month ?

Damn, if I was a steinberg developer, I would feel really shitty...talentless... if my managers told me "guys, I know you are among the best coders in the whole industry, I know you have been working on our copy protections for almost 30 years... I know you are over 100 people...but those 2 or 3 Japanese guys are way smarter and better than you, and you aren't clever enough to create a dongle-less copy protection that doesn't ask the user to login once every x days. We don't trust you, that's why we will have to use something close to 'always online'.

How can a company with 200 employees and over 100 developers be afraid of 2 or 3 little Japanese guys ? What a shame.

But let's celebrate the positive aspects of the new system : users could have been forced to login once every 15 days... once a week... or even one a day ! It could be worse than once every 30 days ! Damn, steinberg could ask us to login once a hour ! Or once every 5 minutes !
Shit, why not buying, eg, cubase 11.5 or 12, and instead of running cubase locally on your computer, you access cubase remotely, on the steinberg servers... !
Yes, for cubase 13 pro, by December 2025, when we buy cubase , an icon is placed on our desktop... we double click it, it creates a virtual machine, that loads all the needed files from their servers, and one all files downloaded, cubase starts running.
But to identify you, a Webcam will film your face, and will send the stream to the steinberg servers. If the app/camera can't film your head, , cubase will stop working, and the VMware will display a message 'please, dear potential pirate, place your head in front of your camera, to re-enable cubase ' !

So please, stop using the words 'buy'... 'purchase'...

This is the first part of their copy protection. Believe me, somewhere in the future code, there will be something, that will allow cubase/ steinberg, to store millions of activated/authorized serial numbers, from many plugins from many companies... and if the serial number/ cr code/etc you are using for the plugin x24 and plugin x44 doesn't exist in the steinberg database, the plugin will stop working !

Eg, a company has generated 10'000 serials for the 10'000 plugins they sold, which go from 00001 to 09999. Somewhere in a steinberg server, there is a table with the serials 00001 to 09999, for a certain plugin.
Now, a guy uses a keygen to register the plugin, and uses the number 15'999.
Because the user will have to login once every 30 days, cubase reads the serial number used by that plugin, and checks if that number is in their 'authorized serial numbers'. If the 15'999 isn't in the list, the plugin is blacklisted/ time bombed.

I BET 1 trillion $US this feature will be coded in the upcoming copy protection. Disabled, but still coded !

You hated the elicenser dongle ? In a couple of months, you're going to miss it, I promise you !

Anyone knows some good Reaper YT channels...?

 

Damn if they do. Damn if they don't. Incredible!

 

Licensing??? oh FFS

FYI - Read more online about renewable licences annually - that is their proposed model for those complaining about subscriptions. You are better off with a subscription in some ways. Read up on it.

 

Last edited: Nov 11, 2021

https://discord.gg/PTbZVm6k

 

Steinberg have evidently spent nearly all their time & resources this last year degrading the software use security for the end-user... Yeah, thanks Steinberg, you've thoroughly convinced me to stick with my current software user agreement and dongle for as long as possible. And thank you for saving me £100s in pointless upgrades for trivial features i simply don't need.

 

Last edited: Nov 13, 2021

Not sure if its okay to add this here but I'm wondering when Vienna Symph is going to implement this...