Activation should be a back-and-forth between any three computers, where you could manage your list from the user area. Why make it so final?

Indeed! That's one reason I actually don't mind dongles. (I don't love them though ;^)

Greg.

If you change your mind on the license again, I would love to have a transfer... Happy to pay any needed costs.

Thank you

W.R.

evildragon wrote:

So if you remove an activation of a particular machine in the User Area, you WILL NOT be able to activate Pianoteq on that machine EVER AGAIN. So don't do it unless you're absolutely sure you don't want to use Pianoteq on a particular machine.

I'm not certain but I have a vague alleged-memory of Modartt undoing that "re-activation" block once.  I think it's very much a non-trivial thing for them to do but asking support won't hurt ( if you don't make a habit of it :-) ).  If you're anything like me and swap hardware around when you build/upgrade PCs and laptops, I suspect it crops up a bit.

Yes they did it for me when I had a bit of a nightmare buying a second hand license that turned out to be a NFR license - I deactivated my machine at the same time the seller managed to convert it to a full license ... eek!

Modartt did the whole thing without a fuss and have been happily using the software for the past decade - which is why when I see unwarranted rants like this it my blood pressure increase a little. God knows how people work in customer services having to deal with this day in and day out ?!

It is pretty clear:

"Warning: Once you deactivate a computer, you will no longer be able to activate Pianoteq on that computer again."

Hi, do anyone know to what part of the computer the activation is linked to ? The motherboard probably ?
If I change the processor, memory, graphic card, power unit, hard drive and operating system of my machine, is the computer still the same or not ?
Maybe the FAQ could be more explicit on the subject ?

sjgcit wrote:

Speaking as a software engineer I think you're letting your impatience with this single issue guide you in a poor direction.  My experience is that Modartt, who have a very small team - this isn't Google or MIcrosoft, after all - respond very well to issues users have, especially licensing issues.  It amoungst the least buggy software I've ever used.  ( Compared to triple-A games or AMD or Nvidia drivers it's practically perfect. :-) )

You like the sound (the most important thing), so report the issue to support (https://www.pianoteq.com/support) and give them a proper chance to deal with it.

chris wrote:

Companys don't change things for 0.0001% of their customers.

I think most people on the forum would disagree with that in Modartt's case.  In general bugs in software development companies are prioritized by severity (not frequency), but even if a bug is severe that doesn't mean the IT people will be able to fix it on your timetable.

chris wrote:

My guess is, I need to wait 24h, the website will uncache or update its activations to the activation server. Me wants to play piano.

Frankly compared to the response time of a bank, insurance company or similar, your reaction is simply unrealistic.  Try getting a 24 hour fix time from Microsoft, Google, Adobe, eBay or any of those companies (with more resources to work with) even on an issue widely reported, and see what happens.  You'll get an automated response back instantly politely telling you, in effect, not to bother them while they investigate and then hear nothing for a week (if at all).  A friend of mine had an issue with a main bank here relating to fraud recently and that's going to take 40 days (!) before they get back to him.

Take a reality pill and calm down so you don't do something you regret later.

You're right, I'll keep the license. A few years ago I mailed Modartt that Pianoteq would be [something with curse words that I don't remember]. And they would be able to judge from their logs, that I had huge frustration from just one non-activation at all. I tried to apologize by mail, but don't know who had read it. Let's be honest, I'm quickly out of plan with activation things because I have open source fantasies that never have come true until now. I'm back where I would say I'm in a supply chain, where Modartt have decided to design a very well done software, no doubt about that. I still feel stupid about how I wrote about it when it didn't activate a few years ago.

Now, let it not activate, I'm okay with it. I think when it warns you not to remove an activation slot, that is the point where it goes wrong. Did do that in 2015 or something, did it now. I have no idea why. Also, I never know if I have sold something or just installed Windows again. Trying out software on a daily basis, games also, my PC would be a internet time bomb if I let it without a fresh windows install.

So, I will use the cheap piano sound from Instant Orchestra or err.. just wait and see.

What I want to re-state: I have no idea what the user area talks about when I do something with the slots. As customer may I give a little advice that ever software company does a different thing and I have lost track what they want from me. ;-)

Tnx...tc..& sorry...

I know the frustrations these things can be.  Music seems so far away; the technicalities seem everything, and bewildering.  You have my sympathy since I've been there, and, too, am impatient.  Comes with old age (hope you're not young) and low pulse rate.

Best get an old Windows 7 laptop; an Acer Aspire with a semi decent spec will handle it and have most of what you need to do the job.  AS10 4ALL will do the rest for free.  Download the software using Firefox, which still works on these old lappies, or onto a memory stick from another computer.  You will need to register the computer for pianoteq use; it detects this automatically and may require deregistering of one if your allowance of 3 is used up.
Use the Pianoteq playing computer off-line for best results.
You'll get there.  Just keep the coffee handy in case, and good luck!

So if you remove an activation of a particular machine in the User Area, you WILL NOT be able to activate Pianoteq on that machine EVER AGAIN. So don't do it unless you're absolutely sure you don't want to use Pianoteq on a particular machine.

I'm not certain but I have a vague alleged-memory of Modartt undoing that "re-activation" block once.  I think it's very much a non-trivial thing for them to do but asking support won't hurt ( if you don't make a habit of it :-) ).  If you're anything like me and swap hardware around when you build/upgrade PCs and laptops, I suspect it crops up a bit.

"If you will reformat or upgrade your operating system, you should not deactivate since the new installation will use the same activation slot.

Warning: Once you deactivate a computer, you will no longer be able to activate Pianoteq on that computer again."

How is the bolded part unclear?

So if you remove an activation of a particular machine in the User Area, you WILL NOT be able to activate Pianoteq on that machine EVER AGAIN. So don't do it unless you're absolutely sure you don't want to use Pianoteq on a particular machine.

Speaking as a software engineer I think you're letting your impatience with this single issue guide you in a poor direction.  My experience is that Modartt, who have a very small team - this isn't Google or MIcrosoft, after all - respond very well to issues users have, especially licensing issues.  It amoungst the least buggy software I've ever used.  ( Compared to triple-A games or AMD or Nvidia drivers it's practically perfect. :-) )

You like the sound (the most important thing), so report the issue to support (https://www.pianoteq.com/support) and give them a proper chance to deal with it.

chris wrote:

Companys don't change things for 0.0001% of their customers.

I think most people on the forum would disagree with that in Modartt's case.  In general bugs in software development companies are prioritized by severity (not frequency), but even if a bug is severe that doesn't mean the IT people will be able to fix it on your timetable.

chris wrote:

My guess is, I need to wait 24h, the website will uncache or update its activations to the activation server. Me wants to play piano.

Frankly compared to the response time of a bank, insurance company or similar, your reaction is simply unrealistic.  Try getting a 24 hour fix time from Microsoft, Google, Adobe, eBay or any of those companies (with more resources to work with) even on an issue widely reported, and see what happens.  You'll get an automated response back instantly politely telling you, in effect, not to bother them while they investigate and then hear nothing for a week (if at all).  A friend of mine had an issue with a main bank here relating to fraud recently and that's going to take 40 days (!) before they get back to him.

Take a reality pill and calm down so you don't do something you regret later.

You're right, I'll keep the license. A few years ago I mailed Modartt that Pianoteq would be [something with curse words that I don't remember]. And they would be able to judge from their logs, that I had huge frustration from just one non-activation at all. I tried to apologize by mail, but don't know who had read it. Let's be honest, I'm quickly out of plan with activation things because I have open source fantasies that never have come true until now. I'm back where I would say I'm in a supply chain, where Modartt have decided to design a very well done software, no doubt about that. I still feel stupid about how I wrote about it when it didn't activate a few years ago.

Now, let it not activate, I'm okay with it. I think when it warns you not to remove an activation slot, that is the point where it goes wrong. Did do that in 2015 or something, did it now. I have no idea why. Also, I never know if I have sold something or just installed Windows again. Trying out software on a daily basis, games also, my PC would be a internet time bomb if I let it without a fresh windows install.

So, I will use the cheap piano sound from Instant Orchestra or err.. just wait and see.

What I want to re-state: I have no idea what the user area talks about when I do something with the slots. As customer may I give a little advice that ever software company does a different thing and I have lost track what they want from me. ;-)

Tnx...tc..& sorry...

You like the sound (the most important thing), so report the issue to support (https://www.pianoteq.com/support) and give them a proper chance to deal with it.

I think most people on the forum would disagree with that in Modartt's case.  In general bugs in software development companies are prioritized by severity (not frequency), but even if a bug is severe that doesn't mean the IT people will be able to fix it on your timetable.

Frankly compared to the response time of a bank, insurance company or similar, your reaction is simply unrealistic.  Try getting a 24 hour fix time from Microsoft, Google, Adobe, eBay or any of those companies (with more resources to work with) even on an issue widely reported, and see what happens.  You'll get an automated response back instantly politely telling you, in effect, not to bother them while they investigate and then hear nothing for a week (if at all).  A friend of mine had an issue with a main bank here relating to fraud recently and that's going to take 40 days (!) before they get back to him.

Take a reality pill and calm down so you don't do something you regret later.

Calm a bit... If it's a bug they will fix.

Give a chance to pianoteq engineers.

You're right, I thought about it like this too just now. I give away my license if possible, anyone can be happy and save $99, and I can stay away for like until 2025, will come back and see that nothing has changed. I could write "if anything has changed", but I know it's one of the bugs where I am the trigger. Companys don't change things for 0.0001% of their customers.

What I did: Start reaper, open Pianoteq, try to activate. It's says it's not possible. What have I done? I removed old activations. It said 3/3 so I do what computer people do and free resources. I leave it 1/3 because thats's my neat fanless mini laptop, it should probably still have Pianoteq working, because I sometimes hook up the Roland Go Piano.

I have no idea what I did wrong again. My guess is, I need to wait 24h, the website will uncache or update its activations to the activation server. Me wants to play piano.

One time a year I try to use this software and I don't know how. Wrong customers can and should leave and nobody should worry. I want to give away my license and know that nice piano sounds thing can make someone happy.

Best wishes for the activation server and to the Modartt company, I'm the wrong customer, and this beautiful (sounding) peace of software will find it's right destination.

-----

I think what goes wrong with me & Pianoteq is this:

I had my desktop activate PT in march. PT stores it's stuff into UEFI or whatever, I could have just used PT again even after putting a fresh Windows install on my drive. Or at least I could activate without problem, even if the user area website would say 3/3 because you smart guys at Modart know how to re-detect my desktop, and I DON't have to free activation slots, yep?

That could explain that it warned me to remove that slot. And then, when I have said I would have sold that PC or whatever, their server assumes I have really sold it, and the license should not spread. Yeah, but I have not sold it, or I could have bought it back (think of this, please?).

I have no idea. One thing is true, if it works for everyone except me, I'm the problem. I have the need to try something else. Take care, have fun, *wave*

Give a chance to pianoteq engineers.

Anyone who wants my license to have transferred, if Pianoteq allows transfers, can have it.

Other case: It's not allowed, then please void the license, remove my personal data from your systems, and have a nice life.

I'm very sorry, but I'm not going to use this system any longer, whatever it is meant to be, I'm not smart enough to use it.

Please don't feel attacked, it's no rant, but I don't want to see this thing any more in my life.

Kind regards & bye