Can someone explain the I-Lok thing to me:)

[yesteryear]

Im thinking about picking up the Sonnox Inflator plugin. Just to try it out with some do it yourself mastering. My curiousity has gotten the best of me for sure. I have an I-Lok account(just signed up for one) but do I need the "key" to use the plugin on my Mac with Pro Tools LE? Or is the ILok key something you use when you want to transfer to another computer? Im a little confused. I really only want to use the plugin on my one system at home for now. All in all Im just wondering If I can puchase the plugin and install and use it without an I-Lok key.

[GaryNattrass]

NO you need the i-lok key plugged in all the time to run the plug-in.

IMO they are a pain in the butt and should be banned, I have had endless problems with authorising waves plug ins.

Also if you lose it or it breaks you cannot run your plug-ins and in my instance my dv toolkit 2 for pro tools.

I also have two systems and I have to move the i-lok everytime I want to use either system as I can not clone the i-loks and have two of them.

[MichaelK]

Although I've had no problems with iLock, I know it's just due to dumb luck. There's gotta be a better way.

Other software (e.g. Sibelius) uses randomly generated codes coupled with online authorization, so installing it on more than the authorized number of machines is impossible for the average user. But maybe it's easier to crack that way, I don't know. Waves had been cracked for a long time prior to iLock, so it's hard to blame them wanting to make it impossible.

[yesteryear]

Great looks like I'll be picking up an I-Lok than. Pretty cheap anyways and I have a couple of open USB ports on my computer.

[Sunbreak Music]

They're not popular, but when it's new daw time, it's a lot better than authorizing tons of programs and plugs via the net.

Upsides and downsides all around.