About Xara's always-online hardware-hashing DRM

[Oops]

I've just bought DP11 and I've found out that it has to be online in order to work. Not only that, but it will stop working if you upgrade your SSD, graphics card... any part of your computer really. This seems like a terrible setback for Xara. My software hasn't arrived yet, and I am now in two minds over whether to keep it or return it without opening it.

Here are the problems I see with this ill-thought-out policy:

• If the internet is down on a day when the activation expires, I won't be able to do any work at all. This will cost me money - the thing Xara is supposed to help me create.
• If I have to temporarily upgrade hardware (for example fit a large SSD to act as a huge scratch disk) Xara will stop working. I won't be able to do any work for up to 30 days. This will cost me money too.

One particular kick in the face from this debacle is that while I was searching for "xara designer pro always online drm" I got more high ranking results with cracks and patches than I did actual discussion of the policy. Maybe it's time for Xara to review if the DRM change has reduced piracy of their products? When it turns out that the new policy has brought zero benefit to Xara, please can we have a sensible policy that doesn't exclusively punish paying customers? A patch will be fine, and all will be forgiven.

[pauland]

Oops, welcome to TG.

This has been debated for a long time on TG - sadly your points are well known to TGers.

It's not as bad a scheme as you would make out, though one or two people have had persistent issues.

If you want to change your SSD, deactivate the software first, then re-activate.
If your internet is down so frequently, find a better provider!

The internet being down shouldn't be very much of an issue.

Your choice, but buying software then changing your mind before it arrives, seems a little odd.

You have 30 days to change your mind, I think.

[handrawn]

lets just have a moment to reflect about those who would like to use it for art and don't really want it on a machine that is connected to the web - or live in a place where web access is not as reliable as it tends to be in most of the UK [but by no means all]

[pauland]

those who would like to use it for art and don't really want it on a machine that is connected to the web - or live in a place where web access is not as reliable as it tends to be in most of the UK

A very small number of people indeed.

I don't think I have any software that doesn't rely on internet verification.

[Oops]

Paul, internet verification is one thing, but constant internet and hardware verification is not comparable.

Handdrawn, I don't think changing your mind is odd at all if you later find out the software is crippled. Anyway I didn't change my mind yet, I'm just weighing up whether or not I want to support this. Voting with your wallet is the only vote that counts.

Have Xara responded to any complaints? It doesn't seem like they've put any thought into this approach at all.

• Allowing 30 consecutive days offline would still be rubbish, but it would be far better than a scheduled check - at which time the internet may not be available.
• If they have to have a scheduled check, what's wrong with reverting to trial mode for 7 days? Why cut the user off immediately?
• The only conclusion to draw is that Xara hates it's paying customers and loves pirates, who will not have to deal with any of this stuff.

[pauland]

Paul, internet verification is one thing, but constant internet and hardware verification is not comparable.

Handdrawn, I don't think changing your mind is odd at all if you later find out the software is crippled. Anyway I didn't change my mind yet, I'm just weighing up whether or not I want to support this. Voting with your wallet is the only vote that counts.

Have Xara responded to any complaints? It doesn't seem like they've put any thought into this approach at all.

• Allowing 30 consecutive days offline would still be rubbish, but it would be far better than a scheduled check - at which time the internet may not be available.
• If they have to have a scheduled check, what's wrong with reverting to trial mode for 7 days? Why cut the user off immediately?
• The only conclusion to draw is that Xara hates it's paying customers and loves pirates, who will not have to deal with any of this stuff.

Most companies these days do some form of internet verification. I'm not entirely familiar with precisely how Xara handles it, but it's pretty standard.

Voice an opinion, but don't expect anything to change.

As for Xara hating paying customers - that's just silly.

[Oops]

Most companies these days do some form of internet verification

1. Adobe with their subscription model allow you 99 consecutive days offline, and even then if you launch the software afterwards it will work one more time for you.
2. Microsoft allow you 30 consecutive days offline for their subscription package, but for the one-off purchase you just have to activate one time.
3. Autodesk use the MAC address of the machine you're on. You have to contact them to change the licence to a new machine when you want to.
4. Xara require that the software re-activates online on a 30 day schedule. If it cannot get online at that time, or if any of your hardware ever changes, the software will stop working immediately.

Which of the above doesn't offer reliability?

[pauland]

Nothing changes the fact that Xara has their scheme and seem to be sticking to it.

[handrawn]

ah more inflexibility

I asked Kate Moir to clarify whether repartitioning a disk counts as a new computer, as it has up to now - she said she would have to check this.. so far [unless I missed something, always possible] complete silence on this issue

No company i deal with apart from magixara thinks repartitioning a disk is a new computer; it is anal behaviour in my opinion

[Acorn]

Xara has a DRM approach, probably imposed by Magix, that has software-locking machine mechanism and an Internet mechanism for periodically checking you are a valid user.

You get to enable two machines at once and this requires a registration process across the Internet.
Xara is moving to an On-line Content approach so that when you try to use a resource, Xara checks you are legal, in cover and probably in the same region where you purchased its product.
All of these are what most vendors get up to today.

EULA: An internet connection is required to activate the serial number and to complete the necessary one-time registration. The Software can only be activated on two computers concurrently, but activations that are no longer required can be cancelled so that you can install and activate the software on a new computer.

If you want to operate off-grid, you can download the Content Installer and also Download All within the Local Designs Gallery and then unplug the Internet. Except for:

EULA: The Software may provide online access to third party software, e.g. Widgets or Gadgets, which are offered by third parties online. The Software can only provide access to such software if your PC is connected to the internet.

I believe, at this point, you need never connect again but if you have (de-)activation problems:

http://support.xara.com/index.php?/K...d-activations:
V11 and later
If for some reason you can't access the help menu, you will have an opportunity to deactivate a copy when you install on a new computer, by connecting to the Service Center - but note it is only possible to use this option once every 30 days, so we strongly recommend using the Deactivate Program option in the Help menu whenever possible. If for some reason you can do neither of these things then contact our sales staff, asking them to deactivate one of your copies.

Xara is driving towards an on-line presence so little of the above will change.

I commend reading the EULA several times.
Here's a sampler:

You are not permitted:
(a) to use the Software on any computer or system which permits electronic access to it by more than one user (unless you have purchased a network license

Acorn