Cookie Cutter - more stupid registration roadblocks!

wvg wrote on 8/12/2001, 9:56 AM
This is really getting ridiculous!

I tried to use the cookie cutter feature under the Video FX tab and it pops up another silly warning saying you must first register. WELL DAMN IT SONIC FOUNDRY, HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO REGISTER?

Lets see:

When I first got my upgrade I registered Video Factory the application, using the online option. That's once.
I then has to register the MPEG-1 plug-in which I also did online. That's twice.

Having to install VF a second time on a 2nd machine to try to debug something I have yet to get help on
neither registration method worked on the other machine even though I was sent an email code for it. So I needed to phone in and have customer service fiddle around again in order to register for both the application and for the MPEG plug-in again. That's times three and four. Well either customer service don't know about the extra registration for the cookie cutter or all the unlock codes I've been sent so far are still incomplete. HOW STUPID!

Now here we go again! You expect me to register a fifth time? That's beyond stupid! What is even more madding is there is no information in help, or your manual saying you need to do this and even when I now have talked to customer support at least three times on these mindless registration issues I'm not informed there are more roadblocks ahead. This is so frustrating!

Simple question: How many times do you have to register Video Factory?

1. the product
2. the mpeg plug-in
3. the cookie cutter

Each apparently different registrations that the application demands. How STUPID!

What else?

You know what is really annoying me? The main machine I'm using is NOT online and I don't want it online. So again, another weekend and again I can't use a feature I paid for because of Sonic Foundry's foolish and totally excessive need to constantly make silly and repeated registration demands. So again, just like last week, I can't use software I paid for and have already by my count registered four times already.

It is hard to belive that an otherwise excellent upgrade is so totally brain dead it doesen't even know when it already HAS been registered.

This is crazy! Sonic why don't your software know it is already registered when you force users to even install a Registry patch, which I have done for all the good it does. It seems that either Video Factory don't care or know about my other registration attempts. So on my machine that is online it again brings up the stupid registration window and of course on the machine not onlilne it bring up the same window, but since it is a weekend there is nobody to call, so I'm left fuming, again not being able to use a feature.

In all the years I've used software, I NEVER have seen such an illogical and completely messed up method all related to registration to really piss off a customer. Congratulations, you succeeded!

If they hand out bloopers for worst registration schme, Video Factory will win hands down. Never have I seen anything more riddled with bugs and totally useless and rarely in over twenty years have I been this mad at a piece of software because it is preventing me from using it.

Comments

discdude wrote on 8/13/2001, 8:49 AM
I only had to register 2x, once for the program, once for the MPEG plug-in (and I use the cookie cutter too).

However, your point is valid. While piracy is a problem, there is no reason for a company to hassle legitimate customers with a heavy handed copy protection scheme that probably doesn't even slow down software pirates. I've always viewed registering as optional so it irks me when someone makes it required. However, I must admit that Sonic Foundry's registration process has been pretty painless for me. Plus they haven't spamed me ;)

As far as registering twice, I'm quite familar with Ligos' restrictive software licensing rules. ATI used to use Ligos encoders in their MMC app. You couldn't download updates to the program (instead you had to order it on CD), which caused ATI a lot customer complaints and bad press. ATI promptly dumped Ligos and replaced their encoder with another one. While Ligos' encoder is nice, they should watch out because the world is filled with MPEG encoders with more flexible licensing.

LanceL wrote on 8/13/2001, 10:06 AM
Sorry to hear about these annoying problems. I used Cookie Cutter, and asked my manager to check it out too, and neither of us had issues with being asked to reg that plug-in. Not sure what's going on.

As for our registration process, we are working to streamline this and provide a LOT more information to users on what is required, the terminology, benefits of registration, etc. You should see more info appearing in the next month.
wvg wrote on 8/13/2001, 10:55 AM
Well, I just got off the phone. Nearly an hour and a half, three separate phone calls and numerous "unlock" codes given to me. None worked until I did a complete uninstall of Video Factory. Then the last unlock code I was given didn't work either.

Only after calling back one more time and getting yet another new "unlock" code did it finally allow the application, MPEG plug-in and the cookie cutter option to work.

As I said before, this is obviously bad design, it borders on harassment, it annoys the hell out of this customer and what good will I had towards SonicFoundy is now evaporated. I'm one of that rare breed that
DOES read the readme files, the manual cover to cover and the online help. As with any new software I expect there to be a few rough spots. I do not expect to waste literally hours of my time fooling around with mickey mouse registration schemes riddled with bugs that may work for some, but obviously don't work for all.

Worse, I felt I was being talked down to when I called for help. Silly questions like did I enter the number correctly or comments like there may be something wrong with your install of Windows and you may need to reinstall Windows and finger pointing like "maybe it could be your anti virus application or ..." instead of owning up to the truth which is there is a SERIOUS BUG IN VIDEO FACTORY which prevents some from using the unlock codes given regardless if through the automated online system generating a email or even those give by customer service that needs to be addressed immediately.

Ted_H wrote on 8/13/2001, 1:45 PM
It is unfortunate that you are experiencing these difficulties. This is, honestly, the first time we have seen this problem at all, so a bug being the cause is unlikely. We will keep an eye out for this problem, and if we can track it down and duplicate it, you can bet a patch will be released to fix it. As Lance stated previously, we are constantly looking for ways to revise this process, and if you have some suggestions regarding how we might do this, I would encourage you to use our online product suggestion form, which is located here:

http://www.sonicfoundry.com/support/default.asp?pageid=1606

Ted
wvg wrote on 8/13/2001, 2:44 PM
I would think it is equally unlikely that I in attempting to install the same software on two seperate and disimilar machines would encounter the SAME exact problem. What are the odds on that?

More curious from my standpoint is I did nothing different other than use several unlock codes each of which I verified as correct by repeating the number back to the person giving it to me and double checking one number and letter at a time after I entered it.

If you want my opinion your method of generating random numbers based in part on the computer ID, date, time or whatever is being used is redundant since the upgrade comes with its own seperate serial number. Any unlock code should be based on that and that alone to avoid the kind of problems I had. That would reduce errors to either not entering a unlock code or entering it incorrectly. Both easy to troubleshoot. Your current method as you can see from my experience is not very efficient. Maybe nobody else reported this problem which by itself does not mean others didn't expereince it or won't in the future.

Part of the question would seem to be why one unlock code given to me today from customer service works and the 3 prior ones did not and I changed NOTHING hardware or software wise on my end.

Even more curious is the prior unlock codes allowed both the application and the mpeg plug to function normally, only the cookie cutter was not functional, which I first discovered when I first attempted to use it a couple days ago, which probably means all the prior unlock codes were defective as well!

It is my understanding that simply registering Video Factory, even without registering the mpeg plug-in should have allowed access to the cookie cutter. It did not for me.

Since I did nothing different on entering the unlock code that did finally work, it points to the scheme being defective since this last unlock code did allow access to the cookie cutter and not bring up the registration window in error while all the previous unlock codes I was given either failed to allow access to the cookie cutter, then bringing up the registration window in spite of the fact I had previous registered or would the unlock code would not be accepted at all.

Perhaps the actual error lies not in Video Factory, but in the software SonicFoundry is using to generate this random number which in part requires the computer ID.

I understand that the registration for the mpeg plug-in is a seperate issue because of licensing restrictions.



Chienworks wrote on 8/16/2001, 3:28 PM
I'm going to have to stand up on SF's side on this one. I'm really sorry
to hear that you're having so many difficulties registering, but so far
i've registered SoundForge XP 4.5, 5.0, SoundForge 5.0 (twice),
Video Factory 1.0 (twice) & 2.0 (twice), AcidXP, Acid 3.0, SirenXP,
Siren 2.0, Vegas Audio LE (twice), as well as all the MPEG & MP3
plug-ins, and on a mixture of online & offline computers, and haven't
had a single hitch yet. Yes, registration can be annoying, but SF seems
to have a system that works well in my experience.

As i stated in one other message though, I am concerned about what
should happen if SF ever goes out of business and I need to reintsall. I
do hope they've got a plan in mind for that, although i do also sincerely
hope it never becomes necessary.
wvg wrote on 8/16/2001, 5:58 PM
I think some are missing the point I was trying to make. While nobody else reported having trouble registering, I have. Lots of trouble, on two seperate machines. That likely means others have already or will have similar trouble in the future.

Bugs for lack of a better word can be intermittent and not show up for everyone. To begin with I like many people are annoyed that you HAVE TO regiser in other to use a product you paid for. Such things should not be a commandment, rather a choice.

Nothing and I do mean nothing as far as software is concerned is more frustrating than having a product you successfully installed and after carefully entering in those excessively long product registration numbers STILL REFUSE TO FUNCTION FULLY. That's infurating!

In my view the hoops you have to jump through to get all of Video Factory's features to work borders on insanity.

1. Enter the product registration number from the
manual. A 20 digit number.

2. Go online or phone to register.

3. Repeat for the mpeg plug-in. You get another 20
digit number.

4. Install the Registry patch they email you.

Bad enough if it works. It didn't for me. I can live with a few bugs that prevent some features from not working correctly. Sooner or later they get fixed. I will not tolerate being forced to register multiple times, type in two 20 digit numbers and then have the registration process itself fail preventing me from using a product I paid for.

I remind Sonic Foundry that your social security number is made from only 9 digits and over 200 million people have one. Multiple twenty digit registration numbers are dumb. Twenty digit registration numbers that don't work are STUPID!










wvg wrote on 8/16/2001, 6:05 PM
I forgot to address your question. If Sonic Foundry goes out of business (I hope not) I would think you are screwed if you ever have to reinstall.

In my lengthly discussions with customer service and a couple techs in attempting to get any of the fist full of unlock codes I was given to work they tell me the unclock code is generated from a random seed generator that takes into consideration, your computer ID number, the date and time of day. In other words the code that works today, will not work tomorrow.

Anyone understand yet why I see this scheme has stupid?