Online Activation in Version 3.47 - Sandboxie

Of course there will be ways around it, there always will be. How bad is this nag screen now anyway? I use a paid version, so I no longer know. If it's one nag on the programs start up, like WinRAR, then it's not anything to complain about. I don't want to send this thread off-track though, I still want to know why it was deemed acceptable, or even smart to try to "appease" with a, and I'm sorry, I know no other way to put this, but half-assed yearly scheme that makes no financial sense whatsoever.

 

It's not data being sent that those of us complaining are worried about, though that certainly wouldn't sit well. It's the checking on users every 90 days like it's being assumed we're going to start cracking it and putting it up on P2P websites that is bothering us (at least that seems to be the general consensus).

 

I have only used Sandboxie for about 3 months and use it every time I logon. I like it very much and would not voluntarily be without it, having had glowing reports from Forum users and an impeccable and unblemished performance on my machine.

For personal reasons I never pay for something I can obtain essentially for Free - this is not a discussion point, it is my own policy and other people are welcome to theirs. It is certainly not a question of money, that is no problem.

Having said that, I have read almost all the posts on this thread and the song is the same. Every paid-up user is voicing the same very logical complaint of being treated unfairly and subjected to some unnecessarily stupid new 90 day authorisation rule by Ronan Tzuk which has an element of mistrust.

We all have the highest regards for Tzuk and his product, but having the most unbelievable brain to design such a unique system, is no excuse for departing on the adverse marketing and suspicious pattern of behaviour which you are all describing.

Unless he includes an automated registered key check that does not inconvenience his customers in any way whatsoever and begins to trust their honesty, then perhaps his obsession with piracy and finance will be offset by the significant number of departures.

I for one have used the Internet without Sandboxie for 5-6 years. I have had little trouble and am still here. The prospect of losing Sandboxie is not a good one for me, but if there is any Hanky-Panky from the Tzuk camp with my Free version - I will gladly dump it !

John Bull

 

It will be an automated check, John (at least recent comments have pointed in that direction). The real deal is neither I nor anyone else feel like we need to "prove" anything to the company when Tzuk can just look up the license key, see a legitimate account tied to it, and call it a day. Can paid accounts be hacked, can paid users decide to "share" it with the world? Yep, and no activation scheme is going to change that. That's simply the risk of software development. I have to wonder just how bad this piracy claim is, anyway. Look, I visit P2P websites, and I'm not going to argue about it. I'm not seeing widespread cracked Sandboxie apps everywhere. In fact, Sandboxie gets just slightly more publicity than Operas desktop browser does, so, where are all these illegal copies at?

I'm getting less and less worried over the 90 day issue as I am this sudden thought that we're all idiots and will go for this new yearly scheme of his. Some will fall for it, but I haven't the first clue what I would say to them.

 

dw426: Ah, well, thanks. Sorry, I guess I completely misunderstood things. In my case, I always get uncomfortable when a program phones home, because I never know exactly what it's sending out. I realize Tzuk's pretty trustworthy, I was just wondering what the origin of the complaints were - I can appreciate the idea of not wanting to feel like a criminal, though. Particularly while the criminals get off Scott Free.

By the way, I think the yearly license deal for Sandboxie isn't really intended for anything outside of certain promotional deals. At least, that's what Tzuk's FAQ seems to indicate on this page.

 

@dw426

Hello my friend, an abundance of logic again eh ? Well I for one am glad you`re playing striker.

I haven't paid a cent, but as a Free user I guess Tzuk should consider me more important as a potential income, since he hasn't had my money yet, but he has had yours.

I understand that you have all paid your Doubloon's for a "Lifetime" licence ?
That is a captive market, the millions like me are potential paying customers. If he upsets you, then he upsets me and the rest, then poor old Ronan will see his turnover and profitability plummet.

One thing is taboo in marketing ; Never upset your existing or potential customers.
If it is "automated checking", the system does it, you do not then have to prove anything, unless Tzuk loves you all to tap in like some ecstatic fan club.

"dw", I am a little confused. Having paid a Lifetime license fee, what is all this jazz about a yearly fee ? Is there going to some reincarnation process, where you all rise from the dead and cough up your bucks every 12 months ?

I really think that our Mr.Wonderful needs some professional help in the art of marketing practice, finance optimisation and customer relationship.

John

 

Please excuse my confusion as to what the proposed plan is. Re-registrations aside for a moment, I just want to ask if my SBIE that I purchased and is mine, will no longer be mine, and if I want to continue using it I will have to start paying annually to keep the software that was formally mine?

 

Well, still John, even under automated checking, a user is still proving his or her license is valid every 90 days. This is Windows behavior, and it has not yet stopped piracy of Windows copies either. The same argument against WGA that was used is being used here, basically. The yearly fee deal, to me, is a problem not because of the yearly fee itself, but the ridiculousness of the pricing. It's just plain stupid to pay yearly, only 3-4 dollars less than you would if you just splurged for the lifetime license. I'm not sure how he sees that as good in any way, nor how it would make people less upset over activation (which, by the way, is also in the yearly subscription), if, he indeed did add a yearly subscription for that reason.

Right now, people are upset, and he's looking worse with every thing he does. It's just not a good situation at the moment. From his own posts, he really doesn't care all that much. That's fine, again, it's his product. he has the right to do what he wants with it, and I have the right to stop using it.

 

No, no, Twl, it isn't like that. God forbid he'd pull that move. The yearly subscription is another option, an alternative to paying the full lifetime price...all 4 bucks of it. If you paid the lifetime license, it's yours period, until he decides to change that up too.

 

So when I check for updates and it downloads V3.48 the only thing new for me will be a product key which will change every 90 days forever with no annual fee every 12 months starting when the update completes. Thanks for your response.

 

YABBA-DABBA-DOO - has Tzuk got so much dough that he`s gone clean off his rocker ?

The guy designs a unique magic box that the whole world regards as a new form of salvation from all evil, it adopts the mantel of a new religion, then he mumbles, burbles and jumbles in such an incoherent inexplicable manner that he upsets all his customers with a torrent of confusion and unnecessary anguish.

Well I never ! Death Wish or Self Inflicted Wound ?
OK, he wins, I give up. It`s just gotta be the pills.

John

 

I didn't see any place it said the key would change every 90 days? If that's true, how can that be implemented I wonder? Time for me to go back to the SB forums and see where everything stands.

 

dw426 - The 90 day controversy starts in this thread, post #1 and continues throughout the subsequent posts. Perhaps the product key number won't have to change, but will have to be renewed.

 

Okay, I misunderstood your post. I thought you were saying that you had seen that the product key would actually change every 90 days

 

What do you mean you can't use Prevx? Just contact Prevx Support and they will reset your license for you! http://info.prevx.com/service.asp and if that doesn't help PM PrevxHelp with your key and he will reset it for you!

HTH,

TH

 

Does the 90-day things mean that every time you update Sandboxie online it checks the serial? Pretty much every piece of software I own already does that unless I disable online updates from settings (normally I disable automatic online updates, but I find manual online updates very convenient), so I don't understand why this should be a big deal in case Sandboxie does it?

Now iff Sandboxie 3.47+ requires an internet connection to re-activate per every single manual upgrade install (and I presume it doesn't until I experience otherwise), then that would suck - I often use previously downloaded installers to upgrade software and would prefer not to have to have an active internet connect available at the time of install. Most of the programs I own do not require an active connection for manual upgrades - I think even Adobe Acrobat Pro accepts update installs fine without an internet connection.

 

Listening to all the customers who have paid their fee to Mr.Tzuk in all honesty, I cannot understand why this megalomania and confusion has caused this thread to be posted. Presumably because Mr.Tzuk does not understand the faintest element of conducting a business.

Any decent and professional company has the ability to issue statements which are precise and not subject to misunderstanding. English is a versatile language and there is no need for confusion if the broadcasters know exactly what they are saying.

To issue an unintelligible garble of meaningless prattle is not a mark of professional business attitude. No matter to me, I could not give a toss, but I do feel angry about the situation being imposed on people that have paid this guy money only to be subjected to a barrage of irrational waffle.

There is simply no need for it. Like I said earlier, the guy has gone bananas.

Sooner rather than later, somebody will come up with an alternative to Sandboxie and then dear Mr.Tzuk will have to retire to the league of "has been`s" and reflect on his policy of self destruction.

John Bull

 

I'm shocked at the language used by some people to attack Tzuk. It is also odd that piracy is always accepted as an inevitable evil, a cavalier's delict which should beg for the patience and forgiveness of reasonable people in our society.

Instead, the perpetrators of piracy are often conveniently ignored, and the ones who are trying to do something to protect their own business, become the target of absurd accusations.

I have just activated two computers with version 3.48: it was very simple and took about 10 seconds.

 

I just did my upgrade and found it simple to understand and perform. After doing it and reading the instructions therein I see no problems and reason for all the screaming in this thread. Go back to what you were all doing and relax.

 

wots all this palaver then ??: too many peeps having some trouble with their double thickness tin hats gettin' too tight ??

Mountains..molehills..
storms..teacups
mass hysteria..cats sleeping with dogs..earth is really flat..

It's been fun watching; really, some eye-popping posts.

3 years of licensed use for $32 SO FAR : 20c/week and falling, ( per hour = ) for peace of mind + absolute granular control when I want it.
Unmatched support for my needs.
LOL
Get a grip here.

This thread should go into a new subforum: ?Comedy..?

 

Wait for the 90 days and another 90 days and the next 90days and tell us what you think IF this is as easy/simple..."not annoying"?....When your doing stuff or something important at that particular time or outrightly just damn sooo busy and you get that tap on the shoulder...."BZZZZT...90 days is up I need to check your license prior usage...!" Just think of it doing it all over again for say, 6 consecutive 90days....
Fact is paid users do not need to be inconvenienced by this scheme.

Yeah, sure..simple..easy..you just wait for that next 90 days and the next and the next and th next and hear what you will say.

The fuss is that loyal customers are/will be inconvenienced by the scheme. The annual license offer was really stupid and only fueled up tempers. Common guys $26 dollars(or something like that) for an annual license versus the $30 for lifetime license? Marketing strategy at it's worst here IMHO.

A couple of friends(first time SBIE users)who are using the free version are now trying out GesWall as I speak because of the marketing strategy. Their comment.."why stay if I can isolate 3 browsers with another effective freeware"...

I also have a paid lifetime license. I do not know what will be my schedule after 90days or the next 90 days or the next but IMHO keeping tabs on paid users to prove the legitimacy of the purchase is overkill. This is a resounding sentiment of all paid users as seen in this thread.

Just my two cents...

 

I expected this was coming, the previous complaints made in the thread were deemed at least legitimate at first, now the complainers are being ridiculed. Wilders is at least consistent again. I'd honestly like to see what other programs some here would put up with that forced them to have their paid license checked every 90 days or else be crippled. The way some of them are about controlling connections and access, you'd think this would get to them. Of course, at first, it did, until, I gather, it got too uncomfortable criticizing a program and person who has for so long been treated like the second coming of Christ.

Are we still in agreement that licensing options that give us the choice to either pay 3-4 dollars more for a lifetime license or 3-4 less for a yearly license is, well, I'm not even sure the word stupid covers it? Or, is that once legitimate complaint now a joke as well? Whatever fellas, do what floats your boat. It took me a while, but I finally came to the conclusion using sandbox apps, for anything other than testing is a crutch anyway. So, good luck to Tzuk. I wholeheartedly disagree with the way Sandboxie is moving, but I wish no ill will of him nor his work.

Edit: Dundertaker, the activation can be made silent in the background, so no, it won't "buzz" you or anything like that.

 

By the way, does anyone have any idea how long standard activation for 3.46 will function? Will a paid version of 3.46 deactivate in the face of the new activation scheme in any way? I imagine maintaining two license routes would be cumbersome and troublesome for Tzuk, so at the very least, I assume there will be a point in the future when old activation is no longer an option. Though I could be completely wrong. I often am.

Again, as mentioned earlier in the thread, Tzuk does not recommend or encourage the purchase of a yearly license instead of a lifetime one. His FAQ explicitly states that the yearly license option is only recommended for special promotional events.