flexisign coming to an end? (in my shop)

[nashvillesigns]

Well, i experienced a new way one can lose a flexisign 8.5.1 USB dongle. on a mac.
its called water and stupid contractors.
it is a lot of fun. You come in to the shop in the morning and you see the computer room dripping in water. you find out the portable USB port is fried with a nice dongle sticking out of it.
it looks wet. very wet.
you pray and dry everything off. you wait a few days. you pray some more.
four days later, i plug in the dongle and it lights up!

you then get a dreaded error "this application requires that a hardware key be installed. but none was found"

FML

Christopher

 

[J Hill Designs]

one word "insurance"

 

[CanuckSigns]

one word "insurance"

Or depending on the situation "contractors insurance"

 

[shoresigns]

These are the kind if issues that begin to drive your paying customers to the competition (which includes piracy). I remember years ago when we used to use Flexi, it seemed like I was calling in every week to get tech support to help me reinstall drivers on the dongle. Now we use Illustrator and haven't looked back.

I'd love to hear what SAI has to say on the issue, since this is the second time it's happened to one of our members this week. Why not offer them a deal on an upgrade? i.e. "Send back your working or broken key dongle and get Flexi Cloud half price for a year!"

 

[nashvillesigns]

lost dongle

alas, that is the question.
insurance or not?

"contractor is visiting family in ireland right now"

He has no clue the bill i am going to give him..

i ordered the dongle. Saint had confirmed this. normally they do not support 8.5.1 anymore, never mind build software for a mac.
they said, "its a rare case, but we can send you a new one"
yay me!


christopher


p.s. i think the computer is acting weird.

 

[Pat Whatley]

"contractor is visiting family in ireland right now"

Translated as "Contractor skipped town."

 

[Split76]

These are the kind if issues that begin to drive your paying customers to the competition (which includes piracy). I remember years ago when we used to use Flexi, it seemed like I was calling in every week to get tech support to help me reinstall drivers on the dongle. Now we use Illustrator and haven't looked back.

I'd love to hear what SAI has to say on the issue, since this is the second time it's happened to one of our members this week. Why not offer them a deal on an upgrade? i.e. "Send back your working or broken key dongle and get Flexi Cloud half price for a year!"

i have used flexi 13 years with dongle without major problems. If my dongle would **** up, i guess i'd crack it until i sorted out the problems. (5 minute job). Don't get me wrong, i'm a paying customer.
I allmost did that few years ago when i was fed up with 2 dongles fighting together (wasatch softrip & flexi) and jamming my computer but i sorted it out..

 

[player]

Is it a crime to use a crack if you are a paying customer with a legit dongle and you use only the program features you paid for?

 

[Techman]

Is it a crime to use a crack if you are a paying customer with a legit dongle and you use only the program features you paid for?

Only if they catch you when it phones home for an update.

 

[Steph_Stamm]

Hard keys are the primary way RIPs protect their software. We tend to be much smaller companies compared to Adobe, and are hit harder by piracy. However, SAi recognized how many issues arose from these keys and has gone to a type of soft key licensing. No more hard keys and the issues arising from a soft key are typically easily fixed with quick call or email in to our tech support team.

 

[Techman]

why not use what Vectric products use? They use an online forum of users, users group meetings where company reps attend and get to know users, along with email and serial key system and allow users to install on a couple of computers. Seems to work just fine. And when they find a misused seat they kick them out.

The users groups meetings not only helps users get to know one another with company reps. It is a place to intercept negative nonsense that otherwise would spread and cause rumors of bad service.

 

[ChrisBrunner]

I've had to get three dongles over the past 5 years, SAI (Flexisign) charges about $250 after shipping (which they also mark up, flat rate shipping is $20 overnight - they double that) for a replacement. The first time I had to replace this dongle I was irate, the 2nd time I was livid, the third time I switched to Caldera and subsequently to Onyx. Replacement dongles should be free, they exist solely to protect the company and do absolutely zilch for the consumer - except castrate you when they break (happens often). What's worse is they put your entire shop at a complete stand still, then they charge an arm and a leg for a replacement (these keys cost about $20 for them to generate) to make a huge profit off your misfortune - which you have zero choice in paying if you want to get back up and running.

The fact that this is common practice shows how stupid consumers are, I'm not a fan of any of them but SAI is the absolute worst.

 

[iSign]

^^^ what he said ^^^^

^^^ what he said ^^^^