iGuidance 2009 / V4 / Copy Protection / DRM / Piracy

I don't disagree with iNav that their product need copy protection.

But I do have serious issues about the implementation of it in iGuidance 2009 and future programs.

Particularly, to have to pay separately for iGuidance on your PPC and PC is not exactly great marketing, and a big step back for your users, most of whom run iNav's products on multiple devices.

Let's look at the issues;

A) PCs without DVD/CD Drives / UMPCs / PPCs / Handhelds

SOFTWARE ON LOCKED SD CARD TERRIBLE IDEA

This is a rapidly growing segment of the market with the advent of the low cost netbooks.

As it stands, the policy to split off this segment (and provided an encrypted / copy protected SD card) in lieu of installable software have serious issues.

In many of these devices, the SD card is not intended to be used "full time" and it sticks out of the machine physically.

For example, take an SD card, try it on the very common Dell Inspiron 1525 and you will find that it juts out about 1/8", and further more, if it is wiggled, it messes up.


What that means is that the copy protected SD card is extremely easy to lose --- it can fall out --- and with it, your licensed copy of iGuidance


B) Number of Licenses

I do believe that the policy to only allow 1 installed license at one time is unrealistic.

In my case, my work is done on 2 different Laptops, a larger screened one (15.4" or larger) that is for desktop planning of routes, etc.

I use a smaller eee PC with an SSD and 10" screen as my "travel" machine.

I know many people who also use a PPC or smaller device, and would love to have "consistency" in all their navigational software all the time.

I do believe that permitting 2 or 3 installs of the software, with the proviso that only one may be in use at one time, is not a bad option.

This is the route that Microsoft Office went --- one copy of the regular edition gets you 2 licenses, one for a desktop, and one for a laptop.

Mind you, there may be no practical way to enforce the 1 license in use at any time except via the honor system, but really, people who do 3 installs are not your problem. iNav need to stop the people doing 20+ illegal installs, where it is clearly piracy.


C) Alternatives

One clear alternative, which Microsoft used with S&T 2009, is to use software based activation. Vista does the same thing, as with XP.

Properly implemented, software based activation is pretty difficult to bypass and would deter all but the most determined hacks.

You can buy software activation services "off the shelf" and implement it very readily, complete with technical support.


Another alternative is a USB HSAP key (you can install it, but in order to run it, you have to have a key). Much harder to lose, and pretty secure.

This can also be implemented with an SD card.

Ideally, users should be provided with 2 of these keys.


D) Customer Alternatives

What this leaves your customers with --- in the absence of a solution from iNav, is to either migrate to another company's products, or in the alternative, to keep old versions with their licenses valid running.

Neither is a good solution.


iNav.... can you do better?

I agree completely.

You can install iGuidance 2009 on as many computers as you like. You just can't use them without activation. iNav has an Activation Manager that makes using the internet to move the license from one computer to another dead simple. I can deactivate the license on my desktop computer and activate the same license on my laptop in seconds.

I think iNav's Activation Manager is a shining example for the rest of the industry to copy.

...ken...

I could live with that. Wish other companies would follow suit. :clap:

Glenn

The problem is, you are assuming that people,

A) have internet access to do the activation / deactivation wherever they are.

B) the servers will be "up" all the time


I do not believe that these two conditions are routinely met. In fact, I seem to recall that iNav took forever to get their activation servers up for V4.

Furthermore, most the time, when I am traveling, I do not have internet access.

Wireless internet access is exorbitant ($60 pm minimum for a dongle CDMA EVDO card), or you are stuck with variants of low bandwidth services.

In many areas of the country, the signal is such that there is basically no service.

So I do not believe what you proposed is a viable solution for people who are really on the go.

What I am saying, is for iNav to take a certain leap of faith and allow multiple activations --- knowing that in the real world, that will let a few people cheat --- but helps out the large majority of their paying customers from hassles.

Long ago, in the pre-history of the industry, a company with a widely copied and pirated software called Wordstar decided to put a 3 copy / install maximum on their latest product.

The product ended up not selling, and before you know it, they got run over by Wordperfect, who in turn, got run over by Microsoft.

I am afraid that iNav's DRM is rapidly taking them down the same route.

I assumed nothing. I simply shared my experience. But I'm not sure it's an issue, because...

On the contrary. Transfer the license to your laptop before heading out and you're good until you return home.

If you are using your laptop for navigation while travelling, why would you need to transfer the license while you're on the road? Colour me confused?

...ken...

I don't use IGuidance, but here is my 2 cents.

I prefer to have a software that allows 2 licenses (one desktop and one laptop) that are activated a single time than to rely on internet and the presence of a server online to allow me to transfer from desktop to laptop my license. Once somebody somewhere decides to pull the plug for this online service (for any reason like to get new customers for a newer version, the company is not supporting the product anymore, the server is offline for maintenance a weekend you need the licence on your laptop and we can imagine many other reasons), you are left in the dust .

I really disklike products that need internet to operate in some ways (at worst a single one time online activation is a compromise) and one day or the other, it will stop working...

iGuidance 2009, as with previous versions, allows 2 activations. And their ability to move a license by various means actually works.

Terry

See my other thread:

I couldn't get my 2nd activation working, and their support is closed for a week.

I have a different idea. Installation of the map program and map data on one SD (or micro SD) card may not be a bad thing.

If you have family members/friends/co-workers who have a net book (which is common), all you need to do is let him have the sd card and a bt gps unit. That is it.

Ideally that sd card can also be put in a pda or a phone. I have no clue how the current SD based program works. Likely that is an idealized situation.

Maybe I am not that direction-challenged and I have need of a gps unit say around once a month. Just my opinion


Daniel

With Garmin's preloaded cards you can use them in any Garmin device that will take a micro-SD or SD card. They are the ideal solution for non-technical users.

The only drawbacks to preloaded cards are that you can't use them in Mapsource for trip planning and you can't make a backup. Lose it or turn it into a coaster and you have to buy a new one.

...ken...

Ken, the pre-loaded card is not a bad idea, but any manufacturer selling to retail need to think of a fair policy to deal with the inevitable lost, damaged, or otherwise inoperative SD cards.

I think it is fair enough that provider should replace damaged or inoperative SD cards . No clue if Garmin or OCN provide that .

Lost one would be hard to deal with though.


Daniel

Another way to do it is that they could have programmed in a 30 day period where no activation is required, so if for some reason, someone can't get to an activation server or have technical problems, they have a decent interval.

As it stands, I am not buying iGuidance again for quite a while --- I will make do with old copies until someone in their business figure out something better.

Yes, that is very reasonable. That's how Microsoft Streets & Trips 2009 works: you can download it, install it, use it for up to 60(!) days, and if you like it, you may then purchase it, and activate it with your activation code.

60 days is actually an unusually long free trial period, but the 30 days you are suggesting would work to keep many people happy.

I haven't installed iGuidance in months, so I don't remember for certain, but isn't there a 14 day trial built into the program? Can you not use iGuidance for 14 days before the activation becomes mandatory?

I only have iGuidance V4, and it does not come with the 14 day free trial.

The real joke was that when it first came out, for months after, there was in fact, no working activation server, so they just simply activated anything that hit their servers.

I think that is how I ran afoul of the 2 activations limit.

The company is, regrettably, rather mickey mouse in their basic operations.