No internet - software license check problems?

F

firehawk

Veteran
I'm thinking of entirely cutting off internet acccess to workstations which are totally set up so no new software installs needed or updates.

Since a lot of us use some of the same software do you know if this will cause a problem with the software doing some sort of hidden online license check when using the software and thus cause problems because it can't connect online?

I am using
Windows 7 pro 64
3ds Max
Adobe CS6
Adobe plugins: Boris, Sapphire, HitFilm, Final Effects, NewBlueFX,
 
Adobe CS6 calls home occassionally but you simply connect your computer to the internet for a day, it calls home and you can go back to being unconnected to the net. The others you queried on, I do not know.
 
Windows 7 support stopped 10 days ago, so it's a good idea to get off the internet ASAP.

I would try to keep an up to date anti-virus on your computer if you plan to use USB keys or portable hard-drives from other folks.
 
I've had lots of trouble with my computers when working away and internet was flaky - Some of my versions of adobe products just refused to work when the internet was just dreadfully slow - nothing new done at all to the computers - just random checks. Spotify was also problematic seemingly logging me out from my temporary office and then the computer at the hotel also getting logged out and one other weirdness - my adobe products are on one computer, and the audio products on another. Both had different windows 10 passwords. One day, the edit computer would not log into windows. It had changed my password to the same one as the other. Windows seems to just do things behind the scenes in a random fashion. who knows what Adobe and the others actually get from your computer - in the tick box agreements we give them permission for all sorts.
 
Thanks everyone.

Andrew, CS6 calls home too? Or are you talking about the rental CC?

My current workstation also seems to keep getting slower with time. I switched to all SSDs and that helped for a while but it seems to be slowing down over time. I'd like to just remove the internet factor from it if it won't cause my software to break.
My old workstation in 2004 was built without a NIC on purpose and it never connected to the internet and never had any problems. It still works great today.

As far as WIN7 no support. What does that mean? I never use Microsoft for any support anyway. It means no no updates which I don't do either. And eventually it means future software may not install and work on WIN7 machines I assume. Any other problems? I need WIN7 due to hardware reasons and probably software reasons too.
 
This ‘constantly connected’ model on everything we use now is a nuisance, both in the professional and private world. It’s just not always practical and at the least is just annoying and at the worst completely F’s you and can bring everything to a screeching halt.
 
firehawk said:
As far as WIN7 no support. What does that mean? I never use Microsoft for any support anyway. It means no no updates which I don't do either.
Click to expand...

My concern is a new virus taking advantage of an old OS that has no means of updates to prevent this. I am super careful of any USB keys or portable drives with footage that people want me to incorporate or work on. The AV I use now requires an internet connection to work properly because it talks to it's own AV servers when ever it finds something new. ( it's very fast and efficient AV software, but it needs an internet connection )
 
I think that we now must accept that cyber crime, and the legal cyber stalking we all get is now normal. So you have two choices. Update regularly and take advantage of a huge firms skill in keeping things tight, and have some sensible virus protection - or sticking with a flawed system and missing out on so much net based really useful add-ons, bargain upgrades and the ability to download. We're in a fast moving world, where driver updates are frequent and common and at some point you will need to go online when you buy a new printer, audio interface, software upgrade, or even just a plug-in to do a specific task. That moment when you connect the tired machine to do the update is when it all falls apart. Can you honestly say you will never buy another electronic device to connect to it? I remember loads of people trying to use audio software without the net for 'security', but it locks you into a stagnancy. Windows 7 is vulnerable without the user taking some sensible steps. Frankly, being wary of drives and USB sticks and SD cards makes sense, but restricts your creativity. I cannot imagine having to be wary of plugging things in. I could not work like that. My windows 10 machine with AVG plus windows own systems warns me when things are going astray, and the little I pay for the protection is insignificant for the peace of mind. Your other alternative of course is to simply install a backing up system that means that you can recover your computer.

I've had similar emails every day now for two weeks telling me that I've been hacked, demanding bitcoin payment to prevent the porn I have viewed being made public. All rubbish of course and the emails came from form interrogations on one of my websites which I also get warned about every day. I don't get paranoid and just accept it as scaremongery.

I really cannot imagine limiting what I can do by not having the latest software on a supported OS = Mac or PC.
 
... I'm running two FM radio stations where the on-air computer is operating on Windows XP. Of course, it's not connected to the internet and doesn't have to be. Not everything has to be dictated by the "internet of things" and older operating systems still work. Given the problems I've seen that 24-hour continuous operation on Windows 10 has caused, I'm sticking with what I've got for a good many years to come!!!
 
Of course - legacy systems that do certain things don't need to be upgraded. I'm still programming radios with an XP laptop, but EVERYTHING else I do involves constant upgrades, constant new plugins and constant sending stuff to clients - I cannot function without a fast internet connection. I read about people editing on old Premiere pro systems and I wonder why you'd do that when the newer ones do so much more. CS6, which I still have is simply horrible to edit with when I couldn't get an internet connection a few weeks back. It did the job, but my common functions were not there. The legacy titler was the only one, for example. It did the job, but the current ones do it so much better.
 
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