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mitsibushiman

GX Developer

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Two things about GX-Developer and software protection and the 'should be free' mentioned above. 1. If you have a problem licensing the software, call technical support. If you change your hardware and it won't run, they will relicense it for you for the new hardware (FOR FREE!). I don't think this is really a point of contention with the software. 2. Yes a scanner or printer comes with software. But you may notice it's stripped down versions. Like my CD burner came with NERO Basic Edition. If I want all the cool features, I have to buy a more expensive copy of NERO. But HP sells millions of scanners and printers, and when you divide the R&D cost by millions of customers, it's pennies per system sold. PLCs are not sold to as wide of a range of people, and still have considerable development costs involved. So those costs must be paid for by a smaller number of people, making each person's slice of the costs higher. It's all a law of averages.

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Chris is absolutelly right about cost of PLC software although CD burner software is available for free nowdays. Nero still costs but there are alternatives like http://www.cdburnerxp.se/ that can do just about anything. I guess same will hapen with PLC software after PLCs become part of every house, basement, garage, ... Until then, one should pay for it - whatever they ask - or write his own.

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It is for me because I've had the crypserv deny me access to the software and I've not changed anything. I might have something to do with my dual athlon system and it's two processor serial numbers. I've found that it only runs for a month or so and then it's tripped off again. Since I like medoc better anyway, I quit calling support for new codes. I also won't go into the field with software that may bail on me because it's vaguely dissatified. Much of my work is in asia and a software shutdown could cost me a day. Even if the new code is free, it's cost me a grand. This problem may not exist on my laptops, but it does on my desktop, so I'm not inspired to use it. I don't mind paying for the software, especially if it yields more development, but I think gx dev is a poor example of coding and too expensive. I've given AB probably close to $30,000 over the years for software. None of it was worth it. At least I've only given meau 10% of that figure. :) My cad system is a good example. They (Versacad) have a user base of about 1,000 folks, and charge only $800. This program is orders of magnitude more complex than plc programming software is. I happily give them $800 every year. If it wasn't for the copy protection scheme, I would use gx dev. As it is, I've given meau a lot of money for something I don't use. I even bought a copy of Medoc Plus (the windows version). I was surprised how bad it was, especially considering it's a Beijers product. I should open a plc old software museum. :) I should stop looking on ebay for that 5TI plc I'm nostalgic about....

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i must agree that new licencing from Mitsubishi is a nightmare. i had problem with GT developer... I hope they fix it or at least provide way to backup licence (i know that's not going to happen...).

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Officially, Mitsubishi is in the process of upgrading all of it's titles to the latest version of the Crypkey protection software. This will fix many of the bugs associated with the older versions. It will also bring welcome new features like network license storage and management. I'm looking forward to putting my 5 licenses on the network and copying them to whichever machine needs it. Sure beats the floppy disk method (since 3 of my laptops in my classroom don't have floppies). Once they notify us distributors of it's completion I will let you all know.

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I agree that floppy is dead but if you are thinking of Rockwell Software licences I sure would rather have them then this cryptserv. The licencing system as introduced by Mitsubishi is terrible because 1) uninstalling or reinstalling software makes you loose the licence. I don't know about you but installing and uninstalling is a basic procedure required anytime there is a problem - like virus infection etc. note that plc programmers (other than maintenance people who are always with the mother ship, err plant) have to travel, connect to different networks all the time and are at increased risk. 2) Mitsubishi software is not independant from "shared resources" such as Windows files or .NET framework etc. This means that ANY TIME you have to install or uninstall some OTHER software (such as MS Office, RSLinx etc.) there is a good chance of having something corrupted. I had this problem myself after upgrading RSLogix5000. Clicking on GT Developer would show first splash screen of the GTDT and then it would start loading RSL5000 and then both would crush. Uninstalling and reinstalling both GTDT and RSL5000 didn't help until I cleaned every trace of both manually (cleaning registry by hand is tedious and dangerous work my friend). 3) Mitsubishi bot can issue licence per email but for that you need email access (rarely available on site, specially during weekend - you are lucky if the one or two "support guys" from customer have access to internet at all) 4) Point #3 works only IF you are getting activation first time or if you have spare (not used) licences. 5) Point #3 is very slow (more than 1/2 hr every time I used it) 6) You can call 800 number and try to talk to person. This is MUCH slower than previous method (average 3hr per call). This is definitelly not something you want to do from noisy plant using your mobile phone. Also it works only during regular business hours (no lunch time, weekends, holidays etc.). It has one little advantage that you might convince the other side that it's not your fault to have lost licence so they can give you another one. Be prepared for spelling very long codes. I was trying to call from site not realizing that in US they had holiday (working day in Canada) 7) It doesn't allow backup of the licence so I cannot move it some place safe before I format HDD or do anything as drastic to get my PC operational. The only way to do it so far (GTDT2) is to have ONE MORE computer with same software installed - but WITHOUT licence and that BOTH computers have FLOPPY drives and three times moving floppy disc. Also the PC you want to move licence out from must have software in working order. If it is already corrupted ... good luck. Using newer Mitsubishi software is great disadvantage compared to competitive brands. Rockwell Software licencing although using floppy is still piece of cake and way easier to manage in difficult or disaster situations like when away from office and communications. Licence is not affected if you delete or upgrade software and if you really want to back it up (disaster scenario when yo have to format hdd for example), you can move it to another drive (it can but doesn't have to be floppy, it can be on another computer that doesn't have to have any RS software installed, doesn't matter if the software on your PC is corrupted or not or if it is present or not). The problem with RS products is that you have to keep on upgrading almost on a monthly basis. I spend good deal of time just upgrading all titles with new releases. If you ask me I really like Omron... Software upgrades not too frequent, cover all products (even old ones) so you don't have to install and maintain ten packages, licence is simple serial number (I hope they don't change it), hardware is much less expencive - (especially if you are upgrading!!!) and at least here it is more readily available than Mitsubishi for example. In my opinion Mitsubishi shot their own foot by using cryptserv. They implemented it too soon and without much thinking about effects. The licencing phone support is VERY slow and access is VERY limited (at least in North America). My recommendation to customer will be to consider alternative brand (such as Omron) and in transition phase try to stick to older verisons of Mitsubishi software. My suggestion to Mitsubishi is to act quickly and think of backup options and make sure that moving licence does not require another PC or that installed software is in working order (it it works it is not the problem, trouble is when it doesn't).

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Mitsubishi Crypserv does offer a method to move your license to a floppy disk. In the licensing screens, all you have to do is pick to transfer authorization to another computer, and it will make a floppy to move it to. But ask you said, you have to have another machine to move license to and do the disk swap a few times. I agree this is not the best implementation. You can also kill the license from here, write down the kill code, and when you're ready to reinstall, call Mitsu and give them that kill code so they know you're relicensing. I agree the email method of authorizing software is about a 1/2 hour process. Talking to someone in technical support is definately not the way to go, there should be an option on their NEW phone system for software activations. The automated method should really have something added so you can enter the kill code and then relicense without calling someone. I agree that Crypserv wasn't a good choice obviously by the amount of complaining going on in the forums. But I have yet to get a call from one of my customers who has had a problem with the software. I personally have once. My distributor copy is licensed ifor 365 days. At the end of the 365 days, they give me new codes as long as I'm still a distributor. I went on site with our second laptop, and found it had expired. I called Mitsu and was back up and running in 15 minutes.

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