I think I found an "Emagic" dongle (remember those?)

[Antaren]

I was clearing out some things and I think I found an Emagic Dongle for Notator (predecessor of Logic).  It looks like a thumb drive and says emagic on it.  If this is what I think it is, I can toss it.  I put it in a USB port, and there was nothing on the drive.  

Can someone verify what this is?  Thanks.

[volovicg]

I would take that from you instead of tossing it out. I can send you a prepaid envelope just PM with your address. It would have nostalgic value to me as I also have an early version of logic with a dongle as well but not one from the emagic days. 

[Antaren]

I'm happy to send it to you, Volovicg.  How do I PM you?

Oh.  Just figured it out.

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2022 by Antaren
figured it out.

[des99]

It sounds like it’s an XSkey, for Logic 5, which was the first version of Logic to use a USB key.

I still use mine To run Logic 7 for converting older projects, and running Sound Diver 3.

USB didn’t exist at the time of Notator.

Edited November 29, 2022 by des99

[dubfish]

I think my Logic dongle had a 9-pin D-connector for plugging into a serial port. My memory could be failing me though - it was a long time ago.

[des99]

Yes, Logic Mac/PC pre version 5 had serial port ADB dongles.

[Antaren]

Ah, the history of the evolution of Logic.

 

[wonshu]

Mine is within reach. And the G5 that I can use it on is also still here and functional.

[des99]

13 minutes ago, wonshu said:

Mine is within reach.

Same here! 👍

[Antaren]

I found the paper with registration codes on it. It's from 2004 and it is an XS Key.

[wonshu]

1 hour ago, Antaren said:

I found the paper with registration codes on it. It's from 2004 and it is an XS Key.

Respect!

I don't think I have paperwork anymore... 🙂

[Antaren]

Thanks, Wonshu!  I'm usually not this organized.  I found it with a bunch of Emagic manuals of that era.

 

 

[MikeRobinson]

I am so-o-o glad that "dongles" mostly went away.  I think that software producers were obsessed with the idea that people weren't paying for their product.  Now, Logic explicitly allows you to use your copy in a reasonable way.  And, I don't think Apple is losing money on it.

[Alan Shields]

Apple has a 'dongle', It's called a Mac.

 

[des99]

24 minutes ago, Alan Shields said:

Apple has a 'dongle', It's called a Mac.

I know this is somewhat in jest, but it always bugs me. Funny how no one says a PC is a dongle for running PC software, this is always directed to the Mac, as in "if you don't have a Mac, and if you want to run Mac software, you have to buy a computer to run it". Which is exactly the same as "if you don't have a PC, and if you want to run PC software, you have to buy a computer to run it".

A computer is not a dongle, it's a computer.

[Alan Shields]

Jesus, lighten up des99, it was only a joke. Admittedly not a very good one, I'll give you that. No need to get your cables in a twist. I fired it off without putting the smiley face emoji at the end. I didn't do it to bug you. 

Anyway, here's a picture of my old dongle - ADB of course.

Alan.

[wonshu]

Awesome... I just love seeing this old hardware... I don't know what's wrong with me, but it feels good.

[des99]

1 hour ago, Alan Shields said:

Jesus, lighten up des99, it was only a joke.

I think I fairly clearly acknowledged that in the first line of the response.

[gacki]

On 12/3/2022 at 7:20 PM, des99 said:

I know this is somewhat in jest, but it always bugs me. Funny how no one says a PC is a dongle for running PC software, this is always directed to the Mac, as in "if you don't have a Mac, and if you want to run Mac software, you have to buy a computer to run it". Which is exactly the same as "if you don't have a PC, and if you want to run PC software, you have to buy a computer to run it".

A computer is not a dongle, it's a computer.

For me this misses at least partly the point: To run ProTools or Cubase you don't have to buy a computer made by Avid or by Steinberg. To run Logic, Mainstage, Final Cut Pro and so on you have to buy a computer made by the same manufacturer that also provides the software. This isn't about Mac software; this is about Apple software. Consequently other Mac software (like the Mac variants of various cross platform applications) come with their own copy protection schemes - and often those are still dongles. But for Logic the computer hardware itself pretty much takes the function of a dongle.

[MikeRobinson]

Actually, I like the fact that Apple owns and controls the hardware that their software runs on.  It means that they control both sides of the equation.  Very briefly, Apple started to authorize "clone makers" but then they [wisely, IMHO ...] pulled back from that cliff-edge and fired the "Pepsi person."

One of the most annoying things about "PC" hardware, from the point of view of a software developer like myself, is that you never actually know what the hardware looks like.  You're trapped in "software driver hell," getting support calls which say that your product doesn't run correctly on this-or-that machine that you've never seen nor heard of.  Plenty of manufacturers cut corners everywhere they can.  Doesn't matter if the only thing you do all day is surf the web and write documents, but it matters a lot for "intense" applications like music, graphics, and video.

Apple generally puts high quality into their hardware and they charge accordingly.  The programmer always knows exactly what hardware environment to expect, and that it will be well-made.  Apple rarely sells "junk."  Your product will "just work."

Edited December 8, 2022 by MikeRobinson

[gacki]

4 minutes ago, MikeRobinson said:

Actually, I like the fact that Apple owns and controls the hardware that their software runs on.  Very briefly, Apple started to authorize "clone makers" but then they [wisely, IMHO ...] pulled back from the cliff-edge and fired the "Pepsi person."

The "Pepsi person" was fired in 1993; the clone program started in 1995 and was Spindler's doing.

While I have in general no problem with Apple hardware (the comparatively limited palette makes indeed a way more dependable platform than Windows) I'm fully convinced that Apple offers Logic (and other programs) mainly as a means to sell more hardware. That's also why Logic is quite cheap compared with similar programs: it is subsidized by the hardware sales.

 

[MikeRobinson]

Thanks for the correction.

Apple definitely uses hardware sales to make their software cheaper and more attractive.  What they sell you is a "tightly-integrated" bundle of functionality that "just works.™"  And it works because they control both sides of the coin.

[David Nahmani]

On 12/6/2022 at 8:21 PM, Alan Shields said:

Anyway, here's a picture of my old dongle - ADB of course.

WOW! I remember those days. Talk about a trip down the memory lane. I had to purchase a Griffin iMate in order to connect that dongle to my G4 (the very first Mac G4 Apple released):