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SDL deactivation systems really makes me angry

Philippe Riondel

SDL's activation/deactivation system really sucks!

I had a general crash that forced me to reinstall my whole system, including Studio 2015, that I had no opportunity to deactivate before my crash.

I try to return my license offline. I get an extensive character strings (a 'Deactivation authorization code') I do not know what to do with nor where to paste it!

As per the Help pages unclear instructions, I got to my Studio Activation windows in my computer, where I was supposed to find a Deactivation link in which i would have to paset that string (before returning to SDL's Website to paste another fucking code), but there is no such link in the Product activation window! Brilliant!

Which meansthe Help does not reflect the situation or interface users may struggle with!

Therefore I cannot deactivate the former installation. I cannot activate the new installation. And I waste hours to try to understandthat moronic system when I already wasted 1 day reinstalling my system

SDL is the only software company with such a stupid and paranoid license system. I easily reinstalled tens of application, and almost all other software companies (including Microsoft, Dragon, memoQ,, etc.) just asked entering one's software license number to check the user's rights. Or when they asked to return or free a license, like for Microsoft Office 365, their system worked simply like a charm! You have just to click on 'Return my license' and that's it, you're able to immediately reactivate your license. But SDL's system is a pain in the ass, just developped to bother legitimate clients.

I have to spend more time to reinstall Studio than to reinstall 25 other software! And it is still not activated! It's mad. I reinstalled memoQ and it took less than 30 seconds to validate the license!

I cannot understand how SDL candediacet so many resources to maintain such a silly license control system (incl. the support) , just to avoid the risk that a user potentially installs their Studio software on a 3rd computer! It's disproportionate. But it's their problem.

What is mine, on the other hand, is when their system prevents me from using immediatley after its installation my expensive software. Sincerely, I begin to be fed up with SDL security practices, wherethat company does not hesitate to hurt its clients interests and productivity just to protect its own interests againstthe tiny risk of having a handful of illicite installs. That cynicism that leads SDL to makeits clients' interests pass afterits own interests and to make them waste hours struggling withits unefficient system, no matter the extent of the problems it creates to them, is a total lack of respect of SDL users.

I begin to contemplate working exclusively with memoQ in the future. A CAT tool is supposed to help me, not to handicap me.

So, my Studio copy is still not activated. Thanks to SDL!

 
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  • Philippe,

    A quick phone call to SDL Support, or communication with them via chat or online would have sorted this problem out instantly.
    It happens sometimes, and SDL Trados is not the only company whose software behaves this way.

    I hope you resolved your problem. Please don't let this one incident prevent you using this excellent piece of software. I've been using it since its creation and before and I love it.

    All the best,
    Alison
  • in reply to Alison Field
    You're right Allison. But where do you see any phone number or chatting feature on the Licenses page or in the Help page? And if any, are they available on Sunday, when translators have time to deal with that kind of issue?

    I've been a Trados client since 2005, and I was among the very first adopters of Studio in June 2009. And problems are still the same : 1. Activation issues are always a pain in situation wher it was impossible to properly deactivate the software (and imho, deactivating a software is useless, since SDL can technically identify my computer through its serial numbers and know that I still run the same one, even in case of reinstallation), and 2. Contacting them for activation issues or bugs is very difficult, because they seem to hide deliberately their support phone number or email address. Or they dare suggesting you to pay for a $240 support contract I would only use for activation issues!

    The fact they want to protect themselves is their problem, not mine. I can understand it, but on my side, I paid an expensive software, and I am entitled to have it working right away. Nothing warrants they have a more complex and less efficient license verification system than any other software publisher, mainly when it forbids legitimate users to do their work.
  • in reply to Philippe Riondel
    Hi Philippe,

    Here is where you will find the phone number nearest to you: http://www.sdl.com/contact/
    It's a good idea to make a note of the number in case you have a problem when there's no internet access

    You can contact online free of charge via a simple form at: http://www.translationzone.com/contact/
    There's also live chat access on that page.

    Ali :)
  • in reply to Alison Field
    Hi again Alison

    Unfortunately, the phone number in Montreal is the one of SDL's translation agency and they provides no support. And, although I did not try the translationzone contact page, I'm afraid, after a quick look at it, that it's intended for commercial/sales matters only. :-}

    If it was that simple, I would not be unsatisfied... :-)
  • in reply to Philippe Riondel
    Hi Philippe,

    Here's the solution presented in another case on this site on 25 July by Paul Filkin:

    Go to the Knowledgebase:

    http://kb.sdl.com

    Then go to the tab called Solution Finder ( http://kb.sdl.com/?cid=23&tab=sf ) and now go here:

    Licensing Problems
    - I use SDL Trados Studio 2015 / SDL Passolo 2015
    -- I need to have my license reset

    Pick the correct route for you and if appropriate you will be presented with a form that you can fill in to generate a support request and you will be contacted, normally within a day.

    Also use the Chrome browser to log the case if you have it; you'll get more success in completing the form, and make sure your email address is entered correctly or nobody will be able to get back in touch with you.

    Ali
  • in reply to Alison Field
    Hi Philipe,
    you can also try forced deactivation as described here:
    https://community.sdl.com/products-solutions/language/translationproductivity/f/93/p/3763/13882#13882

    Regards,
    Ladislav
  • in reply to Alison Field
    Hi Alison,

    I really appreciate your care. :-)

    I explored all those pages yesterday, that's why I tell i spent (wasted, actually) 2 hours on it.
    But please tell me why they need to impose us such a labyrinth to send a supprt request, instead of simply showing a ticket request form from page 1.
    Why should people waste so much time navigating their indigestible KB pages to solve an issue that only relates to their abstruse licensing politics? Do they think translators are not busy enough? Do they really know our work, to think we could have some pleasure navigating their website during hours to find a solution that should be obvious?

    Of course, i will send them a ticket request when I will have some time through the page you mention, but is that process really acceptable?
  • in reply to Ladislav Hlavatý
    Hi Ladislav,
    Thanks for your help
    I tried to force the deactivation according to the described process yesterday. But if I complain here, it's precisely because it did not work, and because the given description does not describe the screens available to me in my software!
    The process returned me a "deactivation authorization code", but did notr guide me acequately to the place where I could paste it... or it guided me to a deactivation window that does not open/exist in my Studio 2015 application.
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