# Is a dongle reason enough not to buy a vinyl cutter?



## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Several years ago we bought a $2,000 DOS-based software from a US company that requires a dongle to run. The dongle "malfunctioned" causing errors but we were unable to get support from the local distributor. They're more like official resellers rather than official distributors or dealers. The software company soon folded up and was purchased by a Dow Jones subsidiary. Their windows version was unsuccessful, discontinued, so we switched to another software. Maybe we did not follow up hard enough or follwed up with the wrong people. However, the sad fact is no dongle, no software(cannot run).

Since then, Ive heard of problems with dongles. Type in dongle in the search box above and you'll see some of the problems.

I am unfamiliar with the various brands of cutters./plotters but I am looking into China and Hong Kong made cutters as people I have talked with are generally satisfied wi9th them. So I decided to look at them and I found dongles. Thos without dongles do not have an optical eye.

*What are your suggestions on cutters/plotters with dongles?*


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## jean518 (Sep 23, 2009)

I do not think all cutter software needs a dongle. I have at least 3 pieces of software that use a dongle and have not had any problems. I have had one of them for at least 4 years.


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## lben (Jun 3, 2008)

I have a graphtec plotter/cutter and it does not use a dongle. My blingit software, however, won't work without it.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

I am not aware of any cutter than requires a dongle, but several software programs use them...such as DAS SmartCutPro 2 and WinPCsign 2010 Pro, but some like R-wear do not


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

You want to have a "business continuity plan" for dealing with a dongle failure. My RIP Software (Onyx) uses a HASP USB Dongle. Accidentally I tripped and ended up licking the PC and bent the dongle about 45° almost breaking off the tip that goes into the PC. 

No Dongle = No RIP
No RIP = No Printing
No Printing = No Money!

Onyx is pretty good and has a process for replacing damaged dongles, but it would cost me about $100 and take a couple days. I would also have to return the damaged dongle. 

There are several dongle duplication businesses that can create a clone of your dongle.. as long as you actually have it and it works still. 99% of folks do not think about the dongle until it is lost, stolen, or damaged and unreadable. 

If you go with ANY software that has a dongle make sure you come up with a plan to keep your business running if some thing happens to it. Dongles are not bad themselves... it DOES introduce an extra opportunity for equipment failure than can hurt your business. 

IMHO, no dongle is best for the end user. Dongles exist soley to protect the intellectual property of the software developer. They shove the inconvenience and hassle of software security onto YOU....


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

Dongles suk big time. I have two pieces of software that were over $100 each and won't even take one out of the case anymore and will have to have a reason to take the funtime rhinestone one out. I'ld rather use Corel draw with the extra work than to have to load a dongle just to fill letters with dots for rhinestone templates.


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## idonaldson (Sep 29, 2008)

Not a dongle fan. My cutters don't require them but the software packages do. If you have a way to do your software and connect to a machine that does not require a dongle - that would be my choice. With dongles you have to worry about breaking, losing, or conflict errors.


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## nitewalker (Jan 27, 2010)

No dongles for me. EVER.
I use a Graphtec CE5000-40 and Cut3000 and neither require a dongle, and I wouldn't have them if they did.


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## DivineBling (Sep 14, 2010)

charles95405 said:


> I am not aware of any cutter than requires a dongle, but several software programs use them...such as DAS SmartCutPro 2 and WinPCsign 2010 Pro, but some like R-wear do not


My old RedSail cutter rebranded as a VinylExpress required a dongle.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

I can understand the use of a dongle for software (illegal copying), but it makes no sense for any hardware. What are you gonna do, build a clone!?

Stay away from hardware solutions that use one.


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

we dont like them but our emb software works with it. we do have business continuity insurance though that covers damage like that.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Yes, its the software requiring dongles and not the hardware. The software is Flexi8 (see attached). Sorry for that.

Glenn, $100 for a replacement dongle is quite expensive. My own experience is that the dongle failed and was not damaged by any accident and yet we can't get a replacement dongle.

I really thought that dongles are dead. Dongles are really not any better than other non-dongle software protection. And yes the addition of a hardware adds a point of failure. The 24" cutter is a HK brand but made in China. I think the cutter is nice but the dongle is a big turn off for me. Another brand that has good feedback from users also has a dongle.

Does craft robo uses a dongle?


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

BroJames said:


> Does craft robo uses a dongle?


No, again Craft Robo is hardware, not software. The software that comes bundled standard with the cutter (Roland, Graphtec, etc.) hardware is not dongled. 

Flexi is a standalone program that can be used with any cutter including Craft Robo. It apparently requires a dongle regardless what machine you use it with.


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

Yep.. it was $95 + shipping. The RIP software costs $2000+, so it is cheap by comparison. 

A cloned one would be maybe $50. There are also HASP emulators, but the whole business is kinda in the gray area... lots of software pirates.


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## SnapGraphics (Dec 21, 2010)

I have only needed dongles for software never for hardware. The Flexi family requires a dongle (at least the versions I have had).


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## DivineBling (Sep 14, 2010)

I think you're half right about the hardware not needing the dongle. In order to use the VinylExpress cutter, I think you have to have the LXi software installed which requires a dongle. So I was using WPC with the cutter but needed a dongle for both WPC and for the LXi in order for the cutter to work. 
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

splathead said:


> No, again Craft Robo is hardware, not software. The software that comes bundled standard with the cutter (Roland, Graphtec, etc.) hardware is not dongled.
> 
> Flexi is a standalone program that can be used with any cutter including Craft Robo. It apparently requires a dongle regardless what machine you use it with.


Again, my apologies. I kept shortcutting my posts.

Does the software that is bundled with robocraft uses a dongle(if it is bundled with one)? What are the other non-dongle softwares available?

When one says it is compatible with corel draw what does it mean?




jiarby said:


> Yep.. it was $95 + shipping. The RIP software costs $2000+, so it is cheap by comparison.
> 
> A cloned one would be maybe $50. There are also HASP emulators, but the whole business is kinda in the gray area... lots of software pirates.


I still think it is expensive considering that the dongle is for running an application you paid $2,000 for. The software author or distributor should have sold it at a discount(not loss). But yes cheap because unlike us, because we were unable to get a replacement dongle, we settled for a dongleless $500 windows software which has lesser customizable tools. The company with the dongled software folded up about 15 years ago and nobody really copied their software but the dongleless software company is still going strong. Just checked their website and they're now on their 11th version. Price is the same. They now have so many add-ons and plug-ins.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

BroJames said:


> Does the software that is bundled with robocraft uses a dongle(if it is bundled with one)? What are the other non-dongle softwares available?


Craft Robo comes with Cutting master 2. It's just basic cutting software and does not require a dongle. It also comes with plug-ins for Illustrator and Coreldraw which allows you to cut from within these programs without having to use Cutting Master. This is the method I use.



> When one says it is compatible with corel draw what does it mean?


Hopefully it means a plug-in as i describe above. At the very least you should be able to cut and paste Corel vectors into whichever software you are referring to.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

splathead said:


> Craft Robo comes with Cutting master 2. It's just basic cutting software and does not require a dongle. It also comes *with plug-ins for Illustrator and Coreldraw which allows you to cut from within these programs* without having to use Cutting Master. This is the method I use.
> 
> 
> 
> Hopefully it means a plug-in as i describe above. At the very least you should be able to cut and paste Corel vectors into whichever software you are referring to.


So if "compatible with corel" means it has a plug in for corel draw similar to yours, I don't need the flexi8...and I don;t need the dongle.

Thanks. I'll verify that with other vendors. The vendor I talked with didn't say anything when I told her I don't want softwares that requires a dongle to operate.


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## Corel Whisperer (Sep 1, 2010)

BroJames said:


> Glenn, $100 for a replacement dongle is quite expensive.


$100 that's cheep compared to one I know of but remain nameless here. Try $2000 just for the dongle to run the program.


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

I was happy to be able to get a replacement. What if Onyx went bankrupt or was no longer supporting this version of the RIP!? I would have to upgrade to the new version or buy a different product. 

The CAD/3D folks (Catia, Unigraphics, Autodesk) pioneered this business model... Release lots of versions & updates, charge annually for maintenance (Like pay $10k for the app, and $2500/yr). Security and licensing management is a hassle, and expensive! Replacement dongle? Oops... your version is "off maintenance" by a few months... you will have to upgrade to the new version ($3500) before we can issue you a replacement key/// Been there. I used to be an IT weenie in an aerospace mfg company. 

Believe me, even being able to get a replacement dongle is a great thing... WIthout it I would be looking at spending alot more, with alot of downtime, missed jobs, have to make new profiles.. a HUGE mess.


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## splathead (Dec 4, 2005)

Sorry, but I wouldn't buy software that used a dongle. I would find a replacement or do without.

Software developers understand this. that's why the more successful ones (Adobe, Microsoft) don't use them. They use the electronic verification method on install instead.


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## DTFuqua (Jun 26, 2008)

Well when I bought the two programs I bought that have dongles didn't state they needed a dongle to work. I know now to ask.


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## jiarby (Feb 8, 2007)

> Sorry, but I wouldn't buy software that used a dongle. I would find a replacement or do without.


I bought my $2k RIP as a bundle with my $20k printer. No one mentioned that the RIP had a dongle. I didn't even think to ask. When they came to install the printer it I was so happy to have the printer that I didn't even notice the RIP or dongle for days. Their install tech did the job.


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

I too realized after I purchased the WinPcSign Software that a dongle was required. I have 4 desktop computers in my office and two laptops, not to mention the two computers I have at home in my office. Carrying around a dongle and trying to keep track of it is just too much of a hassle so needless to say I don't use the software. 

I tried asking around about the clone thing and received several different answers. Some said yes, some said no, and others said it depends. Apparently if you try to clone the device, it is possible to render some devices useless. Some type of technology in them that "supposedly" prevents cloning. I don't no if I was being told the truth, I just put everything neatly back in it's box and placed it on my office shelf along with the other stuff I wasted my money on.


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## DivineBling (Sep 14, 2010)

veedub3 said:


> I too realized after I purchased the WinPcSign Software that a dongle was required. I have 4 desktop computers in my office and two laptops, not to mention the two computers I have at home in my office. Carrying around a dongle and trying to keep track of it is just too much of a hassle so needless to say I don't use the software.
> 
> I tried asking around about the clone thing and received several different answers. Some said yes, some said no, and others said it depends. Apparently if you try to clone the device, it is possible to render some devices useless. Some type of technology in them that "supposedly" prevents cloning. I don't no if I was being told the truth, I just put everything neatly back in it's box and placed it on my office shelf along with the other stuff I wasted my money on.


I agree that it's a bummer that you have to use the dongle, but WPC is a pretty cool program. You should dust it off and play with it!


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## veedub3 (Mar 29, 2007)

DivineBling said:


> I agree that it's a bummer that you have to use the dongle, but WPC is a pretty cool program. You should dust it off and play with it!


I also have Luis' Macro for Corel which works really well and makes a quick job of things. I really got the winpcsign software for the cutting capabilities not the stoning part. I use Sign cut which is a subscription service that ends in March and I did not want to pay for another year subscription so I thought it was a good buy. I have three cutters in my office that's normally humming all day long with one dongle. I hate to imagine how that is going to play out once my subscription with Signcut ends.


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## DivineBling (Sep 14, 2010)

veedub3 said:


> I also have Luis' Macro for Corel which works really well and makes a quick job of things. I really got the winpcsign software for the cutting capabilities not the stoning part. I use Sign cut which is a subscription service that ends in March and I did not want to pay for another year subscription so I thought it was a good buy. I have three cutters in my office that's normally humming all day long with one dongle. I hate to imagine how that is going to play out once my subscription with Signcut ends.


I bought WPC for the cutting capabilities, too. I have Corel but couldn't cut from it to my cutter and I hated the software that my cutter came with. We have a few computers but I only use my laptop to design with so it's not an issue keeping the dongle plugged in. The stoning feature was a really cool bonus that I ran with! LOL


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Katrina, why don't you sell those software?

Been asking around and seems my options are very limited.


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