GS ID Authentication

[Rex Maximilian]

I was just presented with this dialog. I chose "not" to reauthenticate just to see if it would launch. It appears to launch...

[EDIT]
After looking that the dialog box closer, it does in fact state that Archicad will not be available in 30 days if not "re-authenticated."

...but why is it coming up in the first place? I ask out of curiosity and a bit of preventive problem-solving. I authenticated when this process was first mandated. I also sign into the Graphisoft ID account daily when uploading and downloading my software key ...and, I see that I am signed in whenever I save BIMx files.

Weren't we told initially that this was a one-time signing or authentication? My fear is that this may pop up on a plane or job site where internet access isn't available and after "x" amount of times not "re-authenticated" it may not launch.

[EDIT]
Confirmed after seeing text in dialog box about not reauthenticating within 30 days.

I understand that it can be avoided to authenticate within the 30-days, but what if we are on a 30+ day holiday, or simply not working in Archicad for that period of time, and THEN launch Archicad without internet connection? We paid out-right for the software. We're not running a subscription based license. I feel this isn't warranted for full-pay licensees. There should be absolutely no situation to where a full-paying licensee should ever be vulnerable to having Archicad not launch.

[Eduardo Rolon]

I really hate these types of "marketing user controls".

I bought AC, I have my hardware key and then also I need to register.

This is another place were you can get another user hostile failure point. 

What should an ID have anything to do with it except for GS to have another way to market how many users they have independent of licenses sold.

[scottjm]

Can confirm if you continue to skip for 30 days AC will only run in DEMO mode.

I setup a generic GSID for our office and have signed in this account to all new deployments of AC versions that are now requiring this login.  There is however no way to preset this for enterprise deployment which is very frustrating.  The GSID login will carry across multiple AC version for  a user on their machine however.

Once it's signed it does not appear to require an internet connection to re-authenticate, but I can't be 100% sure.

If you aren't using a software licence the only practical thing I am aware the GSID is actually required for is to upload BIMx Model Transfer.

[Rex Maximilian]

This is very troubling. It appears that Graphisoft is trying to retro-actively take "back" full-license rights to further their revenue stream. It's too bad they came to the subscription-licensing model party late, but pulling this stunt to correct their lack of foresight at the cost of their long-time, full paying user base is a serious lack of business ethics.

I'm going to report this to tech-support to at least log it in as something that I do not consider s.o.p. and should be corrected. Next step would be to contact GS outright. Maybe if we do it in numbers, they'll take it seriously.

Am I correct in assuming when they first announced this process on this board last year they stated that something like this happening would "not" happen? Imagine opening up your laptop on a business trip or plane or meeting without internet, and it WON'T run?

The bottom line is that Graphisoft has now made our ability to run and use the software "conditional" for a fully purchased license.

[Rex Maximilian]

Would someone from Graphisoft be able to comment on this? This is a very concerning development that there is a scenario where our fully paid licenses revert to demo mode under certain conditions. Whether or not we "reauthenticate" our licenses or not in a timely manner, there should be no situation in which our licenses will "not" run.

Please address this situation. Thank you.

@Laszlo Nagy  
@Minh Nguyen 

[Laszlo Nagy]

Hi guys,

I got info from GS HQ:

GS ID must be re-authenticated once a year with a login. Your computer stores a GS ID token, which expires after one year, this is why a new login is needed. This is basically a check whether the GS ID profile is still valid.

[Rex Maximilian]

Thank you for the response Laszlo. While I understand GS wanting to check valid profiles and all from time to time, I think the process of actually cancelling the license, or rendering the software unusable except in demo mode for fully paid versions is unacceptable. They could come up with another method of influence people to go through the authentication process.

[Rex Maximilian]

@Laszlo Nagy   Responding to you since you're the only one who responded earlier, thank you for that also. How can we discuss this or get a resolution from Graphisoft on this issue? As stated before, for ALL owners of perpetual licenses, under no circumstances should there be any reason for Graphisoft to revert our licenses back to demo mode... even if they need us to re-authenticate or whatever.

There are so many issues now, such as the price increase with no roadmap to features or what our value will be from the increase (as based on past new features which have fallen woefully short). And speaking of, we need to know what are the plans for a "true" user-interactive roadmap.

Aside from this community board, which is another issue that was approached and never heard about again, is there another forum or conduit to voice critical or important policy issues with Graphisoft?

[Laszlo Nagy]

Hi Rex,

I cannot advise any other route than what you guys already have: contacting your local resellers, or here on GS Community. I usually forward issues raised here to Graphisoft HQ so the relevant people are informed.

I am not authorized to say anything specific about any of the issues you mentioned, but I can tell you that the guys at Graphisoft are aware of them and are working on them. You guys will probably be hearing more specific things in future official Graphisoft communications.