Auto sync of resources: a good idea?

Excellent question Tim, I would like some reassurances on this as well.  On a related note, what bout the feature in 4 that is supposed to download missing resources.  Does this/ can this apply to resources that Libronix no longer can sell? 

I would initially think not, but why not maintain distribution rights for books already sold?  What then about missing books?   How can I be sure I have all of them without manually inserting every CD I've ever had (ugh!)?

JoanKorte said:

  I feel like I am in a tug or war and don't know if my attitude is healthy. 

Joan you are a customer.... I am a customer, Dave is a customer etc... it is essential we ask these questions and certainly not wrong to do so... the fact that you wrestle with the question is an indication of your hearts desire to do the right thing so I don't think your attitude is unhealthy in any way and I never read anything you have said that would make me think otherwise.  Its a good thing to ask questons of companies for which we enter into financial transactions with... even ones we trust like Logos... I don't believe they would ever intentailly set about to do the wrong thing by us... and I believe it would always be their intent, as Bradley has indicated, to try and protect the finanical investment we have all made in our libraries..but I still think these are loose ends that need asking so the qustions are good ones to ask.

Thanks, Dave, Andrew, and Bradley for your responses.  I feel better, and yes, the risk of being honest was worth it.  Not that Bob or Logos hasn't thought of it or wouldn't do it, Dave's idea of publicizing-policy, implementation and consequences etc. is excellent. 

Thanks Bradley for keeping Bob on the right path [:D][H]

The following is looking more at license syncing than resource syncing, but this thread made me think of it. Will we have control of our license (and not need to connect to Logos to install Libronix?

Summary of the following:

1. The need to get licenses through a central computer may be very difficult for overseas workers working in areas that either don't have internet, or closely monitor internet activity (possibly against bible use).

2. If the political winds should blow in the direction of getting rid of teh Bible, having all the licenses centrally located would effectively give them the ability to remove everyone's libraries overnight.

3. If Logos should go out of business, there will be no way to reinstall our libraries.

--

This made me think of one thing I really like about Libronix.
If I have the program, the resources and the license on disk, I can
install Libronix without any need to connect to a central computer.
Normally this wouldn't matter, but my location and a study of history
gives a few concerns to our licenses being controlled centrally.

I
live in a country that did at one time try to get rid of all the Bibles
(though that was in the past and they are now printed here). For a
print bible you can keep them stuffed away. For L3 I could keep it on
my computer and unlimited backups in different places. If the licenses
are all kept at a central location (Logos headquarters), it would be
very easy for someone to remove everyone's entire libraries overnight.
there may be a few that get word of it and never connect that computer
to the internet again (thus keeping their library), but if the computer
ever crashed, etc. and they needed to reinstall, it would be impossible
and the libraries would eventually be lost.

That isn't happening
right now in the US (where the licenses are stored), but it has
happened in many places, continues to happen today in many places and
the political winds can change, sometimes quite quickly.

Also,
there are many countries that have no/very limited internet or that
strickly control internet use. Even if Logos is having no problems, if
I, or others who live in such places, need to reinstall Libronix, it
may be a long time before that would be a possibility. One great
advantage of Libronix is for overseas workers who don't want to carry a
library, but if they need to connect to the internet to register their
licenses or books are forced to be downloaded through very slow
connections, many overseas workers (including myself in the future)
will no longer be able to use Libronix (or at least not install it on a
new computer).

One other thought would be if Logos would ever go out of business. I know that isn't looking likely right now and everyone is working hard to make sure it never does, but if it should, we will lose our libraries as computers crash and die. There will be no more reinstalling.

Dave Hooton said:

This is a succinct description of all that is wrong with cloud resource management and why we need local licence files.

But doesn't this just mean that you only get whatever it was that existed at the time of your last "backup" of licenses?

Scenario #1: Cloud resource managment in full force; political climate goes bad

You sign in offline and you only have your current resources validated.

Scenario #2: Cloud resource managment AND license back up in place; political climate goes bad

there is no more internet access; you sign in offline and you only have your current resources validated.

Just wondering

I just wrote a full reply to this, but it seems to have been lost when posting.

Dave Hooton said:

Scenario #1: Cloud resource managment in full force; political climate goes bad

You sign in offline and you only have your current resources validated.

This is only good for as long as I have the same computer. Not a long or even mid term solution.

Dave Hooton said:

Scenario #2: Cloud resource managment AND license back up in place; political climate goes bad

there is no more internet access; you sign in offline and you only have your current resources validated.

Perfect for the consumer, assuming I can make an occasional backup of the license in case the powers that be decide to clear my license and leave me with a usless license to use in the future.

This would be great for the consumer, but I am not sure if Logos is trying to use the cloud method as a way to prevent piracy. Therefore I will mention a few thoughts about piracy.

Computer Piracy

I live in Asia, in the capital of piracy. Anything you want is available with all security features removed for the cost of a disk. Windows XP, Windows Vista, the latest DVDs, etc. All fully available with security and regional codes removed.

It doesn't matter how good your anti-piracy software is, it can and will be defeated. Some do it just for fun and post it on a server where it is not illegal, and therefore made available in areas where it is illegal.

The L3 system, could be transferred, but it had security features of its own that I think are as or more effective than other software based ones.

1. The software showed the user ID (generally an email address), so you could tell where it came from.

2. the License agreement stated, you couldn't give it away (and that is just generally known). Did some install on a third computer, I'm sure some did, but I don't think that is the piracy issue Logos may be concerned about. (and it seems L4 wouldn't be monitoring for that anyhow).

The point is that for the most part, the anti-piracy methods will be defeated by the pirates anyhow, while at the same time hurting those who would like a license backup for good use. (Sort of like the 4 foot security fence around my school, that makes us walk all they way around the school to the front gate, but allowed several computers to be stolen .

Note: I am using all legal software (mostly open source), though I have plenty of contacts with the pirated (which works just as well as my legal).

Rob

You're quick. I just noticed that when I looked at how the post showed. I had just highlighted and hit quote. Sorry for the misquote.