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Is Encrypted DAZ-Connect the way of the future ?

KLH22KLH22 Posts: 20
edited March 2016 in The Commons

Is Encrypted Daz Connect the way of the future ? or a path to commercial oblivion ? I'm sure Daz management have laboured long and hard on this question.

To start off, don't get me wrong. I am in favor of protecting vendor rights. The normal sale of 3D products is what drives and rewards the development of the software and the multitude of vendors that product 3D model products. Particularly since Daz is now well down the path of giving away the software in order to encourage the purchase of 3D model products.

But I think Daz needs to quickly learn the lessons of the Book publishing industry which have embraced DRM. For several years digital book sales has been growing until in recent years it has out stripped the physical book sales. But last year this trends is reversing largely due to Digital Rights Management (DRM).

DRM needs to be universal and not tied to a single piece of software (and usually a single vendor) or else the use of DRM is in fact delivering greatly reduced value to the customer. Now this OK, provided the sale price reflects this reduced value to the customer. Where digital book sellers are getting into trouble is that they want full price for a restricted use product. And many customers are beginning to lose confidence resulting in falling sales. This reduced value to the customer is also what drives the army of "hackers" that rage against DRM. And their combined resources are bigger than that of any company, so who is likely to win that technology race? Even Micosoft struggles to stay ahead of that one. Threatening to sue is not the answer, as this just makes every customer (even the legitimate ones) a potential target of legal action and consequently - the enemy. Not a great business plan for long term commercial success (a few rock bands have learned this the hard way).

The current business plan for Daz seems to be along the lines of moving to Encrypted Content and in doing so delivering greatly reduced value to the customer due to the restricted usage. And at the same time charging the same price as the unrestricted products. Also Daz-connect wants to down load everything rather than allow you to install a local copy. This adds to the cost of ownership (internet download costs) and further reduces the value to the customer. And the "BIg Brother" overtones are unavoidable, regardless of what anyone says. 

As an alternative approach to delivering LESS value (by DRM restrictions), how about delivering MORE value to customers who have legitimately purchased products.

For example, one of the problems I have is that I own a large number of Daz products and I find it hard to organize them so I can choose the best product for a project I am working on. If Daz provided an online currently owned product catalogue (much like the Daz store but with a check box for "only show items I own"). This would ADD to the value of owning a Daz product - because you can find it when you need it.

Or perhaps some links (from an owned product catalog) to product specific tips and special usage instructions.

For the moment, I am keeping my cross-platform rendering options open. Because I don't know where all this will end up. And what might happen to Daz's prices if they think their customers are locked-in and can't go anywhere else ?

What Daz needs is some creative ways to ADD value to the customer for purchasing a product, not ways to REDUCE value to the customer by restricting usage. (Unless of course you are going to reduce your prices by 50-60% across the board not including the usual transient and bizzarely complex discounts structures).

Does anyone else have some ideas on how this might be done ?

 

KLH22

 

Post edited by KLH22 on

Comments

  • Pack58Pack58 Posts: 750
    edited March 2016

    But DAZ-Connect isn't DRM it's just a delivery system.

    PS there is a a script for showing your owned content and I'm searching for my bookmark for it. Will post when I locate it.

    Found it, may not do what you want exactly but worth checking out if you haven't already:

    Cyberfox's "My Products" marklet - http://3dwishlist.com/bookmarklet

    Post edited by Pack58 on
  • KLH22KLH22 Posts: 20

    If the files are encrypted - then its DRM.

     

  • SorelSorel Posts: 1,417
    edited March 2016
    KLH22 said:

    n/a

    Post edited by Sorel on
  • Nyghtfall3DNyghtfall3D Posts: 814
    KLH22 said:

    Is Daz Connect the way of the future ?

    If it is, I'm that much more thankful I started learning how to play the Violin.

  • Daywalker DesignsDaywalker Designs Posts: 3,586

    Not really; it makes sense to limit which delivery option will be used for encrypted content, but that does not make the delivery option the encryption. And, I thought Smart Content was supposed to help users find stuff to use in a scene; it came well before Connect did.

  • Pack58Pack58 Posts: 750
    edited March 2016
    KLH22 said:

    If the files are encrypted - then its DRM.

     

    Yes but it is the encryption that is DRM not DAZ-Connect.
    Even if DAZ-Connect is the only way to install encrypted content.

    Personally I have no intention of buying encrypted content at anything above 10% of the advertised retail price (and only then because of the 12 month limit) but I can't wait to replace my existing hardware and start using Connect.

    EDIT: Of course the closer to encryption expiring a product gets then the more it's worth to me.

    Post edited by Pack58 on
  • KLH22KLH22 Posts: 20

    Pack58 - you are indeed correct. Sorry for the confusion. I am referring to "Encrypted Daz Connect" which is how Daz is refering to it on the product pages of encrypted products.

    I will edit the opening post to help clearify that.

     

     

  • DanGer777DanGer777 Posts: 65

    I'm afraid I don't understand the Daz Connect. From what I just read above, is it going to limit usage of products you purchase and download via DC for a specific time? I thought it was just a way to control folks from using models that others created and 3d printing them and selling them as their own.

    ~confused in Wonderland frown

  • fixmypcmikefixmypcmike Posts: 19,710
    DanGer777 said:

    I'm afraid I don't understand the Daz Connect. From what I just read above, is it going to limit usage of products you purchase and download via DC for a specific time? I thought it was just a way to control folks from using models that others created and 3d printing them and selling them as their own.

    ~confused in Wonderland frown

    Neither.  It's a way of downloading and installing content inside Daz Studio.  Some products will be encrypted for the first 12 months, after which they are unencrypted and can be installed by other means.

  • BeeMKayBeeMKay Posts: 7,019

    I'm pretty sure you will find everyone's answers to your question in threads like this one:

    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/65560/encryption-discussions-go-here#latest

    http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/69628/daz-studio-4-9-pro-general-release-now-available#latest

    And especially the older DAZ Studio Beta discussions. This type of discussion has been lead since October last year, and ultimately has lead to DAZ 3D agreeing to one of the forumite's suggestion to automatically unencrypt encrypted content after a certain period of time. It might be worth if you take a look at those threads to see the kind of fighting that has happened already about the topic.

    Personally, I can understand why DAZ is encrypting content. I am not happy about it, but I am glad that they were willing to listen to everyone's concerns and meet us half-way. I trust them to keep up their part of the deal; ultimately, we will see how things work out after 12 months.

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 109,705

    As noted, theer is an existing thread on this topic which daz staff have been reading so I am locking this one.

This discussion has been closed.