If you do buy an iLok dongle (it's just a USB plugin key), be sure to shop around. If you buy it from iLok, it will cost you $49. But you can get the same thing from Amazon for $39 (and when I got mine, it was on sale for $29).

But for the sound libraries from AIR (such as XPAND!2), you only need the software iLok manager installed on your computer. When you register XPAND!2, you receive authorization for two licenses. Installing it on just that one machine locks a license to only that machine. Installing it on the Dongle allows you to install the software on multiple machines, but only use it when the Dongle is inserted. Even then, you still have to download and install the iLok Manager software (whether using the soft authorization or the hardware authorization).

If you install it locally on your machine and your hard drive crashes, you may end up losing the license or will have to pay to re-instate it. With the hardware dongle, it possibly might fail also, but iLok does offer an insurance policy (not free) to keep you up and running even in the event of failure.

I know, it's all so confusing.

John

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