KVR Audio

naujpablo · Post by **naujpablo** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 4:53 am

This is a boring a story, so i'll do the "too long, didn't read" version right away: NI suddenly made kontakt 5 for mac (not windows) 64 bit only since version 5.6.0. They didn't even announced it and if you updated, your projects are now unusable.

Now the long version: why is this dangerous? because it means that NI is following a very dangerous approach by forcing users of an old product to update to new technologies even if they don't want to or simply can't, because many users need a 32bit host because of reasons. What if they do the same for other products? Massive? FM8? Suddenly unusable for many users?

I mean, NI can push 64bit and new technologies on their new product, like they did with Reaktor 6 which is 64bit only. And that's fine, because Reaktor 6 has never been 32 bit and I accept that is a new product i can't use. But kontakt 5? it's been around many years and has always been 32bit. So many users (like me) had their projects with kontakt 5 32bit. But NI suddenly decides that now it's a 64 bit software. And they don't even explain a solution and i had to google and contact customer support to discover that i had to download an older version and install it in order to make it work.

My point is: NI can't just decide to make a product obsolete with an update because they want to push a new technology. We bought one thing and want to see that thing work as intended until the end, even if they drop support and updates; it has to still work in my old machines. Because that's what i paid for. It's like Ford sold me a car and a year later, they do a software update in my car and now i can't make it work. Just ridiculous.

And this is dangerous because if they update older products like this, older project will be unusable for many people because please understand: we are not using 64 bit and we have our reasons. No one can discuss us that. And we bought a product that worked under 32bit and now it doesn't. That's a d*ck move.

Taurus · Post by **Taurus** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:23 am

It's time to kick all 32Bit apps to the moon.

ZeePok · Post by **ZeePok** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 5:52 am

naujpablo wrote: (...)
My point is: NI can't just decide to make a product obsolete with an update because they want to push a new technology. We bought one thing and want to see that thing working work as intended until the end, even if they drop support it will work in my old machines. Because that's what i paid for. It's like Ford sold me a car and a year later, they do a software update in my car and now i can't make it work. Just ridiculous
(...)

I feel for you because I'm in the same boat, still very content with 32-bit only, but; Yes, they very well can do that. It's in your license.

As for ... "until the end". Well the "end" is clearly Now. The threshold lies thus with version 5.6.0. If you want to continue you'll have follow. If you (or others, like myself) don't you'll have to stick with the version that still does work for you.

(and it won't stop working

)

SeeingInMidi · Post by **SeeingInMidi** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 6:11 am

Taurus wrote:It's time to kick all 32Bit apps to the moon.

Same with Windows xp. Learn to adapt.

deastman · Post by **deastman** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 6:52 am

I felt the same way when Apple moved from the 6502 in the Apple ][ to the 68000 in the Mac.

.jon · Post by **.jon** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:39 am

"new technology"

"because of reasons"

Spitfire31 · Post by **Spitfire31** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:43 am

It's worth mentioning that the just released (and wonderful!) NI Session Guitarist - Strummed Acoustic 2 actually works with Kontakt 5.5.2, while some indigenous libs demand 5.6. That's a big relief to me, since I'm holding off updating to 5.6.1 because of some continuing horror stories.

/Joachim

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 8:00 am

5.6.1 works great here.

Deisss · Post by **Deisss** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:01 am

I would say that dropping support for 32bits is a good thing.

The music industry in general is insanely slow to adapt. I still don't understand why lots of companies out there advertise to use 32bits for a long time while 64bits was on the way to go, it makes no sense at all, it's was obvious, clear, and an evidence for anyone that if you switch to 64bits asap, you will be part of the next generation while the 32bits will die no matter what.

So, a company switching to 64bits, big deal, for ages if you do things the right way you should have frozen all your tracks to be sure to save the original sound once you don't touch the project anymore, this is common sense really. That is your mistake not NI problem.

layzer · Post by **layzer** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:11 am

Taurus wrote:It's time to kick all 32Bit apps to the moon.

SeeingInMidi wrote:Same with Windows xp. Learn to adapt.

learn that its not the tools you use but the skill behind their use.

SampleScience · Post by **SampleScience** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 9:51 am

Looks likes 32 bit plugins are now what VHS were to DVD, then DVD to Blu-Ray, then Blu-Ray to 4K Blu-Ray.

Touch The Universe · Post by **Touch The Universe** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 10:01 am

I wouldn't be to worried, makes sense to push for 64bit for huge kontakt libraries, not so much for synths.

ATS · Post by **ATS** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 10:07 am

you're still on 32 bit?

layzer · Post by **layzer** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 10:08 am

Touch The Universe wrote:I wouldn't be to worried, makes sense to push for 64bit for huge kontakt libraries, not so much for synths.

i would wait for 128bit so i could have that terabyte piano library with the 500 pianos that sound slightly duller than each other.

Burillo · Post by **Burillo** » Wed Nov 23, 2016 10:09 am

it's time to move on from 32 bit plugins in any case. any host worth its salt can open projects in different versions (i.e. projects made in 32-bit REAPER can be opened in 64-bit REAPER), and many of them have bit bridges (and if not, jBridge/32 Lives are available), so there's literally no reason to use a 32-bit host. if you're using an ancient OS/host - don't be surprised the progress has left you behind, you can't force developers to support legacy technologies forever. if you don't like it - don't update.

as a software developer, i understand the pain of maintaining compatibility with older platforms, and any developer who drops it always has my full support, even though the result might end up locking me out of something.

Native Instruments is pushing 64bit even on older products...