My Biggest beef about Rhino 6 is the reliance on a web connection

So do thousands of other citizens from other entities and locales - many of which we serve.

I work regularly with organizations throughout the world that know how to secure their networks. Sometimes it is quite a chore to get Rhino to work in their secure environments. They never allow the computer to access the internet for any reason.

I’ve never heard of a secure entity (Apple, Google, the Chinese military, etc.) that trusts external vendor software to ensure their data security. A basic premise of security is the principle of least privilege - only allow the things that must be allowed for a given task to be successfully completed.

Network and data security is something we take very seriously for our own network and data; that’s why we don’t house or transmit your data without your explicit permission (when Rhino crashes, we ask for the model, that’s the only time I can think of that we ask for your data, and it’s strictly optional). I strongly encourage you to set up your own network to match the level of security your work demands, and not trust any software to do it for you.

If you remain concerned, I encourage you to install your license as a single-computer license on the computer you want to use. If you need to use Rhino on multiple computers, buy a license for each one. Secure environments is one reason why single-computer licensing still exists in Rhino.

Thanks! This is very important info for me.

Yep, I had an issue with the Cloud Zoo connection the other night (14/6/18, ~10pm AEST). It was probably the first time in a few weeks I opened Rhino6, it couldn’t connect even though I had internet, so I had no option but to go with Rhino5 for that project. Felt a bit stupid, especially because I wasted about 30mins trying to get it to work. I logged out and in manually on the website, tried tethering my phone for a different internet connection, nothing worked. Just tried again now and it’s all working, but doesn’t fill me with confidence.
Is there a way we could check out a cloud zoo license? Mostly I’m on my desktop, so I could just check it out permanently and if I need to move I can check it in and move it over to the laptop.
Cheers,
Steven

All very well, but half the time I have to work/take laptop to work in places with no internet. Then what?

This reliance on assuming there is internet everywhere is getting to be annoying - not just in this case.

Right now, will bin v6 and stay with 5. Very disappointing release this one.

Install your license locally and you can work anywhere without an internet connection for as long as you want…

great, so I have to remember to transfer the licence every time from standalone desktop to travelling laptop every time I go somewhere. Which is a lot.

No thanks, stick with v5 and it’s limitations. How about offering a dongle based licence? Could live with that as it’s simple and don’t need to fart around with the internet - which is not that reliable out here int the sticks.

Well, currently your choice is between that and buying a second license.

Also your choice…

Not my choice… dongles are a pain in the a$$ and they get lost or broken. Plus your dealer would have to load the license into the dongle and send it to you via postal mail, which will add to delays, add to the cost and might be even more unreliable than the internet in some parts of the world.

You think it will be better for v7?

Well as with various Windows ‘upgrades’ sometimes it’ better to sit them out…and this version has all the signs.

In my opinion, it is dirty, unprintable word.:face_vomiting:

I don’t like them either but a real PIA if I get called out to have to turn on desktop and then transfer the licence etc.
The real world doesn’t always have internet. This is corporate only mentality for you.

And if you lose, break, or someone steals your dongle when you’re in the middle of nowhere?

I know…would be a * sight easier to be able to put a matching copy on a desktop plus laptop and have to do none of that. Only sayin…

New post from @aj1

Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience.

I would like to take a moment to clear up some misconceptions that seem to come up over and over again:

Do I need an Internet connection to run Rhino in Cloud Zoo?
Yes, once every 15 days or so.

Can I run Rhino offline?
Yes, for about 15 days from the moment your device disconnects from the Internet. Rhino will give you a heads up when its time to go back online. When you connect back to the internet, Rhino will refresh your license and you will have another 15 days or so to go offline, and so on and so forth.

How do I switch licenses from one computer to another using Cloud Zoo?
The process happens automatically. You can login on any computer that has Rhino 6 installed without worrying about having your license key handy. You don’t need to logout in your previous computer or close Rhino there either. Cloud Zoo enforces the license agreement transparently. Furthermore, if you have used Rhino in the last 15 days on a device, you don’t need an internet connection to switch licenses.

If Cloud Zoo goes down, will I be able to use Rhino?
Yes, if you are within the 15 day window. Essentially this is the same scenario as running Rhino offline. If you just purchased Rhino, then you won’t be able to add your license to Cloud Zoo. If you haven’t run Rhino in 15 days, and you happen to need to run Rhino while Cloud Zoo is down, you will not be able to run Rhino.

How often does Cloud Zoo go down?
According to our servers, Cloud Zoo uptime is 99.54% for the past 30 days. Clearly this is lower than our target of 99.99% . As in the last big shut down a couple of months ago, we’ve learned lessons and are proactively taking steps to reach our uptime goals–and stay there consistently.

AJ

Yep. That’s the way it was… Ain’t no more…

Fixed.
Thanks for the properly administered dope-slap.

Hi @Hughw,

It’s really difficult to make things work for generalizations. We’ve thought through a number of very specific strategies for making the Cloud Zoo work for a wide variety of people, and in a wide variety of connected and disconnected settings.

I’m still not sure what wouldn’t work for you in your situation. Can you please describe some specific circumstances? Perhaps the Cloud Zoo will work just fine for you - we don’t really know without knowing more details.

Wait until you try opening Fusion 360! I sometimes wait a half hour before it gets logged into the AutoDesk servers. Not sure what is going on but I often have to go to a AD website, log in there, find my license for 360 and then go re-start my router and then try once more to open F360. It is very frustrating. I’ll stick with Rhino6 for now.

As I said - if I wanted to have v6 on the laptop then have to change the licence over, then change it back on return and its another layer of time and hassle to remember and have to do that.

Regular place for laptop work has intermittent internet at best. I’m a one man band designer, frequently have to take the laptop to a yard to help explain how something goes to together.

Relying on the internet is a no-no for me, so personally r5 is probably the end of the road.

@hughw Not sure if you know this but you don’t have to return the license before using it on another device. If you get home from work and forgot to log out you just start your laptop and you’ll get a message something like the license is in use and do you want to use it on this device, just click yes. You sound like you;re convinced v6 is not for you but switching licenses is pretty easy if you have access to the net for 2 minutes.

Mark

thanks - but it’s that reliance on having internet that is the issue for me. It’s up there with car parks where you have to have a mobile to be able to use them!