Vladimir Ribakov's LST System License Trap

Karl Wild

Recruit
Messages
6
Dear all,
as you know the Vendor of a software product tries to protect his work. Some are good in doing this, others are bad in doing this, but there is also category which tries to create additional business with their license terms. Or it is may be just the not understanding of the need's of the customer.

Let me explain my trouble:
I have purchased the LST system on 25th April and installed it on my work computer, played around to get used to the product. After coming home i installed it on my home computer and then the bad story started. I realized that the product is limited to one computer (my fault). I visited the Members Website to find out how I can change the license from one computer to the other computer and the problem would have been solved. But I failed because this is not allowed and such facilitie does not exist.
So I wrote to the customer support and explained the situation which is:
I have 4 computers which I frequently use. My work computer at my company, my home computer, My Laptop to be portable at work and my Macbook air for vacations. To comply with the License Agreement I have to purchase 4 license's but I only use 1 computer at the time.
I tried to explain to the customer service again and that this is not a acceptable solution to purchase 4 license's if I only use it on 1 computer and ask to do it like FAP Turbo where the license is for 1 live account and as many demo accounts as you like. If you make money with a live accout you pay regardless on how many computers it runs.
This is fair and works and if I want to change my account number I can do this in the Member Area by myself.
Believe me, I really tried it the friendly way but after four unanswered e- mail to the customer support I finally got the following answer:

"Hi Karl,

My explanation was completely misunderstood, therefore I apologize and let me please clarify: The LST is a serious and professionally built software. When you purchase the LST, like any other software (Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, Adobe Photoshop, etc. etc.) you get a license to use it on a single computer.

A behavior such as you described, of using the software on two computers, and asking support to release your licence every day, is obviously not practical, and is a violation of the terms of use of the software - the terms state that you purchased a license for use on a single computer (again, much like most other serious software product).

What you need is to use the LST on two separate computers, which means you need to purchase an additional license. You can run the LST on even 10 accounts or more (unlike FAP turbo which is limited to one account only!), as long as the 10 accounts are being used on the same computer.

As a gesture of goodwill, I can provide you with an additional license at a reduced cost. However, if you want to use it on an additional computer, you must purchase an additional license.

Regards,

Vika
Forex LST support customer care team"

And this was my answer to them back.

Dear Vika,
Your explanation was not missunderstood. I think you should not compare your software with Microsoft or Adobe software. My opinion is there is a very big difference. FAP turbo has realized that to charge money if someone wants to make money with their software on a live account and if you want to add a second account pay again, regardless on which computer the software runs. Anyway thank you for your offer about the reduced price for an additional license ( you should have written a price ), but I will not take this offer but will request a refund until your change your policy to more customer friendly license terms. In addition I will post this story today on the FPA website and others can also think about your terms and conditions before they buy. I will recommend that people who want to buy your software, should think about how they want to use your product and find out before they buy that your license terms are may be not ok for them and stay back from a purchase of your product or request a refund.
As a gesture of good will I will send you the FPA link of my post so you don't have to search for it.
Best Regards Karl Wild

I suggest to check carefully how you want to use the product and make your decision based on the usage and be aware it may become a license trap.
I have requested a refund and hope that Vladimir Ribakov will think about his license terms and conditions.
There are ways to protect software and to accommodate different usage.
Don't get trapped, get out!
 
Hello Karl,
I am an NFA registered CTA and former Stock and Commodities broker who is testing Vlad's LST, as are you. I felt compelled to reply to your post, in which you are attempting to be as fair as possible with your criticism; based on your own wishes and desires.
There is a fairly simple solution to your issue, if you are still interested in testing:
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Simply install your licensed LST system on your preferred computer, then utilize TeamViewer or GoToMyPC (free apps easily installed) to access and manipulate that base computer from any other computer anywhere in the world, anytime, via the web. This is straigtforward, and would permit you to live with the 1 computer only restriction that was fully disclosed prior to your purchase (had you been attentive to details that would effect your utilization, beforehand).
I hope this helps resolve your displeasure; otherwise, it seems to me you should be at least somewhat appreciative that Vlad's support has offered you a discount on a second license.
As a public entity myself, I do empathize with you desires; but, in dealing with the public I also respect any vendor that is earnestly marketing a system without hype or false promises; and who in my opinion, is trying to deliver precislely what he offered.
Perhaps you should have posted a Review of the LST System, rather than opening a Scam Alert?
https://www.forexpeacearmy.com/public/review/forex-lst-system.com
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Anthony Ingrassia, CTA. NY, USA. NFA ID#: 0278164
 
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Hello Anthony,
I have been thinking about your proposal to use team viewer and came to the conclusion, that the team viewer also needs a license if I use it commercially. I dropped this idea. I also considered that I have to run my computer at home and my second computer all the time if I want to trade and I'm not at home. This is not energy efficient at all. To make it short, this is not my preferred solution. My preferred solution is to not to use Vladimir s system until he changes his license policy. There are other efficient way's to protect software. I will take your advise and post this also on the LST review page.
I have requested a refund (got my money back already) and hope others do the same, to make this company think about of what they do.
I would be willing to purchase again if the license policy changes.

Karl Wild
 
Well Karl,
I am truly shocked! If you are using the LST system commercially, I have little sympathy for your plight. Just shut-up and pay for the licenses you need; either from Vlad or from TeamViewer. Teamviewer Free is a perfectly good solution for the 99.9% of indivdual users who have needs such as the one you described; and is intended specifically to solve situations like this.
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Shame on you! Energy efficiency, my ass. You can run your home computer 24/7 for $30/yr; what a crock! Surely, you are a malfeasant or else just a total crank; and I'm glad to hear Vlad has refunded you your piddling purchase price just to be rid of you. If you cannot earn the $30/yr to run your dippy laptop, I pity you.
I don't mind saying that retail customers like you are the reason commercials like me refrain from offering anything of quality to the general public. What an ingrate!
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For the general reader, please do not consider this dialogue an endorsement of the LST system. I am in the process of testing it myself, and have not yet formed an opinion on its merits. If and when I do, you will find them posted on FPA. Meanwhile, keep your eyes and ears open to any and all possibilities. Many of us have been disappointed in the past by purveyors of worthless systems; but past is not prologue, regardless of the disasterous forex systems marketing history. Seek and yea shall find; someday well get to the promised land.
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Anthony Ingrassia, CTA NFA ID#: 0278164
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Hello Anthony,
I have been thinking about your proposal to use team viewer and came to the conclusion, that the team viewer also needs a license if I use it commercially. I dropped this idea. I also considered that I have to run my computer at home and my second computer all the time if I want to trade and I'm not at home. This is not energy efficient at all. To make it short, this is not my preferred solution. My preferred solution is to not to use Vladimir s system until he changes his license policy. There are other efficient way's to protect software. I will take your advise and post this also on the LST review page.
I have requested a refund (got my money back already) and hope others do the same, to make this company think about of what they do.
I would be willing to purchase again if the license policy changes.

Karl Wild
 
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At the risk of interrupting an argument, let me interject a point.

A lot of software comes with a license to run it on a single computer. Some software lets you run on multiple computers, but only 1 at a time with a single license. If you think you will need to run something on more than one computer, check out how the license works BEFORE buying. If you don't like the license requirements, send a nice note to the seller explaining your situation. It's possible that an exception can be made or that additional workstation licenses can be had for very little extra money. A seller us much more likely to work with you if you discuss this before the sale.
 
Ditto, My sentiments, exactly; and in my opinion, a Scam Alert is no way to deal with this kind of issue.
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At the risk of interrupting an argument, let me interject a point.

A lot of software comes with a license to run it on a single computer. Some software lets you run on multiple computers, but only 1 at a time with a single license. If you think you will need to run something on more than one computer, check out how the license works BEFORE buying. If you don't like the license requirements, send a nice note to the seller explaining your situation. It's possible that an exception can be made or that additional workstation licenses can be had for very little extra money. A seller us much more likely to work with you if you discuss this before the sale.
 
my view

Ditto, My sentiments, exactly; and in my opinion, a Scam Alert is no way to deal with this kind of issue.
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I do respect your view of the story but there is no need to be agressive from your side. a scam report is may be a little be hard to report these kind of vendor strategies, but I did give the vendor a chance to state and clarify why he does this. there was no reason mentioned from the vendor.

As I mentioned before there are possibilities to protect software running on multiple computers.
For me this is still a trick to make money. By the way the 1 computer license is not mentioned in the terms and conditions, only on the web page and this is not part of the contract.

One word to energie cosumption and team viewer.
If you use team viewer commercially you have to pay the license fee. Using team viewer on a live account is such kind of use. You may violate the teamviewers license agreement but I do not.
You may also waste energy (i was not talking about cost) running 2 computers which would be not necessary if the vendors license strategy would be more sense full.
Anyway I wish you nice weekend.
P.S. there really is a slight touch that you are affiliated with the vendor, are you?
 
You can use terminal server to connect to your computer and it is free.
 
Hi guys. I'm a bit late to the party here, but from reading this thread, I think I can interject a bit here. I was in corporate IT until very recently and I had to deal with license issues from a variety of vendors on an almost daily basis. Most software comes with something called an EUA (End User Agreement) and that EUA has to be acknowledged during the install process, usually right at the start. Most people click the EUA without reading (and for good reason - it is often a long legal scribe that nobody wants to put their head around). However, in clicking the EUA, you also agree to the license terms. Often, the license terms are simple enough for the desktop environment: one copy per one computer. Installing on one PC, then moving it over may, in some cases, be allowed, but it is up to the vendor and how flexible they are for such matters.
At any rate, when buying ANY software, whether it's FOREX software, office software, video production software or whatever, the contemporary legal environment is understood that the responsibility of understanding the terms is squarely with the buyer. If you don't know the terms, ask the vendor - it should be a matter-of-course question and part of standard due diligence one would take when buying any product anywhere.
I agree with BigT1 and Pharaoh. It's not a scam; it's a license. It's a standard way of doing business. If you don't like it, don't buy it.
Athenafx and BigT1 both offered up solutions...At the risk of repeating, if you want to access from another PC, you can leave the software PC1 [let's call it that for sake of argument], then install remote access software (VNC, TeamViewer, GoToMyPC, MS terminal services or any other software) on both PC1 and your home PC, which we'll call PC2 here. Leaving PC1 on constantly, you can access PC1 via PC2 through the remote software. The problem you run into, then, is security, both in leaving PC1 on all the time, and thus, open to unauthorized access attempts, and the streaming of sensitive data over the open Internet. None of the apps mentioned above, except MS Term Services, do anything about security. Unless you have a VPN setup, you're broadcasting your traffic to the world, basically. So if PC2 is not adequately protected, someone may be able to view, record and hack your account as you access PC1. I'm assuming here that PC1, being a work PC, is protected through standard corporate firewall and anti-virus deployments.
Anyway, my two yen, FWIW.
 
I agree with Karl, as the previous poster well noted that many software licenses allow you to use their software on as many computers as you want, but only on one computer at a time. That would be fair to both Karl and to Vlad. To lock the software to only one computer is extremely user unfriendly, as most people use both a desktop and a laptop. But they don't really need to use both at the same time. It seems not enough thought went into their licensing scheme. However, it is possible that they did think about it and they really want to force you to buy two licenses, one for your desktop and another for your laptop or whatever. This approach is usually used only by companies. The bottom line though is that it's their software and they can do what they want.
 
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