Started up the computer for the day and launched SU per the usual ritual. Greeted with:
And yes, I’ve been around long enough to know about the 28 day refresh clock and the need to re-login on the Trimble site. But come on, what about a more respectful, considerate and informative dialog box message. The shock reaction alone has to be responsible for confusion and angry support calls. Why not simply provide the customer with a polite request to re-login and reset their 28 day cycle. 
Agreed
Understand your being a bit upset by these crazy pop up boxes. But I have to say when I read the message/warning I laugh so hard I almost pee my pants. Want to know how I can continue to use SU if I can’t open a new or existing file ? Who the heck writes this stuff ?
You know what would be even more helpful? Fully inform every user and keep them current by including in the splash screen every time you launch SketchUp the date the last license check was performed and the date by which you need to log in again. Let the user manually re-log in before the timer runs out if they want. What if you board a plane or go on vacation on an island in Maine without internet and it pulls this on you? If you know it’s coming, give the user the ability to plan ahead.
@tuna1957, you had the same reaction that I did (without the pee). I’m sitting there, SU is running, but unable to open a file or create a new one. Only option is to exit the program and try to understand what that stupid dialog box really meant. Oh, and get angry all over again about the Subscription model ( topic has already been discussed endlessly ).
Excellent point. Customer pays a yearly license fee with the expectation of being able to use the software at her/his discretion, not Trimble’s. Bit like playing russian roulette with all chambers loaded. 
Who keeps track of their 28 day clock? 
Don’t mean to be a butinsky in a Pro discussion…but curiosity is killin’ me here.
Besides the “scare tactic” and inconsiderate, impolite warning, if you try to launch SU, are are greeted with that message…I have to ask, how can you “continue to use SketchUp” if you can’t start a new file or open an existing file? Does continuing to use SU mean simply launching the program and then sit there staring at it adorning the display as if mesmerized by an interesting wallpaper?
The current document you are working on can be modified and saved. If you see the message when you first open SketchUp, you would sign out and sign in again, without needing to close SketchUp. That takes care of the 28 days later issue.
Another time when the message may appear is when you are trying to make the most of your subscription, and you are signed in on a couple of your work machines, fully intending to sign out so that you can sign in at home. You forget to sign out, and the only work around at home would be to deauthorize the devices that are using that subscription. That leaves you able to work at home. When you get back to the office SketchUp will still be open, but you will then see the message about not being licensed. Which is the case, because you had deauthorized that machine.
Again, without quitting SketchUp you can sign out and sign in again, and that machine becomes authorized again. Assuming you had remembered to sign out at home.
We do have requests in the system to ask for the messaging to be improved.
I have a laptop with SU installed (also on one desktop) that I use on the job site, infrequently. Some of the job sites are remote and do not have cell service. Could this situation result in my not being able to use SU? I am often in a hurry to travel to the job site and do not power on the laptop and launch/login to SU prior to departing. Guess I will need to add this to my departure checklist.
Making sure to have recently logged in before going to a non-cell area would be good idea.
Even then the problem should only happen if between the time you were online and the time you were offline, the 28 days was exceeded. For that case you would still be able to work on the file that you have open.
The worse case steps would be to close SketchUp right before the 28 days is about to tick over, go to a remote site, wait for the 28 days to trigger, and then try to open the model you need to look at.
You should change it to an image of the “soup Nazi”:
“NO SKETCHUP FOR YOU”
So change them! Like in the next release. This week. It can’t possibly be that hard. Seriously.
I have taken to liking the way Rhino’s licensing works. The user has three options:
Rhino is just one app, Rhino desktop, whereas SketchUp pro includes three desktop apps and some web-based apps, Mobile apps and even Trimble connect with even more desktop apps.
So a bit more complicated at least.
I got to like the way Altair handles licensing their suite of 150 or more apps, including the Hyperworks suite for companies teams and employees that not always work with the same app all the time.
You don’t buy a specific software solution but instead buy units that will give you access to all solutions in their software suite.
Translated to SketchUp, suppose the SketchUp and LayOut app are worth 2 units and StyleBuilder is worth one. The SketchUp Pro suite would coast 5 units.
A company that buys 10 units could have four users of SketchUp and one for LayOut, instead of just two.
The usage is monitored in the cloud and based on real time usage, but one can ‘borrow’ or fix a machine for offline usage as well.(those units won’t join the pool)
Companies that have enough units could have access to all of Trimble’s ever growing portfolio of apps.
On a different but related note, I’ve pointed to Panorama’s license scheme before with tokens as a way of appealing to hobbyists asking for something more tailored to their spotty use of the desktop version. It offers a way to only pay for it when you use it, and not when you don’t. Maybe kill two birds with one stone?
This whole 28 days thing sounds like it needs to go away. I have a laptop and a paid subscription and I am still at risk of not being able to use SketchUp in an area without internet. Trimble has my money don’t put my access in jeopardy in any way period.
I agree.
I guess according to EULA, they do have a rights for doing so, since you agreed:
Trimble may use your internal network and Internet connection for the purpose of transmitting license-related data at the time of installation, registration, use of or update to the Software, and for validating the authenticity of the license-related data in order to register your Software and protect Trimble against unlicensed or illegal use of the Software.
Trimble may include in the Software, a built-in license metering technology that helps you avoid any unintentional violation of this Agreement. You acknowledge that such metering module may send Trimble on-line notification confirming use of the Software. You will not disable, modify or interfere with the operation of any such module. Trimble may use your internal network for license metering.
I am not questioning what is in the agreement here. I am sure they have the right to do so. I am saying they should not do so nor write in a clause to do so. They should not go down this road at all. Subscription model is bad enough don’t go down this path.
I do not like Subscription too. Beside it is good or bad, we have it. We can choose to use or not. 
