I fully agree! It is absurd!!!!!!
I wish the heck that others would not steal our software and post it on crack sites, but I can't control that. However, to stay in business and recapture our investment over the past 4 years developing Hoster, we had to do something to lock it to a single computer.
We clearly are evolving a new protection, and every complaint is listened to. We can't make this as easy as "no security", but we will also work closely with our paying clients to keep their copy of Hoster running.
One problem comes in when you want to run 2 or more copies of Hoster at the same time. You need to buy them.
The other problem, which you are pointing out, is what we will do when your ethernet card/module fails. We have been developing a better security method that will allow us to clearly know when Hoster is being installed on a second computer, versus the ethernet card/port on the one you have been running on has failed and you need to get running again. We are addressing this problem and will continue to improve our securing method with each release.
Hoster 2.0 has a far superior Installation program that sets us up to provide a simpler means to install Hoster and register it on a computer. It even allows you to install it on a computer that is not on-line to the Internet. However, this takes a bit more work. Our primary direction is the easiest installation when you are on-line.
We will not damage our reputation by having shows shut down if we can do anything to prevent it. If your card fails an hour before your Saturday night show, there is not much we can do. Neither could other programs or hardware that fails. That is a fact of life. However, Monday morning we can get you running again.
I hope this give some light on this, even though it is not yet the definitive answer. Some things cannot be put in public at this time.
Just keep in mind, MTU will not be the cause of shutting down your show if you contact us during normal business hours!So far, we are not aware of a show failing with Hoster. 