Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software
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I was talking to a ScreenConnect / Connectwise Control tech support about some of the updates they just released for their product. Currently I have to run a Windows server and buy CALS for just running Screenconnect. When I asked if the updates would allow Linux servers to run over 1,000 clients they say because of the fact they use mono and not .NET in Linux you have to run Windows.
The tech wanted to argue that you can run Windows 10 as their software install doesn't make it a server.
From their own website: "Windows
Note: The server installation requires .NET 4.7.1 and above.Windows 7
Windows 8.1
Windows 10
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2
Windows Server 2016
Windows Server 2019"Windows 10 EULA specifies what you can do with the software and specifically says you can not use it as a server. Of course Mesh Central is an easy fix, but it just bugs me that they have essentially become 'ghost ship software' vendors. (At least for Linux users)
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@CCWTech said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
"Windows
Note: The server installation requires .NET 4.7.1 and above.
Windows 7
Windows 8.1
Windows 10
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2
Windows Server 2016
Windows Server 2019"So can you admit your company suggests breaking the law to deploy your software?
Allen Crist 09:09 AM
No we admit that we interpret the EULA different than you.
Tony Seunbane 09:10 AM
And different from how Microsoft interprets it? I have asked Microsoft Licensing Desk Employees and they stated exactly what I have. Keep in mind these are Microsoft employees that specialize in licensing.
Allen Crist 09:11 AM
I understand where you are coming from. I can only tell you what our PM stance on this is. -
Wow, that's disconcerting.
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@jmoore said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
Wow, that's disconcerting.
Yes, especially when they advertise that Linux is a supported OS for the server. There is no mention on their system requirements that you have to be a small shop so that the software will actually work. They proclaim they are compatible until you actually buy the software and use it.
Especially when the EULA is so clear. This isn't a 1,000 page document. It's very specific as to here is what you can do with Windows 10 and here is what you cant.
We interpret a different way... I'm going to use that the next time I get pulled over for speeding and see if that works out for me!
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Just because you are capable of doing something doesn't mean you're allowed to.
Obviously ConnectWise is of the stance, that "If MS didn't want you to do this they would stop you".
To which any sane person would say "How would MS know what is going to be installed on any OS?"
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To ask, can't you install .net on linux? Maybe the vendor is just being lazy or there is just some functionality that isn't in the linux version so it doesn't work there.
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@DustinB3403 said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
To ask, can't you install .net on linux? Maybe the vendor is just being lazy or there is just some functionality that isn't in the linux version so it doesn't work there.
Yes, they specifically said that they will never do .NET on linux because they would have to 'completely re-write' their software. The windows version is .net but in linux they built it on mono.
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@CCWTech said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
@DustinB3403 said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
To ask, can't you install .net on linux? Maybe the vendor is just being lazy or there is just some functionality that isn't in the linux version so it doesn't work there.
Yes, they specifically said that they will never do .NET on linux because they would have to 'completely re-write' their software. The windows version is .net but in linux they built it on mono.
Gotcha, so they are being lazy or don't have the capability any more to update the code on linux.
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@DustinB3403 said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
@CCWTech said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
@DustinB3403 said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
To ask, can't you install .net on linux? Maybe the vendor is just being lazy or there is just some functionality that isn't in the linux version so it doesn't work there.
Yes, they specifically said that they will never do .NET on linux because they would have to 'completely re-write' their software. The windows version is .net but in linux they built it on mono.
Gotcha, so they are being lazy or don't have the capability any more to update the code on linux.
Yes, especially 'dirty' is that they proclaim to work on linux. They don't specify a limit.
You must buy the product, install it and then find out that it doesn't work on the OS they say it works on. If there is a limit, it should be disclosed prior to buying.
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@DustinB3403 said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
@CCWTech said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
@DustinB3403 said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
To ask, can't you install .net on linux? Maybe the vendor is just being lazy or there is just some functionality that isn't in the linux version so it doesn't work there.
Yes, they specifically said that they will never do .NET on linux because they would have to 'completely re-write' their software. The windows version is .net but in linux they built it on mono.
Gotcha, so they are being lazy or don't have the capability any more to update the code on linux.
And yes, that's why I used @scottalanmiller 's term of Ghost Ship Software. Since they were bought by connectwise the product really hasn't had any major changes to it.
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Why can’t they start developing on .net core instead since that will be the one that is equally being developed Microsoft for Windows, Mac and Linux?
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@black3dynamite said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
Why can’t they start developing on .net core instead since that will be the one that is equally being developed Microsoft for Windows, Mac and Linux?
Because they either don't have the desire or the talent.
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@black3dynamite said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
Why can’t they start developing on .net core instead since that will be the one that is equally being developed Microsoft for Windows, Mac and Linux?
They can. They are just unwilling to put the effort in apparently.
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@CCWTech said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
@black3dynamite said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
Why can’t they start developing on .net core instead since that will be the one that is equally being developed Microsoft for Windows, Mac and Linux?
They can. They are just unwilling to put the effort in apparently.
They can solve this by updating their system requirements. At least people are warned that it's not great software any longer: https://docs.connectwise.com/ConnectWise_Control_Documentation/Get_started/System_requirements
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@CCWTech said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
@CCWTech said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
@black3dynamite said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
Why can’t they start developing on .net core instead since that will be the one that is equally being developed Microsoft for Windows, Mac and Linux?
They can. They are just unwilling to put the effort in apparently.
They can solve this by updating their system requirements. At least people are warned that it's not great software any longer: https://docs.connectwise.com/ConnectWise_Control_Documentation/Get_started/System_requirements
That should be pretty obviously from their Windows "Server Requirements list"
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To ask, why are you looking at ConnectWise instead of MeshCentral? Does MC not support your client devices?
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@DustinB3403 said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
To ask, why are you looking at ConnectWise instead of MeshCentral? Does MC not support your client devices?
Using both. I already own SC and really wanted to be able to have two options.
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Their documentation from Dec of 2019 shows 2012 R2 as the most current supported OS for up to 10,000+ agents.
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@DustinB3403 said in Connectwise Control / Screenconnect recommends you break the law to run their software:
Their documentation from Dec of 2019 shows 2012 R2 as the most current supported OS for up to 10,000+ agents.
Yeah they changed the way they do versions for some reason, latest version is 20.2.27038.7359
I guess I am spending good money after bad by paying yearly maintenance. I just expect that fee would be for them continuing to update their product, but I suppose not so much...
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@CCWTech Are you sure you aren't paying to be able to continue to have access to your deployed version?
I'm not trying to defend them here at all, just asking what does your "yearly maintenance" actually include?
