Digital Marketing Executive at 10Duke
Creative software companies are facing new challenges as customer expectations, work environments, and software delivery models continue to evolve. The licensing approaches that worked a decade ago often struggle to support today's distributed teams, cloud-connected workflows, and growing demand for flexibility.
This was a key theme in a recent Texintel roundtable, kindly hosted by Debbie McKeegan, where 10Duke CEO Neil Fenton and NedGraphics’ President Frank Maeder discussed the future of software licensing in creative industries.
For many software vendors, licensing has traditionally relied on hardware dongles, license keys, or device-based activation. While these methods helped protect intellectual property, they can also create friction for users and increase operational complexity. As creative professionals work across multiple devices and locations, software access needs to be both secure and seamless.
"When I issue a key to a customer, it's like I walk up to a very tall brick wall. I throw the key over that wall and I have absolutely no idea who catches it on the other side."
- The security problem with keys - Neil Fenton, 10Duke
Identity-based licensing offers a modern alternative. Instead of tying a license to a specific machine or physical device, access is linked to the user. This allows software companies to provide a more flexible customer experience while maintaining control over license entitlements and usage.
The benefits extend beyond convenience. Modern licensing helps software vendors improve security, simplify license management, support hybrid and SaaS business models, and gain greater visibility into software usage. It also enables organizations to adapt more easily as customer requirements change.
Another takeaway from the discussion was the growing value of specialized licensing platforms. Building and maintaining licensing infrastructure internally can require significant resources and ongoing maintenance. By adopting a dedicated licensing solution, software companies can focus on product innovation while relying on a proven platform to handle licensing, entitlement management, and user access.
"It's almost like if licensing were to disappear completely - that's exactly the experience that we want. We don't want people to think about it."
–Frank Maeder, President, NedGraphics
At 10Duke, we believe licensing should support business growth, not create barriers for customers or development teams. Identity-based licensing provides the flexibility, security, and scalability that modern software companies need to serve creative professionals in an increasingly connected world.
As creative software continues to evolve, modern licensing is becoming more than a technical requirement. It is a strategic capability that helps software vendors deliver better customer experiences and build stronger, more sustainable businesses.
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