This topic is unfortunately going to be really confusing for offices that need to run older versions of ArchiCAD.

This Wiki article describes the key situation - WIBU vs Codemeter:
http://www.archicadwiki.com/ProtectionKey

Note that with a WIBU key (blue USB keyplug), you can run versions 6 through 13 (current).

Codemeter keys can currently ONLY run 13. As noted in that Wiki article, patches for 10, 11 and 12 are supposed to be released later this month that will allow them to be run with Codemeter. But, it sounds like there is no intention of supporting any earlier versions which will limit Codemeter users to the read/write capabilities (for older projects) listed here:
http://www.archicadwiki.com/ArchiCAD%20versions

This versioning thing won't matter to most firms. But, for a few, they will have no way of opening really old projects if they switch to codemeter.

I like rwallis' idea of giving firms an old WIBU key so that they can run older versions if necessary. That WIBU could be set to only run AC 9, for example, so that it could not be used as an extra license for current versions, thus being of limited risk/value to Graphisoft.

As far as mixing Codemeter and WIBU keys in the same network, I believe that only matters if you are using the network functionality of these keys - what has until now been called a 'network key', containing multiple licenses. Apparently the key server software cannot cope with having both devices on the same subnet.

What is still not clear to me is if an office has individual keys (single license - not network/multi-license) and they do not install, or otherwise disable the Wkserver functionality, then each key is a standalone, workstation device and I do not see why it should matter if there are both types of keys in the office.

Example case: as a consultant, I go to a firm to provide training and they want me to connect to their network to review one of their projects on the projector. I've got my WIBU key in my laptop (with wkserver disabled) and they have all Codemeter in their network. I don't think there should be a problem, but this isn't crystal clear in anything I've read yet.

Just as you can access a WIBU key over the internet, I believe that there will be a remote access for the Codemeter license. Haven't seen the details though, if so. (If you set up a VPN, you can access the key and all network resources as if you are in the office, so that's another way of getting at things remotely.)

The negatives of the Artlantis (Revit too?) method of internet activation/deactivation of licenses, which permits transferring a license to another computer are several. If you forget to deactivate a license at work before you go home, then you don't have a license. If the license server in France is down, or the internet is down, you cannot activate a license. If someone activates a license at home just before they go on a one month vacation, then you can't get that license back very easily (like a codemeter expiration). Most of these are things you just get used to, though. (Although there is one more: if you are running out the door, it is easy to grab the WIBU without turning your computer on. With Artlantis, you've got to boot up, run Artlantis, deactivate, quit, shut down.)

I'm sure clarity is on the horizon. 😉

Karl

PS. Just reading here:

http://www.archicadwiki.com/CodeMeter

and was surprised to see that while a codemeter key will work with AC 10 through 13 (after the patches for 10 through 12 are released) ... that license borrowing will ONLY work with 13. That seems like a problem for a lot of firms that will be finishing projects in 12 (or 11) while starting them in 13, yet who want the license borrowing feature.

Borrowable licenses are only available for ArchiCAD 13, MEP Modeler for ArchiCAD 13 and EcoDesigner for ArchiCAD 13. You can not run ArchiCAD 12 and earlier with a borrowed license.

I have a headache from reading all of the 'gotchas' on that page...

Karl