It makes sense from the business’s perspective - they want a reliable way to keep funding development.
A flat fee made sense in the days when they “finished” software and then sold physical media in stores. They did the work. They’re done. They set a price and sold it in stores.
But now we’re in this weird hybrid scenario that I hate. I expect security updates for something I “bought” (especially if it’s something connected to the internet), and I understand developers need to get paid to do that. But at the same time, I just want the software I bought. I don’t really want to keep paying over and over because the developer wants to keep adding in features that weren’t there when I bought it.
I’m not so sure that’s what this is…at least at this time. The lower tiers according to the article are still a perpetual license but the support/updates will be an optional extra after 1 year. Current customers won’t be effected and they have a tier that completely avoids this.
I’m not thrilled by it, but in comparison Fusion360 went from 70 a month to 85 a month without any real reason and this doesn’t seem like the same can of bullshit.
It’s not a subscription… Yet. The nice thing is that you can just decide not to pay and you won’t lose access or anything. You just won’t get active development either.
Which I want to say sounds fair - but a lot of companies start with this premise and then it gets handed over to some MBA who decides the most long-term loyal customers are not being squeezed enough. Even just this week I recommended unraid to someone. Now though…
WTF?! Subscription based bullshit is cancer
It makes sense from the business’s perspective - they want a reliable way to keep funding development.
A flat fee made sense in the days when they “finished” software and then sold physical media in stores. They did the work. They’re done. They set a price and sold it in stores.
But now we’re in this weird hybrid scenario that I hate. I expect security updates for something I “bought” (especially if it’s something connected to the internet), and I understand developers need to get paid to do that. But at the same time, I just want the software I bought. I don’t really want to keep paying over and over because the developer wants to keep adding in features that weren’t there when I bought it.
I’m not so sure that’s what this is…at least at this time. The lower tiers according to the article are still a perpetual license but the support/updates will be an optional extra after 1 year. Current customers won’t be effected and they have a tier that completely avoids this.
I’m not thrilled by it, but in comparison Fusion360 went from 70 a month to 85 a month without any real reason and this doesn’t seem like the same can of bullshit.
It’s not a subscription… Yet. The nice thing is that you can just decide not to pay and you won’t lose access or anything. You just won’t get active development either.
Which I want to say sounds fair - but a lot of companies start with this premise and then it gets handed over to some MBA who decides the most long-term loyal customers are not being squeezed enough. Even just this week I recommended unraid to someone. Now though…
If they’re not offering security updates then it’s a subscription.