undefined

points

[-]

You're making this up to justify subscription model guilt. Nobody (besides those on here) EXPECTS this. In fact, most would rather live with the risks than deal with subscription model, let alone the headaches of updating and it breaking everything (i.e. causing a chain reaction that you have to update EVERYTHING in order to fix a small non-issue).

I, in fact, do NOT want continuous maintenance. Ever. I will literally never turn on auto-updates for the rest of my life.

by iknowstuff9 minutes ago|

parent|

[-]

I think you’re in the minority. There are products out there that suit you. They are not mainstream products.

by hgs31 hours ago|

prev|

[-]

I think there is one major difference that separates the two eras: in ye olden days you bought software for a fixed price and while it's understood you might only receive updates for a limited time, you could continue using it so long as you had the ability to run it. For example, you didn't have to upgrade to Windows XP if you were satisfied with Windows 98. With subscriptions, it's a recurring fee to continue accessing the software at all.

by pokstad1 hours ago|

parent|

[-]

Windows sells more copies of its software the OEM route. Also, they sell specific versions that eventually end support. Today you might consider Windows almost a loss leader since Microsoft is diversified with many services on top of windows.

by simjnd30 minutes ago|

parent|

[-]

It ignores the point. If I've bought BBEdit 13 for 60 USD three years ago and I'm still happy with it, I can keep using it for the rest of my life without paying more. If I want the new features, then I can pay 40 USD to get the latest version.

This is a sane AND a sustainable model for companies, and actually creates MORE incentives for the developers to align with the user's interest: if the new update sucks and has features no one asked for, then nobody will pay for the new version and keep the old one.

There is no reason why previous versions of the software you paid a license for should effectively "disappear".

by jms70341 minutes ago|

prev|

[-]

Yep. Give people two choices.

1) Purchase a major version and get no updates.

2) Purchase a subscription and get constant updates.

by bayindirh33 minutes ago|

parent|

[-]

Or use "The Dutch Model":

Pay for the major version, get all of its updates. Then pay for update (to next major plus its updates) with a discount.

If you don't prefer the pay, you can keep what you have.

This is what BBEdit, Forklift, CameraBag and countless others do, and it works very well.

by kstrauser1 minutes ago|

parent|

[-]

Forklift only sells you a year of updates at a time now.