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Thing is, software unlike say a book or a movie has sometimes significant maintenance costs. There are always bugs to be fixed, security vulnerabilities are fou
by cletus 9y ago
Thing is, software unlike say a book or a movie has sometimes significant maintenance costs. There are always bugs to be fixed, security vulnerabilities are found, third-party libraries need to be upgraded and so on.
The danger of the one-off model is that it sometimes creates the wrong incentives. Features and even bug fixes get pushed into newer versions, which may even delay their release until there's enough of them to justify a new version.
A good example of this going awry is the RAW file processing for Photoshop (pre-subscription). Newer cameras would get added to new versions of the Camera Raw plugin but you needed a new version of Photoshop to use the newer Camera Raw versions.
I honestly don't mind the subscription model and I think Jetbrains has about the best one of all: you get constant acess to upgrades. When you choose to stop subscribing, that simply locks in the latest version you can use (ie you don't lose access entirely).
The problem is many companies price subscriptions wrong. They say "our software costs $600 so we should charge $50/month". Because, you know, recouping that cost in a year is somehow reasonable.
- tjoff 9y agoWell, in contrast to a physical thing selling two copies is exactly as costly as selling one. I'd argue that that more than covers the cost of continued development. I can't say I recognize that wrong incentives in real life and I've yet to find a single piece of software that I'm willing to pay a subscription for. It all comes down to business ethics, are you trying to rip off your customers? Most can't afford to piss off their paying users so they play nice (and I hope that is not the only reason they are being reasonable).
- webbrahmin 9y agoI completely agree with you. I was a user of Balsamiq mock-up tool. But since they moved on to subscription model I stopped using it.
- arkitaip 9y agoBalsamic mockups desktop is still a single 99 USD purchase. Maybe you thinking of the other versions?
- xapata 9y agoI happily subscribe to bunches of services. Some I don't even use, I'm just keeping the option open. Am I being ripped off? I don't think so.
- tjoff 9y agoWell, I didn't mean to say that people buying subscriptions are being ripped off. But rather that companies that don't offer subscriptions can't game on features and bug-fixes just to fish for upgrade fees before people feel (rightly so) ripped off. There is an implicit agreement on the support provided and if the company fails to deliver that people won't play along.
- xapata 9y agoIsn't that the other way around? If I buy a license and I find a bug a year later, there's no guarantee of a fix. If I am subscribing, I can threaten to cancel.
- tjoff 9y agoIt was a direct response to the parent. Also, if you loose access when you stop subscribing that is actually much harder to do compared to not paying for an upgrade if you "own" a license of the software.
- xapata 9y agoGood point. I guess your stance will depend on how troublesome the bug or feature request is.
- mattacular 9y agoYou're merely ripping yourself off sounds like :)
- tomc1985 9y agoNot everyone feels that way. Some services are worth it of course, but there are a lot of pretenders that have entered the picture who do not sell things worthy of a subscription. There is an older model of software as eternal, you finish the program and then move on to the next bigger and better program. At least then your old userbase doesn't get as shafted.
- s73ver_ 9y ago"Well, in contrast to a physical thing selling two copies is exactly as costly as selling one." Statements like this ignore the costs of creating it in the first place.
- bendev_test 9y agoNo, they don't. Even if the costs of creation were extremely high, selling more copies wouldn't change these costs.