5 ms·

How many products need constant feature updates? Aside from security/compatibility there are plenty of products that already meet everything required of them (t

How many products need constant feature updates? Aside from security/compatibility there are plenty of products that already meet everything required of them (to near everyone). How many new features does a file manager need? An PDF reader? For Facebook - I don't think forced subscription would work. People would be forced to think about how much they value the service (a less ubiquitous one at that).

hk__2 8y ago
> How many products need constant feature updates? Aside from security/compatibility there are plenty of products that already meet everything required of them (to near everyone). How many new features does a file manager need? An PDF reader? Do you have any example of file managers or PDF readers with a subscription-based model?
- zerowellies 8y ago
  Adobe Acrobat Pro, Foxit Phantom PDF. I'll concede I can't think of a file manager though.
  - chrisseaton 8y ago
    But those are PDF editors, not PDF readers.
    - zerowellies 8y ago
      True. How many new features do they need? What about word processors? Photo editors? Email clients? There are new features that could be useful, but for many users their needs are already fulfilled. Why should they have to continue paying for Photoshop as a service if they're happy with the current version? I apologise for my poor examples.
      - chrisseaton 8y ago
        > Why should they have to continue paying for Photoshop as a service if they're happy with the current version? Ultimately - because the person who owns the rights for the software wants to keep charging them and since it's their software they decide what is charged for it, end of story. If it's not a good deal for you, go somewhere else. There's no point arguing about prices beyond that. There's no 'should' in prices - only what people want to charge and what people want to pay.
        zerowellies 8y ago
        Right, they pay more because the company wills it and people (I think) are more receptive to subscribitions. This is what the author of the article is complaining about and the reason consumer advocacy groups exist.
  - mmel 8y ago
    >can't think of a file manager though http://dopus.com/ http://dopus.com/ not exactly subscription, but you buy a major version, and each new major version is a new purchase.
- nvr219 8y ago
  No
cube2222 8y ago
Not only feature updates. Also everyday bug, security updates and also operating costs. 1. Operating system 2. Programming IDE 3. Password Manager 4. Well I pay subscription for Netflix and Spotify but that's not really for the updates. Partly for new content, partly operating costs. 5. Facebook (I'd prefer to cover the operating costs by subscription, I really dislike ads) 6. Email - same as above Also, actually I'd like all the services I use to provide feature updates now and then and continue trying to innovate. Edit: also, if you do feature updates every now and then. Like it was with Windows or Photoshop. Then you end up having to support a lot of parallel versions with security and bug fixes which is wasted work really.
- zerowellies 8y ago
  The model works for you - great. There are users who don't care for constant feature updates and rather own a product than perpetually rent it.
  - cube2222 8y ago
    I do understand that. I'm not saying there's one size fits all. I just don't agree that subscribtions are inherently bad. But - if those preferring a perpetual license were to be a strong minority, there would be no business incentive to make products in such a way.
- AlexandrB 8y ago
  > 3. Password Manager This one is a total non-starter for subscription pricing. I'm not willing to use software that will potentially cut access to all my accounts if I stop paying them monthly.
  - cube2222 8y ago
    Check out 1password. Read access is retained, and you still have everything stored offline.
    - yurishimo 8y ago
around_here 8y ago
Not too mention when the features just become some massive bloat and ruin the core features of the product. Chat applications are pretty much the worst offender for this kind of thing.

hk__2 8y ago

> How many products need constant feature updates? Aside from security/compatibility there are plenty of products that already meet everything required of them (to near everyone). How many new features does a file manager need? An PDF reader? Do you have any example of file managers or PDF readers with a subscription-based model?

zerowellies 8y ago
Adobe Acrobat Pro, Foxit Phantom PDF. I'll concede I can't think of a file manager though.
- chrisseaton 8y ago
  But those are PDF editors, not PDF readers.
  - zerowellies 8y ago
    True. How many new features do they need? What about word processors? Photo editors? Email clients? There are new features that could be useful, but for many users their needs are already fulfilled. Why should they have to continue paying for Photoshop as a service if they're happy with the current version? I apologise for my poor examples.
    - chrisseaton 8y ago
      > Why should they have to continue paying for Photoshop as a service if they're happy with the current version? Ultimately - because the person who owns the rights for the software wants to keep charging them and since it's their software they decide what is charged for it, end of story. If it's not a good deal for you, go somewhere else. There's no point arguing about prices beyond that. There's no 'should' in prices - only what people want to charge and what people want to pay.
      - zerowellies 8y ago
        Right, they pay more because the company wills it and people (I think) are more receptive to subscribitions. This is what the author of the article is complaining about and the reason consumer advocacy groups exist.
- mmel 8y ago
  >can't think of a file manager though http://dopus.com/ http://dopus.com/ not exactly subscription, but you buy a major version, and each new major version is a new purchase.
nvr219 8y ago
No

cube2222 8y ago

Not only feature updates. Also everyday bug, security updates and also operating costs. 1. Operating system 2. Programming IDE 3. Password Manager 4. Well I pay subscription for Netflix and Spotify but that's not really for the updates. Partly for new content, partly operating costs. 5. Facebook (I'd prefer to cover the operating costs by subscription, I really dislike ads) 6. Email - same as above Also, actually I'd like all the services I use to provide feature updates now and then and continue trying to innovate. Edit: also, if you do feature updates every now and then. Like it was with Windows or Photoshop. Then you end up having to support a lot of parallel versions with security and bug fixes which is wasted work really.

zerowellies 8y ago
The model works for you - great. There are users who don't care for constant feature updates and rather own a product than perpetually rent it.
- cube2222 8y ago
  I do understand that. I'm not saying there's one size fits all. I just don't agree that subscribtions are inherently bad. But - if those preferring a perpetual license were to be a strong minority, there would be no business incentive to make products in such a way.
AlexandrB 8y ago
> 3. Password Manager This one is a total non-starter for subscription pricing. I'm not willing to use software that will potentially cut access to all my accounts if I stop paying them monthly.
- cube2222 8y ago
  Check out 1password. Read access is retained, and you still have everything stored offline.
  - yurishimo 8y ago

around_here 8y ago

Not too mention when the features just become some massive bloat and ruin the core features of the product. Chat applications are pretty much the worst offender for this kind of thing.