4 ms·

Customers hate paying subscriptions, but I don't see any alternative under capitalism. Someone makes a piece of software. What are they supposed to do, just cl

Customers hate paying subscriptions, but I don't see any alternative under capitalism. Someone makes a piece of software. What are they supposed to do, just close up shop and fire everyone when it's "done?" You need people to maintain the software. Fix bugs. Add new features. The expenses for the company do not end. Therefore it can't operate if its revenues end. If every customer only pays money to the company exactly once, it would have to be an absurd amount for the company to be sustainable in the long run. The only way it's going to work is if there's a steady predictable influx of cash, and that means subscriptions. If someone thinks they have a real solution to this problem, message me. I want in on it.

mandmandam 4y ago
[dead]
endisneigh 4y ago
The solution (that I don’t really see happening) is some perishability that’s enforced cryptographically. Then you purchase one off, and as you enjoy it, it slowly will perish.
timthorn 4y ago
The software industry survived for several decades without subscriptions. The installed base grew, people paid for upgrades, publishers managed their expenses and road maps to keep them profitable.
- listenallyall 4y ago
  But also, tons of companies went out of business because revenue dried up. The industry survived, most individual companies did not.
  - JohnFen 4y ago
    I think it's pretty hard to say that was because they weren't doing subscriptions. Tons of companies will always go out of business because of various reasons. That was true then, that's just as true now.
stametseater 4y ago
Consider the games industry: unpaid modders motivated by passion or boredom used to fix bugs, add features, etc. And they did it much better than modern game companies do. Modern game companies restrict modding specifically to choke out the competition, they can't compete with modders. They're not as motivated or creative as the modders, they're not nearly as free to add niche features that only a small handful of people might appreciate because that's not economical. But modders don't have to care about what is economical and are free to pursue odd unproven ideas. Many commercialized game genres today were invented by modders years ago during the heyday of modding. Relying on commercial developers to do everything strangles and ossifies culture.
jodrellblank 4y ago
> "Someone makes a piece of software. What are they supposed to do, just close up shop and fire everyone when it's "done?"" Builders make a building. What are they supposed to do, just close up shop and fire everyone when it's "finished"? How could they survive if the customer paid exactly once for a building?
- endisneigh 4y ago
  Buildings are perishable. Not comparable at all to software really.
  - jodrellblank 4y ago
    Software itself doesn't rot, but the world changes around it. Most of us aren't running Amiga software.
sowbug 4y ago
Why is software different from any other tool? Hammer manufacturers don't expect me to subscribe to their hammer service. Yet they somehow stay in business. (To anticipate the "software lasts forever" argument: no, it doesn't, and it certainly doesn't last as long as a hammer. I doubt anything I'm running on my computer was built more than five years ago. There are SMBs running Windows 95 on a 386, but if they really bought something perfect for their needs 25 years ago, great!)
JohnFen 4y ago
> What are they supposed to do, just close up shop and fire everyone when it's "done?" Of course not. You continue to develop and sell software, both new and new versions of the old. > You need people to maintain the software. Fix bugs. Add new features. Correct. That's why you sell subsequent versions.

mandmandam 4y ago

[dead]

endisneigh 4y ago

The solution (that I don’t really see happening) is some perishability that’s enforced cryptographically. Then you purchase one off, and as you enjoy it, it slowly will perish.

timthorn 4y ago

The software industry survived for several decades without subscriptions. The installed base grew, people paid for upgrades, publishers managed their expenses and road maps to keep them profitable.

listenallyall 4y ago
But also, tons of companies went out of business because revenue dried up. The industry survived, most individual companies did not.
- JohnFen 4y ago
  I think it's pretty hard to say that was because they weren't doing subscriptions. Tons of companies will always go out of business because of various reasons. That was true then, that's just as true now.

stametseater 4y ago

Consider the games industry: unpaid modders motivated by passion or boredom used to fix bugs, add features, etc. And they did it much better than modern game companies do. Modern game companies restrict modding specifically to choke out the competition, they can't compete with modders. They're not as motivated or creative as the modders, they're not nearly as free to add niche features that only a small handful of people might appreciate because that's not economical. But modders don't have to care about what is economical and are free to pursue odd unproven ideas. Many commercialized game genres today were invented by modders years ago during the heyday of modding. Relying on commercial developers to do everything strangles and ossifies culture.

jodrellblank 4y ago

> "Someone makes a piece of software. What are they supposed to do, just close up shop and fire everyone when it's "done?"" Builders make a building. What are they supposed to do, just close up shop and fire everyone when it's "finished"? How could they survive if the customer paid exactly once for a building?

endisneigh 4y ago
Buildings are perishable. Not comparable at all to software really.
- jodrellblank 4y ago
  Software itself doesn't rot, but the world changes around it. Most of us aren't running Amiga software.

sowbug 4y ago

Why is software different from any other tool? Hammer manufacturers don't expect me to subscribe to their hammer service. Yet they somehow stay in business. (To anticipate the "software lasts forever" argument: no, it doesn't, and it certainly doesn't last as long as a hammer. I doubt anything I'm running on my computer was built more than five years ago. There are SMBs running Windows 95 on a 386, but if they really bought something perfect for their needs 25 years ago, great!)

JohnFen 4y ago

> What are they supposed to do, just close up shop and fire everyone when it's "done?" Of course not. You continue to develop and sell software, both new and new versions of the old. > You need people to maintain the software. Fix bugs. Add new features. Correct. That's why you sell subsequent versions.