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I don't see how "owning" has to include updates for life. I use mostly open source, so I'm not used to buy software, but when I did it in the late 90s there wa

I don't see how "owning" has to include updates for life. I use mostly open source, so I'm not used to buy software, but when I did it in the late 90s there was expectation of it including some support (eg. updates until the next major version); but not always (it often required physical media). After that, the software was "final". What is the standard these days?

kevindamm 3y ago
EOL announcement anywhere between 1 month to 1 year of notice.
nusl 3y ago
Often I see something like "Buy version X and receive updates for the next year/major version"
GeneralMaximus 3y ago
> I don't see how "owning" has to include updates for life. Oh, I never meant to imply that. Apologies if it came off that way. I just meant to say that if UpfrontPayment.app wants you pay $60 to upgrade to a new major version every year and SubscriptionPayment.app costs $5/month, you end up paying the same amount every year regardless of which one you use. Sure, you can always refuse to upgrade to new versions of UpfrontPayment.app and keep using the version you already own, but that's not always possible in 2024. Changes in OS APIs, file formats, processor architectures, etc. can make it difficult. Outside of Windows, most platforms aren't shy about breaking existing software.
Roark66 3y ago
Exactly. I don't think I ever bought any software expecting to get updates for free. Bug fixes, if they break original functionality, yes, but not new versions that contain new features. Getting updates and new features has traditionally been a perk of renting, and being able to continually use that software anyway you see fit 50 years down the road, on an ancient computer or in a VM is a perk of buying. Both have their merits. I often see "free upgrades" thrown on top as bonus for buyers, especially by new software developers that really want to sell their software. I'd argue the customer's decision is not swayed by much either way free upgrades, but devs are putting a huge burden on themselves. What if sales go down for a year? You may prefer to explore making some other software instead, but now you have an obligation to offer free support to customers that bought your software 5+ years ago. That wouldn't work in any other industry. Try calling a plumber or an electrician that worked on your house 5 years later and ask them to fix problems for free... see how happy they will be to oblige :-)

kevindamm 3y ago

EOL announcement anywhere between 1 month to 1 year of notice.

nusl 3y ago

Often I see something like "Buy version X and receive updates for the next year/major version"

GeneralMaximus 3y ago

> I don't see how "owning" has to include updates for life. Oh, I never meant to imply that. Apologies if it came off that way. I just meant to say that if UpfrontPayment.app wants you pay $60 to upgrade to a new major version every year and SubscriptionPayment.app costs $5/month, you end up paying the same amount every year regardless of which one you use. Sure, you can always refuse to upgrade to new versions of UpfrontPayment.app and keep using the version you already own, but that's not always possible in 2024. Changes in OS APIs, file formats, processor architectures, etc. can make it difficult. Outside of Windows, most platforms aren't shy about breaking existing software.

Roark66 3y ago

Exactly. I don't think I ever bought any software expecting to get updates for free. Bug fixes, if they break original functionality, yes, but not new versions that contain new features. Getting updates and new features has traditionally been a perk of renting, and being able to continually use that software anyway you see fit 50 years down the road, on an ancient computer or in a VM is a perk of buying. Both have their merits. I often see "free upgrades" thrown on top as bonus for buyers, especially by new software developers that really want to sell their software. I'd argue the customer's decision is not swayed by much either way free upgrades, but devs are putting a huge burden on themselves. What if sales go down for a year? You may prefer to explore making some other software instead, but now you have an obligation to offer free support to customers that bought your software 5+ years ago. That wouldn't work in any other industry. Try calling a plumber or an electrician that worked on your house 5 years later and ask them to fix problems for free... see how happy they will be to oblige :-)