OT: Corporate madness - Adobe software to be subscription only

[Alan T Litchfield]

Agreed to most, except the issue of backward compatibility.

As it stands now, I can open old versions of files in old version of 
software because I have the applications. I don't know how this will be 
handled with the new software as it evolves. It will only take three 
years for this to be a manifest issue, I think.

I have worked out some comparative costs. This will cost a bunch more 
than paying a one-off license fee and subsequent upgrades. Over 20 
years, about twice as much.

What happens about software you use infrequently? What happens to your 
license when you want to use it again. Do you have uninstall, download 
and reinstall applications every time? What if the files you need to 
work on were created in a version that is more than two versions back, 
and cannot be opened by the new version. If you create a new license, 
surely that will only be for the current software version.

Alan

On 10/05/13 9:42 AM, Bill Swallow wrote:
> You don't lose your content. The files don't turn into pumpkins when you quit the subscription. Yes, you can't use the native files, but if you didn't plan a content migration knowing you'd be dropping the parent application, whose fault is that?
>
> As a consultant, the model is extremely appealing to me. I can purchase use of the tools for as long as I need them. When done, the source content resides with the client, anyway.
>
> As for cars, leasing has been a huge business for a couple of decades. There's also a growing adoption of ride shares (pay for shared use of a car), and rentals still are thriving.
>
> I can understand if people are averted to the model as opposed to buying a license, but the content issue, specifically, is a non-issue. You should always have a plan/strategy surrounding your content.
>
> ---
> Bill Swallow
> Writing and Content Strategy
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/techcommdood
>
> On May 9, 2013, at 2:56 PM, Steve Rickaby <srickaby at wordmongers.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> At 14:22 -0400 9/5/13, Bill Swallow wrote:
>>
>>> I don't see this as being a bad thing. I see it as being different.
>>
>> Yup, but as soon as you stop paying, you lose access to all your content. That's a real big psychological barrier to bridge. I can see why a subscription model would appeal to corporate users, but for freelances it's a great deal less appealing. What is even less appealing is not being offered the choice of whether to buy or rent the apps. How for example would General Motors fare if they stopped selling cars and just rented them?
>>
>> Time alone will tell whether this will work for Adobe, but it sure doesn't work for a sole worker like me.
>>
>> --
>> Steve [Trim e-mails: use less disk, use less power, use less planet]
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