General consensus is that most software will be subscription based by 2020. Maybe that seems a bit soon, but not really. 2025 most definitely. So even those that aren't right now most likely will be within the next 5 years or less. It's better for the consumer because they don't have to worry about being stuck with outdated versions or forking out a huge chunk of cash in order to get updated, and its better for the provider because it guarantees a constant source of revenue, much more revenue than they were getting before - just look at how successful Adobe has been with it. None of the major software companies that have gone to subscription have gone back, because it's far more profitable. Some folks don't like it, but statistics show that is a small minority. Everything is moving to subscription models, from razors to movies and music, to clothing. And for the most part consumers have welcomed it. It allows a much wider margin of people access to higher priced goods and services that they would not necessarily be able to afford in the "old" business model, which in turn means a broader customer base. So even the companies that aren't so keen on the idea of making their software/product subscription based will eventually be forced into it due to competition, or go out of business. The folks that don't like it are mostly just older generations. And I suspect in the PC world Apple will be the first to make their newer machines subscription based - especially since they've been fighting this war with 3rd party repair companies for a good while now. If they migrate over to being a service provider instead of a product seller, then your Apple device no longer actually belongs to you and they win the legal battle with the repair man and ultimately the consumer.