Penguinisto posted at 10:22AM Fri, 27 December 2019 - #4374668

randym77 posted at 7:50AM Fri, 27 December 2019 - #4374664

I think the issue with letting people keep the software forever when they un-subscribe is that you can subscribe for just one month. So I subscribe to Photoshop and Lightroom for one month for $9.99, cancel my subscription, and get to use them forever? That doesn't seem right.

It wouldn't be, but could they not offer an amortization plan, where you can buy a permanent license/copy for 50% off after a 12 month sub, and for 75% off after two years, etc?

Subscriptions are quite hostile to the hobbyist/consumer, and they (Adobe) are fully aware of that. However, the hobbyist isn't Adobe's target market, and their target market (SME/Corps) don't care because they can have their AP department handle that. But the biggest reason is that they don't have to dork with upgrades and/or massive CapEx with each new version. This is the process whereupon you have to go to the beancounters and beg for a big chunk of cash to buy version $latest, have to justify it, have to get RFQ/RFP bids from resellers, have to wait for a PO, and generally blow a lot of time and headache just to upgrade once in awhile. Subs are way easier, and the BSA audits go just that much easier as a bonus if you ever get hit with one...

That would be reasonable, but honestly, I think the subscription plan is actually very friendly to hobbyists, at least as Adobe has implemented it.

Photoshop was wicked expensive for a hobbyist. Even if you didn't upgrade often, it was pricey. I personally know several hobbyists who gave up their pirated software when Photoshop went subscription. They couldn't afford $700 for a legal copy, but they can afford $10/month.

Basically, you can subscribe for almost six years, for what Photoshop used to cost. (And you get Lightroom, too.) For a lot of people, it's worth it.

I think pricing would have to be similar - a tiny fraction of what Poser costs now - for the subscription model to be attractive to hobbyists.