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How Many Times Should We Pay For Our Software?
An anonymous reader writes "An editorial at ZDNet talks about the concept of subscription licensing for software." From the article: "But the software industry is greedy enough to want to go even further. Ignoring the subtleties of DRM -- which snares users by glossing over the unseen ties between content and format -- vendors from BEA to Microsoft are eager to take up the blunt cudgel of subscription licensing, which merely asserts that, if you don't pay up again at the end of the year, your software stops working. The best way to deploy the mechanism of subscription licensing, of course, is as a hosted service, because it gives the software vendor the ability to instantly turn off the software-on-tap if the renewal is not forthcoming. Perhaps this explains Microsoft's new-found attraction to 'hosted everything' (whether or not it can work)."
Let me answer for the pirates in the group: How many times should we pay for our software? "They'll never get any o me pieces o eight."
Though I'd vote for the CowboyNeal option.
And the buddhists shouldn't use swastikas. Right.
"It is a good divine that follows his own instructions" - Portia, The Merchant of Venice
Sorry to disappoint you, but when ownership is 9/10th's of the law (or so it's said), it is not unreasonable for someone to expect to own software they buy in every single conceivable way. They have the right to do whatever they please, including selling the physical product.
Subscription services seem only logical in the confines of a contract or service agreement (NOT A EULA!), such as a multi-user license for a workstation application or a subscription that includes continual support and updates without having to purchase software for every version. Many professional and business applications do this quite well.
But for consumers? That's just crazy. I think having to buy a new Norton or McAfee every year is bad enough, consider if this applied to EVERYTHING!!!
* Intel Processor Rental Charge: 299.99 per year
* System Acess Privilege: 99.99 per year
* Windows XX Software: 149.99
* Microsoft OS Subscription: 99.99 per year
* 1 year service and support: 49.99
* Internet Explorer Service Contract: 49.99 per year
* Internet Access Fee: 29.99
* Pop-up Blocker Functionality: 9.99 per month
* Spam Email Protection: 5.99 per month
* SlashDot Subscription: 19.99 per month
* SlashDot Premium Membership: 24.99 per month
* SlashDot I-Got-First-Post Feature: 9.99 per month
You can't quit! You're fired!
Democrats or Republicans. They are both taking us to the same place and they are not afraid of us anymore.
In soviet Russia, software pays for you.
"I haven't seen anyone here who really gets it: a subscription model is the only way to solve the equation that quality = price."
If you can state that subsription software will improve the quality of software with a straight face, you must be a lawyer.
And I'm afraid most lawyers don't deserve that insult....
Dear Bill:
Thanks! It's really nice of you to pound the final ashen stake into the heart of your business model. Lord knows we open-source users have been trying to do it for years to no avail. Now that you're willing to do it FOR us, we anticipate a bright future for all involved.
Deciding to screw your customers not once, not twice, but ANNUALLY in PERPETUITY is a master stroke. We couldn't have thought of something that evil ourselves (OUR general way of doing things is to NOT charge the customer annually, in perpetuity) and if we had, most of the FOSS community would have told us we were conspiracy theorists.
So thank you, Bill, you have done the world a great service. I wish you the best of all possible retirements, spending your tractor-trailer trucks full of cash around the world as you see fit.
Cordially,
The collective users of F/OSS software.
Farewell! It's been a fine buncha years!
Yes, I am going to charge you for a new table, but this will be Less Likely To Fall Down at no extra charge! You're getting a bargain on this!
i'm eagerly awaiting the day when we pay them money and don't get to even use the software at all. they'll just tell us we had a good time with it and that we're eagerly awaiting the next version.