I think what @analogue_man was saying is that if DT doesn’t adopt your preferred payment model, you could set up what is essentially the same model on your own.
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I get that, but I didn’t want to discuss all the different ways people can manage their finances since that’s not the focus of this thread. For me, it’s not about paying the full amount all at once. I just wanted to share that if I had the option to make monthly payments, that would be my preferred choice.
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I’ve just returned here again to appreciate the detailed pricing provided on the official website alongside the FAQs about extra seats, discounts for continuous extensions, etc.
Now, it clears the way for deciding what edition is sufficient for me with the consideration of pricing. It helps me a lot.
Thank you.
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I really can’t do without DEVONthink 
I’ve signed up for a year of updates with DT4. 
The AI implementation is just fantastic!
Thanks for all your hard work, guys.
I hope we’ll see new features sooner than in the past. I think that’s the main reason for switching to this model, so we don’t have to wait for a major release to get new features.
And if you haven’t decided on the renewal price yet, 30% off the second time would make me very inclined to pay every year
Thanks for everything
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Thanks for the nice feedback, really appreciated!
I have read a large portion of the 300 comments, and I must say that I have not found a proper answer to @filou53’s comment.
“Back in the day” (
), before everything was plastered with buzzwords like ‘modern’ and ‘flexible,’ you would have said: new major version, new purchase. The previous version will no longer be developed. Of course, you can continue to use it as long as it does its job.
Today, the release date of the new ‘major version’ is personalized to ‘12 months from the date of purchase.’ Everything else is exactly the same as before.
Previously, the interval between two major versions was approximately 6 years. Now, at the same price, the interval is exactly 1 year.
For long-time customers who have followed all the major steps, this simply means that the price has increased sixfold.
And compared to before, it’s not as if you can simply choose not to take the major step. If you don’t renew, you’ll no longer receive updates for an app that is in constant development. If, on the 364th day of my expiring license, I receive an update with a new feature that turns out to be “glitchy” on the 366th day, there will be no fix for this feature that I actually paid for.
If the feature just doesn’t work, that’s a shame. If the feature makes the whole app buggy, that’s a problem.
Or will there be an update license management system that separates bug fixes and feature updates for each minor version update and only delivers the former for expired licenses?
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Nothing new here. Your points are all covered in the posts above. Lets move on.
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So many ifs… let’s live and see ?
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Actually, the point made in the final two paras remains a little murky.
Also, it strikes me that there’s a fascinating case study to be done of the shift in development cycles and revenue generation methods adopted by the various boutique software companies (as devontech is), and how they leverage (or don’t) the customer loyalties built up during the more traditional development cycles of the boutique companies that most have now abandoned.
Just an idea thought, not necessarily germane to the topic at hand.
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So many ifs… let’s live and see ?
I’m not sure I fully understand what you mean:
If you let your license expire, you won’t receive any further updates. That’s how it’s described in the license terms in the shop, and it’s actually the basis of every software license agreement out there.
If licenses do not expire on fully developed, more or less rock-stable major versions, and new features are not saved for the next major version, but licenses expire in the middle of the ongoing, active development of the app, then the situation described will inevitably occur at some point.
The “ifs” are part of a grammatical if-then structure.
You can use the software as long as you want. What do you see „expiring“ here?
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“With the purchase of a software license you receive the app itself including one year of updates. When the year is up, you can extend your license to continue receiving updates”
The license for the extension of the license. The licence to get updates.
Is that better?
No. You pay to use a certain version. This payment entitles you to updates for a year. Nothing ever expires. You can use the software as long as you want.
If after a year a new version comes out, you can buy it and another year of updates. Or not. Then you continue using the software. Nothing expires.
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What would you call what happens after a year with the entitlement for updates if you don’t renew it?
If after a year a new version comes out, you can buy it and another year of updates. Or not. Then you continue using the software.
Sounds like the definition of “paid update to a new major version”.
And that brings us back to the initial question:
The fact is that for those who have already gone through the last cycles and want to stay up to date (because this is not “Candy crush saga” but their document managment tool), the release cycle has been shortened from six years to one, the update price remains the same, and the running costs have therefore multiplied.
This affects those who have been managing their documents in DTP for six or more years the most, as they would require significant effort to switch to somewhere else.
There may be reasons for that, it is an option. But it smells funny.
you can update every 5 years only. so you have a major upgrade every 5 years as it was in the past.
if you want continuous updates, then you should pay for the great work of the devonteach team and support zheir work.
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Thanks for this, @Kodo1670 .
I think your summary (even if individual points were made before) really matches the otherwise ‘hands on’ ‘straightforward’ languaging that is cultivated in other parts of the forum. Plain & simple. No fuzz or deflection in formulations or the unsaid.
I think, as someone who has so far steered away from this little vexed discussion, DT ‘is worth it’ – as a large portion of this thread already stated. That is my fundamental stance on the price raise.
Having said that, I also find no other explanation for the (let´s remember: virtual) ‘6-fold increase’ in the pricing line for continual effective and up-to-date use other than two:
- inflation and eggs (which is itself valid)
- a new, enhanced cycle of updates (though, whether it´s a speed up/built up of resources or a redistribution of release patterns remains unclear to me, personally).
So, basically the decision put in front of everybody is whether they can agree with this, i.e. see this ‘virtual 6-fold increase’ as a) justified, and b) transparently presented with these two.
The one argument / question I feel missing from the whole debate is this:
if there is an increase (of whichever magnitude) and simultaneous turn to ‘service period logics’ (at least in argumentative language; see quotes below), is there any new approach to ‘service mentality’, like in terms of increased feedback loops/culture w/ the customer base, that comes along with it? (– …and, in this context we are talking ‘customers’ really, rather than ‘community’ as its all about paying and ‘service periods’, tbh)
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I think you do
What’s the actual probability of the combination of events you mention? An update on the 364th day that renders the app unusable on day 366? Is it about the same as being struck by lightning while walking your dog? 
Honestly, if such an event really occurs, you might as well pay the $99 (or whatever the amount is) — or just consider it an advance payment for a pilgrimage to Lourdes! 
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It’s an absolute certainty for some small portion of users. Day 364 of one user’s license may be day 2 of another’s.
Support is such an interesting term here and relates back to a point I made earlier about boutique developers and user loyalty. I bought DTTG and iOS Scrivener some years ago, even though I was fairly sure (and experience has proven) that I wouldn’t use them much, if at all. That was a form of support, I suppose. But not one I would repeat if Lit&Lat moved to subscription or similarly “modern” pricing. I won’t be buying DTTG 4. And I’m fairly sure my expectation re customer communication and support levels will increase in line with the pricing model.
My gut is similar to @lerone, in that my usage of Devonthink and its excellent customer support sway me towards continuing as a customer (not supporter). I do hope for a change of mind when it comes to communicating future development plans and timelines.
Care to clarify this?
Wow. You pay a price (if you pay it!) that is far below anything you’d pay for any of Adobe’s products (for example). And you already (ie regardless of your payment) receive support that is far above what you get for any Adobe product (for example).
And now you expect even more support from an organisation that is a gazillion times smaller than Adobe? Perhaps time for some expectation management.
One can always hope. But I wouldn’t hold my breath. Timelines and development plans create expectations, and it seems to be difficult to manage those.
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