That happens now, doesn’t it? When a major ‘breaking’ OS arrives, then developers have to release new versions – what’s your guarantee that Devonthink wouldn’t have charged for the new ‘working’ version anyway (e.g. if the development effort was huge)?
That’s a a pity. If you’re going to ask people to massively increase their financial commitment to your product to maintain carefully constructed workflows, it would be nice to give them some more information.
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From now on features will be shipped much more regularly, there won’t be major upgrades anymore. Meaning that the differences between e.g. the versions 4.1 & 4.2 and the versions 4.9 & 5.0 will be on the same scale.
I’m not sure what you’re referring to here but nothing should be affecting “carefully constructed workflows”.
PS: The culture of companies can be as different as nationalities are.
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If you continue to work with DEVONthink 3 and your scripts are for DEVONthink 3, you don’t need to change anything. Only if you want to make the scripts created for one generation work with the other, you’d need to tweak the bundle IDs. — And, of course, it has nothing to do with macOS changes. I guess I misread your question and got carried away. Sorry!
As for DEVONthink 3 and its compatibility to changes in macOS: As with every app generation it is designed for a certain range of operating system versions. With our licenses you will be able to use any app generation/version range on the corresponding versions of macOS. But we will not guarantee to make past versions of DEVONthink compatible to future versions of macOS including all the unforeseen challenges this might bring.
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And you were using the bundle id of com.devon-technologies.think3. In that case, it would be com.devon-technologies.think.
However, if you are using the more modern form with the application id DNtp, you should have no adjustments to make.
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Oh, I just mean workflows that use DT. I’m using it for 13 years at this stage so it’s like another limb to me! So abandoning it, as might be necessary if I don’t upgrade, would be a wrench.
I’m not sure what the culture comment refers to, sorry! Thanks for engaging with the discussion
Maybe! But I can’t remember a major ‘breaking’ OS since Snow Leopard.
Thank you @eboehnisch I understand your point of view, of course. Then I have no choice but to wait and see which macos will stop DT3 from working 
You’re welcome.
Oh, I just mean workflows that use DT. I’m using it for 13 years at this stage so it’s like another limb to me!
Yes, I understand that.
So abandoning it, as might be necessary if I don’t upgrade, would be a wrench.
I am not sure why you’d be worrying about abandoning the app.
- We aren’t proposing to turn DEVONthink into some other application. It’s additions, improvements, and fixes delivered more quickly throughout the year.
- If it’s monetary, again I would state that it amortizes to less per month than many things people currently pay. In fact, I couldn’t get a dinner at the local greasy spoon restaurant for less than the amortized cost for Pro. And I certainly get much more out of DEVONthink every day, all year long than a meal or a service like Netflix.
Also consider this… you extend the license, not the seats. That is so generous, even I say to myself, “Really? Wow!”
For example, I have a Server license with 10 seats (!). I can extend that for $149 for the year… for all 10 seats. So even with the two seats you automatically receive (or keep with an upgrade), the amortized cost per-month, per machine is functionally $4.17 for the Pro edition.
I’m not sure what the culture comment refers to, sorry!
How OmniGroup runs their operation versus how we do. Not all companies make development plans publicly available. In fact, most don’t. If that’s something they’re comfortable with, we support them in it. It’s just not something we do.
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Not sure – didn’t Catalina move to 64bit only, which broke a lot of programs? Scrivener, for example, was completely reworked and required a new version AFAIR.
I can’t know for sure, of course, but I suspect that an OS change big enough to ‘break’ DT will be big enough to break a lot of other programs as well, so we’ll be spending more on new versions whether it’s a traditional one-off payment or not. One of the joys of ‘progress’…
It also depends on the developers of course – I’ve never had any reason not to trust DT developers (any more than Scrivener’s, or Tinderbox’s), though there are plenty I wouldn’t trust with this model).
One factor for me is that I’ve paid approx £200 for 10+ years of using DT – if this model helps the developers continue to provide the software, then I’m happy to go along.
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Can I say to @BLUEFROG and @cgrunenberg that I think the new licensing model seems very sensible to me? Yes, it will increase costs for me, but I am happy to pay that for a product which I rely upon literally EVERY DAY. And which allows me to sync and add items to my databases also from my iPad and my iPhone - whatever I have on me when something catches my attention.
To find out what the upgrade would cost me, I endeavoured to log into my DEVONtechnologies account, only to find out that come January 2026, I will have been a customer for 20 (!) years!
So this was probably DT1 – I have to say that I don’t remember. I do remember DT2, and was amazed to read in this thread that DT3 is only six years old.
I have lots of DT databases that are in the multi-Gigabyte size order (the biggest is my email which dates back to 1998, it’s 56 GB, so I decided in 2020 to set up a new one for the years since…). And I have to say that occasionally I thought that I pay TOO LITTLE for this software - given how mission critical it is for me. I have paid (if I remember correctly) once for DT1, then upgraded to the Office version, then upgrade fee to DT2 and DT3. Altogether this is probably in the region of € 500, for almost 20 years of service…
I want DEVONtechnologies to thrive, and I for one am happy to pay a bit more in the future. They are now adopting the licensing model that Eastgate have long used for Tinderbox – an app in VERY active development which often surprises me with useful new functions. I look forward to DT moving in a similar direction!
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This absolutely blew my mind when I upgraded just now. I’m on Server with just one additional seat, and like pretty much everything with DT’s licensing it makes complete sense when you stop to think it through, but I was still thinking it was too good to be true till the number came up on the checkout. Maybe I now need to buy another seat to assuage the guilt of leaving money on the table.
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Thanks you for your long-term support and encouragement! It is more than appreciated.
PS: Add @eboehnisch, @aedwards, as well as @hvolkmann and @Straka to your congratulatory list. 
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Yes, I’d forgotten about the 64 bit issue. And agree re incredible value DT (and Scrivener) have offered over the past decade and more.
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100%
I work here and am privy to such things and I still am like “That’s more than generous!” and I pause and think, “But it also makes logical sense”. It’s truly a win for both parties. So I’m glad you see it as well
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Thanks for adding the other names, Jim! I wrote this on the hoof and did not mean to exclude anyone. So warm thanks to all you added, and thumbs up for stellar work!
Many of us in the academic world rely on your work for ours, and we should let you know OUR appreciation more often. Also, the fabulous engagement of many of you on this forum! Plus a fond memory to the indefatiguable Bill DeVille who for many years set the tone of helpfulness on this forum.
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Thanks for this mention. I told my parents three days ago how I miss Bill and wish he were here for all this. At least he’s still with us in spirit
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I understand how the licensing model will make your business more sustainable. One question though, can we expect more features in coming releases due to a more robust licencing model and more financial resources for development?
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This has been discussed multiple times already: smaller and more frequent updates.
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