Forced Subscription Model Coming?

Welcome @GaiusScotius

Thanks for your comments.

That’s exactly how it works with business software companies like Oracle, IBM etc. They need a continuous revenue stream to keep working (and their share holders happy, of course).

Depends on the software. I think business software has become rather more expensive than it was 20 years ago. But you’re right about end-user software. Although in the twilight zone between these two … Adobe, QuarkExpress? Not exactly cheapo

They do charge for the (perpetual model) software releases, right? That’s how it’s always worked. I don’t think anyone expects DTPO to be “free”. That’s just plain silly. :slight_smile:

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I’m fine paying for upgrades that don’t get major new features but rather significant maintenance updates. Updating an app from 32 to 64 bit is not an insignificant effort. But the way most companies implement subscriptions it is a treadmill where all or nearly all is lost if you stop paying.

If I know that DT is going to stop working if I upgrade I get to make a choice when I upgrade or if I want to but I don’t lose what I am already using.

I understand subscription pricing and support it because I work for a software company that sells subscription pricing but I just don’t see the justification for that in this case.

Something to consider…

I suspect the level of support required for DTTG is vastly more Thant DT3. DTTG is much simpler in comparison, but I would guess the number of people using DTTG is higher (maybe not?)

A subscription would justify providing support for a product that occupies a large amount of time relative to the (current) cost.

This is of course speculation.

As long as there are feature improvements I’ll be subscribing.

Maybe this would allow them to support basic system features (dark mode, etc) in a timely manner.

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I’ll subscribe, no qualms.

For some reason a lot of peoples’ perception of iOS and iPadOS software is that it should be $1.99 (for big apps), supported forever, with free cloud sync and storage.

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For some reason, a lot of people infer that an aversion to a subscription model equates to users wanting something free forever. Not the same thing.

No, sure not.

I am perfectly happy with paying money for new major version!

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Back in those ziplock bag days, remember how many wonderful little hole-in-the-wall stores sold computers? Cromemco here, Altair down the street, SWTP somewhere else.

Nice handle, SwissSailor - I have a lovely little cat-rigged boat I wish I could spend more time on. Amazing little boat. I can jibe her with no more fuss than coming about.

Anyway, my biggest price concern with DT is the web server. I think there may still be issues with the export to web site function and wish I could use the server function.

The web server would be great for occasional meetings I host, but I can’t justify the cost.

Ahh, another ‘oldie but goodie’ (does that mean we a pre-boomers??). I remember going to Palo Alto to visit the mom-pop software stores with badges of apps on the walls in the 80’s. Lots of fun back then, software is better these days!

Actually, I made the first retail sale of a personal computer in Austin, Texas.

I was manager of Mr. Calculator in Dobie Mall, just across 21st street from UT Austin.

Chuck Peddle was a silent partner in Mr. Calculator. My store got the first Commodore PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) in Texas in 1977 ahead of any TRS-80 or Apple systems on Austin store shelves.

A double-E student bought that first PET. I ran across him by chance in an Internet forum a while back.

His PET served as a learning system, was set aside for more capable tools, and might have ended its days in neglect.

However, the EE student found work at Balcones Labs in Austin and needed to log instrument output collected over multidrop RS-422. There wasn’t a budget for a fancy data logging machine, but the retired PET had an RS-422 interface.

A few lines of 6502 code later and the PET was happily churning out instrument logs. When he left Balcones Labs in the 1990’s, the improbable little PET was still on the job, faithfully presenting research data.

That makes it not only the first personal computer sold in Austin, but among the longest-serving.

I think of it as The Little Computer That Could.

Those were grand times. We sold every PET we could get, which was pitifully few, and a number of KIM-1 systems. On Saturdays, a regular crowd of math and calculator nerds would stop by.

Like the song says, “Those were the days, my friend, we thought they’d never end…”

They do charge for the (perpetual model) software releases, right?\

Not for most of those releases.

I bought DEVONthink Pro Office in 2012. They released many (dozens?) of updates after I purchased it, and never charged me for any of them.

So far as I recall, I got seven years of free updates before they charged me for Devonthink 3.

Unless all the programmers & testers at Devon are volunteers, that means they had to pay salaries to those people for 7 years, all without generating any new revenue from me.

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Does that mean you don’t expect minor revisions and bug fixes? Or just that you expect Devon to give them to you for free?

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In-house we are not and yes that’s true. :slight_smile:

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A lot of people have left their 2 cents in this and similar threads. Under the circumstances, I think they should be yours :moneybag: :moneybag:

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Hi @BLUEFROG.

I look forward to many years of using DevonThink, and paying for it in a sustainable way!

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Have I missed something?

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You can put them in my tin cup :cry::wink:

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I was multitasking beyond my abilities. I’ve fixed it!

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