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Another 'Lifetime' license bites the dust

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TucknDar:
Total Commander still has a lifetime license, albeit with something along the lines of "in the future we might change this policy" in there. When asked about it (a year or two ago), mr. Ghisler (TC developer) said that there were no plans to change since they're already making enough money as it is.

I can understand changing the license for major upgrades, but it should honor every license holder up until the license policy changesl, and preferably announce it in advance like SlySoft apparently have.

edit: Added info about mr. Ghisler

CWuestefeld:
I think Josh and Dormouse may both be right, depending on the specifics of each case. The thing is, it's up to the developer to decide his business plan.

However, SlySoft commits the logical fallacy of false choice. Their message (as quoted) only acknowledges two options: lifetime upgrades versus annual subscription. In fact, there's a third choice (and maybe more). Most software sells a given version and allows a customer to use that version in perpetuity.

IMHO, the choice that SlySoft is making is absolutely unacceptable for any program that acts as a repository for data (which isn't SlySoft, btw). Anything that's holding your data -- say, EverNote, Zoot, Outlook, even apps like Word or Excel, to the extent that you need them to gain access to your own data -- MUST allow a perpetual license for at least that version. An annual license scheme essentially holds your data hostage. Once the customer has allowed the app to encode his information, the developer can extort any amount of money up to the value of the user's data (or cost of re-entering) to allow the user access to his own stuff.

Josh:
What data does AnyDVD hold hostage? it works after your year support. You just dont receive updated versions. No data is held from you. Or am I missing something?

CWuestefeld:
What data does AnyDVD hold hostage?
-Josh (December 12, 2008, 07:28 AM)
--- End quote ---

None. Which is why I wrote (emphasis added)
the choice that SlySoft is making is absolutely unacceptable for any program that acts as a repository for data (which isn't SlySoft, btw)
-CWuestefeld (December 12, 2008, 07:17 AM)
--- End quote ---

it works after your year support. You just dont receive updated versions. No data is held from you. Or am I missing something?
-Josh (December 12, 2008, 07:28 AM)
--- End quote ---

Hmmm. So it's not really an annual subscription to the software license, just to obtain updates? What happens if I let my subscription lapse for six months because there aren't any updates happening, and then just at the next update I buy a year subscription? Depending on update cycles, I might be able to stretch it out so that I pay rather less than annually. I know that many major corporate licenses forbid this: you must pay up for any intervening lapse before going forward with the updates.

Carol Haynes:
SlySoft also have a good marketting ploy here - tell all your friends, post around the web .... quick buy your stuff now with lifetime updates --- while you can!

Actually the one that pissed me off is FruityLoops. They SOLD lifetime updates and then changed the product name from FruityLoops to FruityLoops Professional and said it was anew product.

Very strange that when you installed it looked identical to the previous version.

Guess what --- they now SELL life time updates for that product too!

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