WinPatrol going subscription

[Jibz]

I don't know if this has been posted already, but I just read in the latest WinPatrol Newsletter:

Ability to purchase a Subscription free licensing ends March 31st.

Because I'm not one to hide from news that some may not like, I'm putting this at the top of the email.

Tell your everyone you know. The ability to purchase subscription free licensing ends March 31st, 2015.

For everyone who purchases a license on or before March 31st, 2015, we will honor your subscription free license entitling you to free updates in perpetuity.

As an existing customer, nothing will change for you!

• If you purchase a new computer, so what. You have a license
• If your computer crashes and you replace it. No big deal, you have a license.
• If you lose your license, write to us. We'll tell you what it is.
• If you buy a second, third, fourth or fifth computer, great! You're covered.

Why are we doing this?

• Without the additional revenue from annual renewals we cannot compete with everyone else. That has become apparent.
• We've brought in a few people to help us update the PLUS data, only to have them leave very quickly to go elsewhere for more money.
• I don't want to have to outsource to get help with email support! I want them to report to me as my employee. This guarantees you'll continue to get the quality of support you've grown accustomed to and not be subjected sales pitches for other products when you simply want the help you deserve.
• This is not an act of greed. This is an act to guarantee your lifetime license for WinPatrol and WinPrivacy truly does last your lifetime.

Tell everyone you know.

Use coupon code "lastchance" (no quotes) to get 25% off a license that lasts forever!

Coupon valid through March 31st, 2015.

[MilesAhead]

I wonder what will happen to the Free functionality?  WP was one of those I didn't really need the paid version. But when it was on a discount I bought a license just because I used it for so long.  Seems we are headed towards a "pay as you click" system.  Every time you hit the refresh button on a browser a .wav file will play "KaChing!" sound and bill your PayPal.

[rgdot]

Holding out as long as he could is nice, as mentioned numerous times by many people he is one of the nicer guys.
Having said that I will not hide the feeling that I dislike license changes, no matter who does them. Hosting and developing software has always been a challenge, even someone like me who doesn't do it has seen it many places, it's not a new thing and has nothing to do with greed or lack there of it either.
My point being, I rather see something start as (a wow that's expensive) shareware from the start than free then not free after X years.

[MilesAhead]

Bill P recently sold WinPatrol.  There was a big deal made on the transition about picking someone who would continue the same traditions yadda yadda.  I'm not really bashing the new developer trying to make a few $$.  It's just that everything seems to be trending to having a meter attached.  People with longer names will change them to short ones because when they sign something online they will be charged per keystroke.  Pay toilets won't have a coin box on the door but on the toilet paper dispenser.  Pull on the roll and watch your bankroll dwindle.

It's like the bean counters are going to nickel and dime us all to death.  Every gimmick and angle will be exploited.

[wraith808]

If you bought a license before (or buy it before the time is up), you get a program that you don't have to pay for ever again.  And once that time passes, it will be upfront with the costs.  The only people I can see that would be possibly screwed are the ones using the free version that don't know about the transition.  But then again, if you were willing to buy... then you would have bought.

So it seems that he is continuing the tradition for those that were a part of the tradition, IMO.  And a subscription based service probably means the same thing as the others in this space have done... a yearly cost.  Doesn't seem unfair at all to me.

[rgdot]

Bill P recently sold WinPatrol.  There was a big deal made on the transition about picking someone who would continue the same traditions yadda yadda.  I'm not really bashing the new developer trying to make a few $$.  It's just that everything seems to be trending to having a meter attached.  People with longer names will change them to short ones because when they sign something online they will be charged per keystroke.  Pay toilets won't have a coin box on the door but on the toilet paper dispenser.  Pull on the roll and watch your bankroll dwindle.

It's like the bean counters are going to nickel and dime us all to death.  Every gimmick and angle will be exploited.

-MilesAhead (March 23, 2015, 10:40 AM)

As far as I am concerned that's still the equivalent of what I said, I believe it's been only a few months since the sale

[wraith808]

Bill P recently sold WinPatrol.  There was a big deal made on the transition about picking someone who would continue the same traditions yadda yadda.  I'm not really bashing the new developer trying to make a few $$.  It's just that everything seems to be trending to having a meter attached.  People with longer names will change them to short ones because when they sign something online they will be charged per keystroke.  Pay toilets won't have a coin box on the door but on the toilet paper dispenser.  Pull on the roll and watch your bankroll dwindle.

It's like the bean counters are going to nickel and dime us all to death.  Every gimmick and angle will be exploited.

-MilesAhead (March 23, 2015, 10:40 AM)

As far as I am concerned that's still the equivalent of what I said, I believe it's been only a few months since the sale

-rgdot (March 23, 2015, 11:31 AM)

Almost a year, officially.  A bit more than that unofficially.

http://billpstudios....au_=i5VHj3cqQTT5RJVs

[rgdot]

Thanks.

I won't comment anymore, because it might seem I have a beef, which is not even close to reality

[MilesAhead]

Doesn't seem unfair at all to me.

-wraith808 (March 23, 2015, 11:06 AM)

Depending on the fee, not in and of itself. It just seems indicative of the direction.  Everything going to tighter control.  Browser extensions signed, getting away from Pay Once and use it Until a major version change, for software.  Now if you are flush one month and broke the next everything you click on your PC might come up "Not Implemented."

The movie Repo Men might not be many years away from reality.  I must be getting old and nostalgic for the good ole' days. 

[wraith808]

Doesn't seem unfair at all to me.

-wraith808 (March 23, 2015, 11:06 AM)

Depending on the fee, not in and of itself. It just seems indicative of the direction.  Everything going to tighter control.  Browser extensions signed, getting away from Pay Once and use it Until a major version change, for software.  Now if you are flush one month and broke the next everything you click on your PC might come up "Not Implemented."

The movie Repo Men might not be many years away from reality.  I must be getting old and nostalgic for the good ole' days. 

-MilesAhead (March 23, 2015, 02:23 PM)

I actually like the pay on a regular schedule better than the pay until next version change- as long as the updates keep coming.  But before it was a pay once and never pay again.  I don't think that *anyone* can make a profit on that model.  BillP just wasn't concerned about it... he was just doing it because he wanted to.  But if you've invested money into buying the software, I don't think it's unrealistic to expect to get that money back, personally.

[Curt]

I rather see something start as (a wow that's expensive) shareware from the start   than free then not free  after X years

-rgdot (March 23, 2015, 10:33 AM)

I agree. It is in general a lot more disappointing when freeware becomes shareware, than the other way around... Hehe. Well, to be fair, I must say, it can be 'suspicious' when a good shareware program becomes free of charge.

Regarding WinPatrol: I bought a couple of the very cheap license keys because I fully expected their prices to go up, or the company to die (by 'now'!).

I won't comment anymore,

-rgdot (March 23, 2015, 11:42 AM)

^ please, do comment!

[Joe Hone]

We may have our own preferences for freeware, shareware, etc. but that doesn’t help the developer pay the bills. I think we get spoiled by specific freeware that outperforms shareware (visit the world of audio plugins, there are some freeware programs that are unsurpassed for that function) but I have no problem paying for a program does what it is intended to do and does it well. WinPatrol was becoming a bit dated in my opinion and there is a concerted push right now to make it relevant again. So far I like what I see. I’d pay a renewing annual license for the program but since I have a lifetime family license (10 PCs) my entire family is taken care of.

[TaoPhoenix]

I think what we're all reacting to is that it's not a planned strategy from day 1, but it gives off the vibe of being X, then much later the developer (notice with way too little timeline warning) say "oh, by the way, I'm broke, next month I'll do X".

That's what feels like the rip off. If people want to do cool projects, then let them stay cool projects. If you think you can't hold on forever, then plan that in the campaign.

But unfortunately "bait and switch" however naively implemented is abusive.

[wraith808]

I think what we're all reacting to is that it's not a planned strategy from day 1, but it gives off the vibe of being X, then much later the developer (notice with way too little timeline warning) say "oh, by the way, I'm broke, next month I'll do X".

That's what feels like the rip off. If people want to do cool projects, then let them stay cool projects. If you think you can't hold on forever, then plan that in the campaign.

But unfortunately "bait and switch" however naively implemented is abusive.

-TaoPhoenix (March 23, 2015, 10:11 PM)

Well, basically, BillP wasn't going to be around forever; it's a fact of life.  So in order to make sure that his customers that have come to rely on the program where taken care of, he made a deal to ensure the longevity.  All of his current customers will be taken care of in the deal.  Anyone that wants to get on board has had ample time to do so.  It's not perfect... but what is?  I just appreciate the effort from BillP and the new guy.

[iphigenie]

I have a personal PLUS and a family PLUS license, bought over the year to support the great product more than because I needed the features

These new owners are doing it as fairly as possible, really:

As a point of clarification. Any CURRENT license holder for WinPatrol PLUS , WinPrivacy PLUS or any of the Family or Combo Packs already owns a subscription free license that never expires and therefore does not need to purchase another. Even if your license is over 10 years old, you are covered.

[Innuendo]

At the last big sale, when I finally caved and bought a license to both WinPatrol and WinPrivacy, there was blurbage to the fact that a subscription model was probably coming down the pike, sooner rather than later.

That time has finally come. Lots of software devs have to do it. The fact that the software changed hands before it happened is largely irrelevant. At the prices he's charging and the volume of licenses he most likely is moving, he's not going to get rich any time soon, either.

That he gave a warning so far in advance is extremely fair. He's now giving a second warning now that the transition time is bearing down upon us. Anyone who wants a lifetime license can go buy one right now. With the crazy way the economy has been acting the last few years....the recession a while back, the crazy-cheap gas prices in the U.S. right now, I don't see how anyone can accurately plan anything into any campaign without the aid of a working crystal ball.....and if you've got one of those, you aren't gonna waste your time writing shareware.

[wraith808]

Ruiware is releasing another piece of software in their suite- WinAntiRansom, to protect against RansomWare.  But more than that, they're offering to upgrade anyone that purchases it during the beta to Lifetime licenses on any WinPatrol/WinPrivacy subscriptions they may have.

Better yet, if you own a subscription license for WinPatrol, WinPrivacy or both, we'll convert them into a Lifetime license with the purchase of WinAntiRansom!

Check it out if you were interested in lifetime licensing: https://www.winpatro...nAntiRansom-private/