Author Topic: Lifetime license from Audials+GAOTD: no good (Read 22,246 times)

Curt · « **on:** December 27, 2011, 08:07 PM »

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----- Original message-----
Fro: Hanna Heinzl <hanna.heinzl@audials.com>
To: curt@
Date: Ons, 06. apr 2011 13:55
Subject: Audials One 8
Dear Curt, your idea for improving Audials One 8 received the third place in the voting. So, you are the lucky winner of an Audials One 8 Platinum licence key. Here is your licence key: 5MLH3-...-4XCJI
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Curt <curt@> wrote:

Fröhliche Weihnachten :-) Thank you for the lifetime license you gave me in April 2011. Unfortunately version 9 does not accept my key ("upgrade for $60"), and the cart in your online shop will only offer me to upgrade for $40. But as it still is written on http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/audials-one-8/ >>Today the Developer is going to reward 3 best improvement suggestions with a lifetime license for Audials One 8 Platinum.<< Will you mail me a new key, or what is to happen now? Best regards, Curt
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----- Original message-----

From: Lincese and upgrade related <license@audials.com>
To: Curt <curt@>
Dato: Tir, 27. dec 2011 16:35
Emne: Re: [Ticket#2011122510000025] Audials One - Request for information on license purchase an [...]

Dear Curt,

Then you won the Audials One Platinum v8 full version key that you can use for a lifetime, but that did meant only Audials One v8 , the content did not include the upcoming versions.

Best regards, Audials Support Team

->(my translation: the key is for version 8 only, all of my life...)

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Then I did not win a lifetime license. You have committed false marketing, and you owe me a key for version 9, and 10, and so on. Best regards, Curt

kunkel321 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 27, 2011, 09:00 PM »

This really doesn't surprise me... I'll agree though, that it is quite misleading to say "life-time licence," when "for the life-time of version 8" is what they meant.

Innuendo · « **Reply #2 on:** December 28, 2011, 11:24 PM »

Companies engage in this practice all the time...which prompts me to engage in the practice of putting them on my list of companies I will never give a dime.

I know it stinks, Curt, but do look at the bright side. At least you didn't pay for that license expecting to get a lifetime upgrade path to new versions.

40hz · « **Reply #3 on:** December 28, 2011, 11:35 PM »

Sorry Curt!

[attach]

cyberdiva · « **Reply #4 on:** December 29, 2011, 04:45 AM »

Curt · « **Reply #5 on:** December 29, 2011, 08:15 AM »

Thank you for showing sympathy

Actually, I like the program so much that I probably will buy the upgrade anyway.

y2kusuma · « **Reply #6 on:** December 29, 2011, 10:25 AM »

So far, I have found three meaning of lifetime license :

1. Lifetime upgrades
2. Lifetime usage (Stepshot)
3. Lifetime of machine (Bitdefender)

Always read the fine print.

Curt · « **Reply #7 on:** April 27, 2012, 10:44 AM »

I didn't upgrade to version 9, so I am still running the same version 8, but now on 64-bit Windows 7 Home Premium, while it used to be on 32 Vista.

New problems have arrived:

I have never seen this error on 32 Vista, and I truly doubt that it is caused by Microsoft DRM or by the named programs - they were also installed on my Vista. Of course I expect these errors to have been caused by Audials itself.
What do you think of it?

Edited:
It doesn't help to tell the named programs not to touch Audials. I have to close them before launching Audials.

TaoPhoenix · « **Reply #8 on:** April 27, 2012, 11:35 AM »

What is the status of Microsoft DRM these days? I remember some stories about it back in the Vista days, and being on XP, I decided to forget about it. But as we are told XP is nearing end of support life, what is the true scoop on MS DRM? Is it spying on users? Does it report anywhere when it thinks it finds an "infringed file"?

Curt · « **Reply #9 on:** May 10, 2012, 04:57 PM »

WhiteSmoke has just given me the same answer as Audials did:
"oh yes, you have lifetime key, but it was for version 2011 only, not for any upgraded version!"

Curt · « **Reply #10 on:** May 10, 2012, 05:06 PM »

Quote from: Curt on May 10, 2012, 04:57 PM

WhiteSmoke has just given me the same answer as Audials did:
"oh yes, you have lifetime key, but it was for version 2011 only, not for any upgraded version!"

to compensate or something, they have just mailed me again and are now offering me
a >>lifetime key for 6 years<<!!,
upgrades included.

What is happening to words and their meaning?

Curt · « **Reply #11 on:** November 12, 2012, 01:58 PM »

a new email from whitesmoke:

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Dear Curt ,

Thank you for using WhiteSmoke Software Since 10/21/2007 !

As a valued customer, we appreciate your support and wish you perfect English writing for many years to come.
For this reason we would like to notify you in advance that your license will expire in 48 hours.

Don't fret! You may simply renew your license today, in order to continue writing like a true professional.
If you renew your license within 48 hours, you can enjoy a 50% discount on all purchases!
We have made renewing and upgrading your license really easy; just click Get it Now!

Since you last purchased WhiteSmoke, we have introduced many new features and improvements to our software.
Enjoy them now by upgrading your version! Click here for more information.

Renew your license now and enjoy a 50% discount!

40hz · « **Reply #12 on:** November 12, 2012, 02:33 PM »

The company seems to be appropriately named IMO. $:-\$

f0dder · « **Reply #13 on:** November 12, 2012, 03:01 PM »

I tend to try and stay away from programs with "lifetime licenses"... or at least expect nothing more than "until the next major version", where "major" is defined as "100% totally arbitrary management decision".

Jibz · « **Reply #14 on:** November 12, 2012, 03:36 PM »

Maybe we need to start offering companies "lifetime payment" when we buy their software?

Darwin · « **Reply #15 on:** November 12, 2012, 06:30 PM »

Yeah... I'm wary of "lifetime" licenses as well. Even if the original intent of the license was free upgrades for the customer's lifetime (ie version 4 to 5, version 5 to 6, etc.), I've had a number of programs with "lifetime" licenses recieve no updates for years and then an upgrade for one comes out and the licensing model is changed and the developer wants to charge for the upgrade. Often they'll respond to queries like Curt's above with "Yes, the original intent was to offer free lifetime upgrades but economic realities...". I sympathize with this predicament and have only once written and demanded that the license be honoured (and it was - Collectorz.com software, which, ironically, I haven't used in years). Mostly, though, I either pay the upgrade fee, stick with the last version for which I have a license, or walk away. Increasingly, I walk away.

Just to note, though, that I have a number of lifetime-licenses for programs that have been honoured for years.

I've come to the conclusion that, with the exception of larger companies with very popular programs, lifetime licensing is not sustainable and I take offers of the same with a grain of salt. Overall, my advice would be to write to the developer/sales arm of the company and ask questions about how "lifetime" is defined for licensing purposes and what plans (if any) are in place with respect to grandfathering lifetime license holders in the future should the model prove unsustainable.

40hz · « **Reply #16 on:** November 12, 2012, 08:53 PM »

It will only be a matter of time before some developer ends up being charged with wire fraud and/or deceptive business practices over some "lifetime license" shenanigans and incurs the wrath of the authorities. I think the only reason it hasn't happened yet is because nobody has seriously pursued a company that plays this sort of game. And there are many that have.

Once the specter of criminal prosecution finally rears its head, I predict you'll see the term "lifetime license" disappear overnight, and never be used again in the software industry.

Until then, Caveat emptor..

mwb1100 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 12, 2012, 10:24 PM »

One the other hand, I've had good luck with my lifetime license purchases. The two that I have where there has been some controversy (AnyDVD and USB Safely Remove), I think were treated reasonably by the vendor. Though clearly some people disagree.

I do however try to make sure I'm clear about lifetime license offers made by vendors, since there's not universal agreement on what the term might mean. If I think it's important to my purchase decision (and it's not always important - if the software does what I want and is worth what I'm paying for today, I might not care much about tomorrow's version), I'll look for wording that specifically says, "all upgrades are free", or I'll contact the vendor for clarification.

Like I said, I can't think of a time when I feel like I've been ripped off.

worstje · « **Reply #18 on:** November 13, 2012, 01:25 AM »

The problem with 'lifetime licenses' is that really all licenses for software that you buy are eternal. It isn't like a cloud service where you pay monthly or yearly. You buy that version and you have by definition a lifetime liense (as opposed to a time-limited trial).

So in this case, that company, while technically correct, is morally wrong. If you advertise with a lifetime license for a product that by the default definition is already a lifetime product, it is implied that you get free upgrades to future versions. Sure, nobody expects a Personal to upgrade into a Professional, buy 8->9? Or for example a Professional->Enterprise because stuff got slightly rebranded during an upgrade? Although I could understand 10->11 maybe not being covered anymore if a user has been able to get good use for several years from the lifetime license.

Don't be cheap, Audials. You wanted positive press and advertised with a lifetime license. Now back it up, or prepare to see it backfire belatedly. It isn't like this is a lifetime supply of a material product like cola, and there's companies that still keep their promises to deliver those 20 years after the fact.

myarmor · « **Reply #19 on:** November 23, 2012, 03:31 AM »

Quote from: mwb1100 on November 12, 2012, 10:24 PM

One the other hand, I've had good luck with my lifetime license purchases. The two that I have where there has been some controversy (AnyDVD and USB Safely Remove), I think were treated reasonably by the vendor. Though clearly some people disagree.

Regarding AnyDVD I agree with you, as they kept their word (Free updates until: forever) regarding those that had purchased before a set date, which also was
notified of a couple of months beforehand so people could get on that "train" before the date came.
I have USB Safely Remove too, but I haven't checked if it still works after that change.

I had one bad experience with lifetime license, and that was for Konvertor (by Logipole, and that product also included KontextViewer at that time), when they
changed all licenses (including existing users) without any compensation or anything else.
It went from All future versions are free for registered users to Your license will remain valid for a period of 12 months from the purchase date.
The "Konvertor is also an "add-on" for Windows Explorer" as it says on the archived link refers to what's now called KontextViewer being part of the product.

cyberdiva · « **Reply #20 on:** November 23, 2012, 06:27 PM »

Quote from: mwb1100 on November 12, 2012, 10:24 PM

One the other hand, I've had good luck with my lifetime license purchases. The two that I have where there has been some controversy (AnyDVD and USB Safely Remove), I think were treated reasonably by the vendor. Though clearly some people disagree.

I too have been pleased with the way AnyDVD and USB SafelyRemove have honored their "lifetime" commitment. Add to that WinPatrol PLUS and, I think, Malwarebytes Pro. I've continued to get updates years and versions later.