Or as feature-packed as it's just the low tier isn't it?
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Deals: Buy Parallels Desktop 17 and Get Nine Mac Apps for Free in New Bundle
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It's not a trick. I worked at JetBrains until quite recently, so am familiar with it from the inside, but also have no reason to spin it. I agree it could be smoother to rollback to the perpetual license version if you choose not to renew, but that's more a case of it not being a priority to optimise that for the sake of a minority of users who are also, by definition, not paying customers. The "fallback" part seems a reasonable compromise where you still get what you paid for, but there's an incentive for renewing.
This is simply a matter of definition. I would say that I am a paying customer when I buy a license. Also, no, I don't get what I paid for since I paid for one year of updates.
The current scheme is absolutely a trick because I get "free updates" for the subscription period, by default shoven down my throat with nagging update banners. But then, when the subscription ends, I am left with a piece of software that I am unable to use. And potentially with project files the original version cannot even open. So what do I do? Renew the subscription.
I am quite certain that the "minority of users" you are referring to is only a minority because it is designed this way, and I am equally sure this is a deliberate business decision and not just "not being a priority". There are two correct and fair ways of doing this:
1) Issue the perpetual license for the last version of the subscription period, not the first
2) Don't allow users to update beyond license-compatible point releases unless given express consent that they are aware they will need to buy another subscription to continue using the version they are going to install. If they plan to not renew they are encouraged to not update.
The way they do it is optimized for keeping people locked in the subscription forever. Especially since products are also updated frequently enough (with insignificant changes) to make sure versions will not be compatible at the end of the subscription period.
For the most part I've bailed out of most pieces of software that went subscription-based with two exceptions. (1Password & Fantastical). I was bummed to see Path Finder going subscription this week but its become such a vital part of my workflow that I will most likely sign up. The PF release 2 years ago was so unstable I was looking into moving on but the past 2 years its been much more stable so I hope it stays that way.
Imagine that all car dealers suddenly changed to only lease cars to customers. You want a car? You’ll have to lease it.
Old car broken? You will have to lease a new one.
That’s where we’re heading with this.
Apparently leasing software is a far better business for developers than just selling it.
Old car broken? You will have to lease a new one.
That’s where we’re heading with this.
Apparently leasing software is a far better business for developers than just selling it.
If you want to change this, you’ll have to walk away from subscription based software whenever you can. All of us. And then wait for market forces to kick in. Software companies will revert if and only if the business case of leasing software is worse than selling software.
… and when that’s not enough they will change the roads and gas so your old car will no longer work.
Is this the life we really want?
So you upgrade it's a single charge, but if you purchase, it's a subscription? SAAS is just a naked money grab.
I dropped Adobe after they went subscription, and apparently enough people bought into it they are still doing it, and it has spread across the industry. I don't think I use ANY software long enough or well enough to have a timer set on it to extract payment on a regular basis. BOO!!! It's sad that is the only way to get some software now. 'Sign your life away'.
I dropped Adobe after they went subscription, and apparently enough people bought into it they are still doing it, and it has spread across the industry. I don't think I use ANY software long enough or well enough to have a timer set on it to extract payment on a regular basis. BOO!!! It's sad that is the only way to get some software now. 'Sign your life away'.
If a developer introduces enough improvements, then it shouldn't be a problem to ask users to buy new versions every now and then.
If a developer does not introduce enough improvements, then how can they justify to ask users to pay a subscription fee?
The subscription model is just a rip-off.
If a developer does not introduce enough improvements, then how can they justify to ask users to pay a subscription fee?
The subscription model is just a rip-off.
Look. I get it when it’s some enterprise software or some industry standard thing that a lot of business depends on. Eg Adobe and different companies have to exchange files and then it’s smart that everyone is on the latest version and it should just work.
But for the non-pro home user who just wants to be able to use software once in a while for him self and does not depend on latest features? Forcing them into several subscriptions is just greedy.
But for the non-pro home user who just wants to be able to use software once in a while for him self and does not depend on latest features? Forcing them into several subscriptions is just greedy.
Is it a free year or a free 12-month demo?
The test is whether there's a "for new users only" clause for those "free" apps in the bundle. As one other noted, most, if not all of them, are for new customers. That's not a free year. If I buy 3 copies of Parallels (because they do NOT allow you to install it on more than one computer) shouldn't I get three years of apps like Fantastical or 1Password?
The test is whether there's a "for new users only" clause for those "free" apps in the bundle. As one other noted, most, if not all of them, are for new customers. That's not a free year. If I buy 3 copies of Parallels (because they do NOT allow you to install it on more than one computer) shouldn't I get three years of apps like Fantastical or 1Password?
hah it's basically a demo, 1password already has one free year promo for new customers. Sounds like it just includes that.
I refuse to subscribe to any software. Logic is my only DAW and if they move to subscription I'll simply go to something else.
My recommendation to anyone that is interested in Parallels is to get a PC, because you are right, you have two choices - pirate it or succumb to terrible, dirty business tactics for a less than great experience.
I'm not sure I agree with that, but I understand the sentiment! I don't particularly like the practice myself, but some software types I'll subscribe. (anything that is fast evolving, or is always in need of security fixes. 1Password is one of those.) As for dirty, it's quite legal and there's a LOT of things that follow the subscription model.
We all have a choice as to whether it's worth the cost or not, and I tend to put parallels in that category for my Intel Mac.
Exactly. These bundles used to be so much fun, and really worth it in a lot of cases. Now it's just a gateway to misery. SaaS ruined everything.
I feel dirty whenever I install Parallels, the upsells are sleazy, such a money grab.
