My example of this issue is Photoshop. I suppose if I was a photo professional, using Photoshop heavily and frequently, then the subscription model would be just fine. But, I’m not. Most of the time I use it for a few minutes, but occasionally get into larger projects. Prior to the subscription model, I would buy a new version every three or four versions, probably because there was some interesting new feature. That worked fine since most of the new features on each version were ones I had no interest in.
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Similar play with Photoshop for me, sometimes at Computer Faire or MacWorld Expo, I’d see a feature I wanted, so I’d go for an update. Similar with M$ Office but then as my old Mac aged a tad, I saw some instability, good excuse to move on to a new Mac Mini Pro, (DW already had a newer iMac), but that also posed some update issues, as the old applications, generally 32 bit, no longer ran in the new chipset.
Office 365 hadn’t been able to update itself for many months, and we use it regularly, so I’d given in, subscribed. An annual fee, it seamlessly manages the updates, dodging threats as it can… But Photoshop, I can’t justify, opted for the one time purchase of Elements, it and other packages do all I need, want, so they lost me…
Some other applications had moved up a few points, and in some cases, even beat their upgrade pricing to catch me up… So in affect was ‘renting’ the software long before they made it official, as I often updated at the various shows, or specials anyway…
Took a while to clean out the trash pile some of the old apps left behind, but it needed to be done…
Quicken? Tried it once ages ago, too inflexible, better to use, build what’s needed in Excel, avoid the carp… I don’t think they supported Mac’s later on anyway, so they went bye bye…
Needs change, I’ve now tossed, deleted many apps I’d forgotten about, if not used, why hang onto them keep the ones you actually use, like… And that have good support staff…
weco
The story of Quicken and Macs is interesting. Back in the 2007/2009 time from Apple switched from a CPU chip they had used for years to Intel chips. To keep the existing software written for the Pre-Intel CPU, Apple added a program in the OS named Rosetta. There were clear Rosetta was temporary. Intuit either did not believe Apple or just did not give a crap about the Apple/Mac part of the business.
That’s the time I call software purgatory. I got Parallels and ran Windows on a Mac. Ran Quicken for Windows.
I started using Quicken before Windows was available and was not ready to switch (In the name of completeness, I was not pleased about having to buy a new version of Quicken every 3rd year. I had tried other software programs. Quicken was enough better that I was going to live with it.)
Sometime in the 2013 time frame the the second version of Quicken written for the Intel chip was released and I happily switched 100% to Apple. About the same time, I told my wife Window 7 was the last version of Windows I was supporting and she could switch to Apple or find other tech support.
I have seen big changes for the better in Quicken in the last 10 years. New things that are noticeable happen about 4 to 5 times a year. some improvement. Updates happen monthly. Mostly they are bug fixes. Some Bank will change its security system and the stuff that used to work won’t any more seems to be the most common 2023 item. I have had that same experience with Office 365.
If people don’t like the subscription model software, they should buy another product. Some people do not like Chevys. Others hate Fords.
Clearly some people just like to complain. Kind of reminds me of Congress.
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Threads meander. Also in this thread, the idea that auto companies are now starting to charge subscription fees for things the hardware is already capable of, like heated seats, self-driving, additional camera views, etc.
I’m not sure what your point is here. Are you paying Apple a monthly fee to use the phone? It’s their software, isn’t it? That’s the whole point: you bought the software. So long as you are happy with it, why should you continue to pay for it month after month?
Yes, I agree. As several others have also noted, I no longer use Photoshop. I would like to have that ability, even on an older version, but that is not available to me and I don’t use it enough to justify paying their ridiculous subscription fee. I will be delighted if/when someone provides a similar, useful software without all the “professional level” do dads I don’t need in the first place.
All of those things use software. Should I pay GE to be able to continue to use my dishwasher?
I can’t wait for the car companies to start charging to use the headlights, or brakes, or maybe I can insert a quarter so I can open the trunk. Via extra-special, super updated software of course, because why would you want something as complicated as “a latch” after all, in today’s brave new world.
Bah. I buy, I own. Even John Deere and Apple have learned that you can’t sell something and then prevent users from going under the hood. It’s hard to beat them, I admit, but I am willing to try.
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I no longer use the full blown PS, but Elements, I discover has the tool I was mainly looking for, the ‘perspective crop’, so I’m OK with it, some can be done in Mac’s Photos, but I got in the habit from an older, CS6, of Photoshop, as it lets me correct shots that were taken at an angle. Nikon also has editing apps, as a backup, but it’s settled for now…
Some folks buy their iPhones on an interest free plan, not really rental, but the last round, we just bought them outright, jut the monthly fees a little… As features arise, we’ll be tempted to move up, likely buy the new ones, either trade-in or sell outright… Too hooked on iPhone, watch features to stop now!
I notice my LG Smart TVs do software updates fairly regularly, no charge… Comcast seems top do a nightly update, no charge…
weco
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Sorry for the lack of clarity. I was responding to a kitchen sink comment say that Apple’s annual updates were of little value.
People prefer the lower cost option when they perceive two options essentially equal. Generally there are multiple product offerings - A basic Ford and a basic Chevy tend only to differ in label, fender shape, instrument layout, etc. However when a customer valued difference exist, customers will move in large numbers. Think the Toyotas vs Detroit in the 1970s.
No manufacturer is unaware our preference for lower price. They loath to raise prices unless they know the customers has no other option. In the case of software there is another consideration. It takes time to produce a product and oddly the programers want to be paid. In the case of software companies the subscription model is an obvious choice.
ICE automobile companies have different and potentially lethal sets of constraints. They lack the time and funding sources that Tesla has used for 15 years. It is only the last 5 years that Tesla has been able to produce any cars whose sale price equals manufacturing cost.
Tesla is the youngest auto company that has sold at least 500,000 cars. Do you know who is the second oldest company? Do know the sources of capital, technology and key people of that company?
I doubt auto companies will charge for using headlights if for no other reason than functioning headlights are required by both state and federal laws. Non critical features such as heated seats and GPS systems already have a subscription model. That is because the manufacturers have determined their customers will not pay enough for those items at the time of purchase. Keep in mind the average auto on the road today is roughly 15 year old.
If you search on the Brave browser for “free financial software”, or “best financial software” or some such thing, you’ll get results, with reviews. Some of them like Mint will collect transactions automatically from most banks, credit cards, brokers, etc. Others you have to imput the transactions yourself. You can also try out Google Sheets, write your own formulas. Microsoft Money is free and might be of some use to you, depending on what you need, and how much you want to spend time putting in entries. Money spent on financial software is probably better spent on good gin.
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I thought Money disappeared more than a decade ago. It was one option I considered when Quicken for Mac was a disaster.
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all support disappeared. Updating stock prices dissappeared. It should be findable with a google search