AutoDesk - Lifetime? AutoDesk has decided that your lifetime has come to an end. If you bought AutoDesk years ago, you will not be able to use it on a new computer. If you want to...

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

AutoDesk has decided that your lifetime has come to an end. If you bought AutoDesk years ago, you will not be able to use it on a new computer. If you want to continue using it, you must buy the new version and continue paying for the rest of your life.

I'm afraid the days of ownership are coming to an end. There's no reason why every device that uses software cannot be switched over to a subscription plan. We will have to pay dozens of companies every month, just to function.

I know that some of you are going say that's fine because you'll always have the latest version of - whatever. Be assured that corporations love you!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHY9K8X45XA

BebuLamar

jerryc41 wrote:

AutoDesk has decided that your lifetime has come t... (show quote)

I can still use my copy of Autocad 2006.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

It would depend on the software and my/our needs.
I'm still using Quicken 2007, WinSock '95, and Spider Pad (1997).
But so far we still subscribe to Office 365(?) even though my wife has retired, and Norton.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

Affinity has given me several free upgrades to the program I purchased about 5 years ago. It's why I went with Affinity over PhotoShop. I keep wondering when Affinity will hop on board and do the same thing. It would be incredibly sneaky if Affinity's next free upgrade turned my free version into a subscription version from then, on. I would think that would be a case for a class action lawsuit that might even make it to the Supreme Court. Maybe AutoDesk will be the test case if enough people are outraged over this trend.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

fourlocks wrote:

Affinity has given me several free upgrades to the... (show quote)

I don’t know how you get a class action lawsuit out of something like that. The original software that you paid for continues to work on the equipment you bought it to work on. Where’s the problem?

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

SuperflyTNT wrote:

I don’t know how you get a class action lawsuit out of something like that. The original software that you paid for continues to work on the equipment you bought it to work on. Where’s the problem?

I'm not a lawyer but it seems like there's a fundamental question here of what ownership means. What's to prevent a business from doing this with any product. What if I purchased a car but after a certain period of time the car's computer was programmed to prevent the car from starting unless I paid a monthly fee to the manufacturer? Where could this trend end?

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

fourlocks wrote:

I'm not a lawyer but it seems like there's a fundamental question here of what ownership means. What's to prevent a business from doing this with any product. What if I purchased a car but after a certain period of time the car's computer was programmed to prevent the car from starting unless I paid a monthly fee to the manufacturer? Where could this trend end?

Missing the point. You bought the software. It works on the system you bought it for. There’s no guarantee it will work on newer systems.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

SuperflyTNT wrote:

I don’t know how you get a class action lawsuit out of something like that. The original software that you paid for continues to work on the equipment you bought it to work on. Where’s the problem?

When you try to install it on a new computer, it won't work.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

SuperflyTNT wrote:

I don’t know how you get a class action lawsuit out of something like that. The original software that you paid for continues to work on the equipment you bought it to work on. Where’s the problem?

Ahhh. The price of latest and greatest.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

fourlocks wrote:

I'm not a lawyer but it seems like there's a fundamental question here of what ownership means. What's to prevent a business from doing this with any product. What if I purchased a car but after a certain period of time the car's computer was programmed to prevent the car from starting unless I paid a monthly fee to the manufacturer? Where could this trend end?

BMW has been getting subscriptions for owners to get more power from the engine, among other featrues.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

jerryc41 wrote:

BMW has been getting subscriptions for owners to get more power from the engine, among other featrues.

BebuLamar

fourlocks wrote:

I'm not a lawyer but it seems like there's a fundamental question here of what ownership means. What's to prevent a business from doing this with any product. What if I purchased a car but after a certain period of time the car's computer was programmed to prevent the car from starting unless I paid a monthly fee to the manufacturer? Where could this trend end?

Well the software companies never did sell you the software. They license it for you to use.

BebuLamar

jerryc41 wrote:

When you try to install it on a new computer, it won't work.

Well there are 2 things to this Jerry.
First if you have an old software (for example Autocad 2006) and I try to install it on my Windows 10 computer it won't work but they would say because my Windows 10 computer does not meet the system requirements which is up to Windows XP only.

Second I install it on a Windows XP computer and it would install fine but when I go to activate it the activating server no longer works. This is the point I think is not right.

fourlocks Loc: Londonderry, NH

BebuLamar wrote:

Well the software companies never did sell you the software. They license it for you to use.

I agree there are a lot of angles to this issue just like you raise. What, exactly, did Jerry purchase? What was written or implied in the purchase agreement? I'm just playin' the devil's advocate here.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

BebuLamar wrote:

Well the software companies never did sell you the software. They license it for you to use.

Yes, so many do not understand that.