Ask HN: Anyone tired of everything being a subscription now?

Post by jonathankoren » Sun, Dec 18, 2022, 9:30 PM UTC

itake wrote: post #102

ravenstine wrote: post #96

Yes, and the only practical answer is to consider how many of these subscriptions you actually need. For instance, I see no reason why a password manager should be a SaaS. I don't care how long these companies have been around thusfar; in my opinion, using a password manager as-a-service is asking for trouble and is a waste of money. The closer you approach "perfect" security, the more of your personal security you e…

> why a password manager should be a SaaS While I fully agree with you, how do you sync passwords across my 3 laptops and 3 phones without a SaaS offering? While I don't use this feature, but it is common for ppl to share an account. How can I securely share credentials with family members?

Post by themadturk » Sun, Dec 18, 2022, 9:31 PM UTC

quaintdev wrote: post #51

rc_mob wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yep. is the problem with capitalism. if you are not growing in profits then you are dying. the happiness of the people be damned.

This exact behavior drives planned obsolescence. This has led to so much waste over past century that it's going to be very hard to go back. I was baffled that we invented a bulb that could last 100 years over a century ago and I still have to change bulbs every year or two. There are nice documentaries about this [0] The end of ownership https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOO-pYUl9-w [1] This is why we can't have nice…

Post by ghaff » Sun, Dec 18, 2022, 9:32 PM UTC

skelpmargyar wrote: post #120

Gigachad wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not going out of business, but on the iPad there is a drawing app called Procreate which is a one time purchase. It’s decent, but in the two years I’ve had it, nothing has really improved and there is a whole lot missing or to be desired. Meanwhile some subscription apps have come to the iPad and they are absolutely packed with every feature you could possibly want. For any well run company, the more the users are pa…

In my opinion you shouldn't expect future updates of any kind from software that you own. I wouldn't expect them to keep updating it because it obviously makes them no money. I would expect them to release a new product to keep making money.

Post by tttttt5ts » Sun, Dec 18, 2022, 9:33 PM UTC

solardev wrote: post #126

thot_experiment wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What the heck subscription models are you using? In my experience the software gets broken over time and you can't do anything about it, including RUN THE OLD VERSION WHICH WORKED. There's no longer as much incentive for companies to improve because they'll get paid anyway instead of payment being contingent on actually delivering something useful. Yes subscription models are good for developers, no this doesn't make…

Not the OP, but I have to disagree too. Creative Cloud, IntelliJ, Figma, Google Workspace, Postman, Spotify, Vercel, Adguard, Google storage space, Alltrails, 1password.. They're all subscriptions and getting better all the time. Meanwhile it's the old purchased software like Windows and Office that get worse with every version.

Post by JadeNB » Sun, Dec 18, 2022, 9:33 PM UTC

Gigachad wrote: post #108

lapcat wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I saw too many software companies go out of business because not enough people wound up upgrading to the next major version Do you have examples? Most new businesses fail regardless of their business model, so you'd have to argue that this phenomenon was somehow worse for non-subs. > Not to mention that a yearly subscription is cheaper than buying outright Not in the long term.

Not going out of business, but on the iPad there is a drawing app called Procreate which is a one time purchase. It’s decent, but in the two years I’ve had it, nothing has really improved and there is a whole lot missing or to be desired. Meanwhile some subscription apps have come to the iPad and they are absolutely packed with every feature you could possibly want. For any well run company, the more the users are pa…