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

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

#111

Post by imhoguy »

outcoldman wrote: post #88

I just wish subscription model would be more friendly for the individual entrepreneurs. Have an hourly/daily renting model. For example, I pay for IntelliJ, which is my primary tool, and I see the value of what I am paying for. Right now, the price is ~200/year, and will be ok actually paying 10x of that as well. On other hand, I also used to pay for Sketch, Adobe Suite, Parallels, which I used only 1-2 months a year…

It is still better than it was before, imagine you had to buy Adobe PS as a beginner, or you could just pir.... now you know why subscriptions.

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

#114

Post by dj_mc_merlin »

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?

Don't. Sharing a Netflix account with your family is easy. Send it in the whatsapp group if you need to change the password or something -- how often are you going to do that in your life? Not enough to justify handing over all of your password to a 3rd party and paying them money for it.

Anything more important than a Netflix account you don't share at all. If they need access, just call them.

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

#115

Post by lapcat »

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…

By this principle, every physical product in the world would be "a Ponzi scheme".

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

#117

Post by bombolo »

crazygringo wrote: post #40

Not really, because I saw too many software companies go out of business because not enough people wound up upgrading to the next major version -- the ownership model of software can be awfully feast-or-famine for developers' income, it's a very tough/risky business model. Generally speaking, I'm happy to pay a subscription because this way I get a steady stream of all the updates, and it's much more likely the compa…

I use debian and i get a steady stream of updates!

And I also don't get microsoft bugging me every day to install windows 11.

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

#119

Post by droobles »

I think at first thought it's annoying, but it's worked for me since Everquest since I know the company I'm subscribed to will deliver updates forever, and if they don't I just cancel. I think it is annoying that I have to keep track of all my subscriptions, but that's a very minor inconvenience.

Subscription services have almost single-handedly ended the consumer need for pirating software as well.

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

#120

Post by skelpmargyar »

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…

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.
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