JCP

And they lock the format to lock users in to their software environment, which should be illegal. All files should be an open readable format. It's doable, look at the PDF format, it's mostly open and documented and look at how much competition there. There are dozens of PDF editors from small programs that do simple merging to programs more capable than Acrobat, like Bluebeam. Affinity can read PSD but they must be reverse engineering the file format and its not perfect.

This is an issue across the board with a lot of software companies, especially with those that dominate the market due to incompatibility between competitive software and file type lock in. They no longer release enhancements and changes that are compelling enough for the customer base to pay for the "upgrade". Subscription allows them to justify their existence when they no longer deserve it. I wouldn't be as opposed to subs if file types and the data was completely open. File content should not be proprietary so it can easily move between applications. This would allow more competition to exist and keeping pricing options open and fair. Imagine buying Dewalt tools but all the work you do with them can't be "edited" with Black and Decker tools.....that's what Adobe and other companies essentially do.

This is happening with a lot of software. The tools have matured and there is little they can add that existing customers will pay to upgrade. It gets more difficult for them to come up something new so lets just switch to subs to try and continue to justify their existence. Imagine if you bought a Dewalt drill and if you had to activate it annually for it to work. No one would accept that, but for software we do, or have little choice other than to try an go elsewhere. Not always an option when that software has a near monopoly on the market.

Well worst cases is we have 2 or 3 years still as it would take time a new version for them to move to subscription only model. I think voicing dissent is the way to go so they know the impact.

I hope this doesn't end up like Bluebeam Revu did. It was a perpetual license with optional "maintenance" for annual upgrades. Then it got purchased by Nemetschek. The next version (21) was subscription only and a massive price increase. We went from a $300 initial purchase with $80 a year maintenance per user to $400 per year. Do the math on 500 users, although they have "graciously allowed us to be grandfathered in on existing users at a 10% annual increase until we reach full price. License agreement does allow us to use the older version forever.....however they have been shutting down the ability to activate older licenses. So you are fine until you want to move the software to a new PC, you can no longer deactivate and reactivate. I will say the difference here is that Bluebeam is mostly superior to Adobe Acrobat in its toolset. We even considered going to Acrobat as it was now a cheaper subscription but we lost too many tools that affect productivity. Not certain that's the case with Affinity. I'm a casual/hobbyist user, if they go subs I'll keep what I have as long as possible. If I have to sub in the future, it better be much less than Adobe's subs.