Resco Software now subscription?

[ChristopherTD]

Am I reading the terms of the new Resco policy correctly?

It seems that when you buy it you get a year of updates, then you have to buy it again if you want to use the most recent version, even when the jump is minor (in my case Explorer 5.35 to 5.42).

I don't mind paying for big upgrades, but this seems a bit arbitary, especially as there doesn't seem to be a way of downloading anything except the most recent version.

[Darius Wey]

New policy? If I recall correctly, it's been in place for a while.

My two cents: I'm not a fan of it. I believe that a user should be entitled to dot upgrades at no extra cost, regardless of the time frame. But different developers have different ways of doing business. :?

[ChristopherTD]

It does look like it has been in place for a while, but I haven't re-installed it recently.

I am a keen upgrader and have no problems paying for genuine upgrades, but this doesn't seem to be anything more than a subscription in disguise. If I have to pay each year to make it continue to work, I am not interested...

I have asked them for a link to download the most recent version that I am licenced for, but I am not holding my breath...

[applejosh]

While I don't like this kind of policy either, I wouldn't call it a subscription. The software will continue to work past the 1 year date. You just won't get any updates. If it were a subscription, you'd be up a creek on the day after it expired.

But given this type of licensing, I think they should provide the ability to download the latest version for which you are licensed (and easily tell you what version that is) without having to contact support, etc. and waiting for an answer.

[ChristopherTD]

We are in agreement applejosh - if they pursue this policy then previous versions should be easily obtainable. But I can see why that would be technically tricky to implement.

I now have to wait for a reply from Resco, or scour old backup images to find an earlier version of the software.

All mildly irritating!

[applejosh]

We are in agreement applejosh - if they pursue this policy then previous versions should be easily obtainable. But I can see why that would be technically tricky to implement.

Tricky indeed, which almost makes you wonder why they chose such a model. I know that recurring billing is the gold standard for just about any business (look what Microsoft has been trying to do for years with its "assurance" program), but from a consumer standpoint, I think it's almost a bad thing with software. The nice thing about upgrading to new versions was that there had to be something that was worth it to the customer. With a subscription model, you've almost taken away the reason to innovate and add to products. You're essentially making the customer pay for bug fixes. Granted, the Resco license is somewhere inbetween. But I digress...

<hops off soapbox>

[Menneisyys]

We are in agreement applejosh - if they pursue this policy then previous versions should be easily obtainable. But I can see why that would be technically tricky to implement.

I now have to wait for a reply from Resco, or scour old backup images to find an earlier version of the software.

All mildly irritating!

Where should I send it? (The original, trial 5.35 version.) PM?

[xdalaw]

It does look like it has been in place for a while, but I haven't re-installed it recently.

I am a keen upgrader and have no problems paying for genuine upgrades, but this doesn't seem to be anything more than a subscription in disguise. If I have to pay each year to make it continue to work, I am not interested...

I have asked them for a link to download the most recent version that I am licenced for, but I am not holding my breath...

I agree 100%. I never mind paying for a true version upgrade/update, but "point releases" as these typically are should be included for free. Especially when Resco has had some buggy apps with certain devices (my 8125 and 700Wx for instance) recently.

I posted a complaint in their forum and basically am going to shop elsewhere for comparable apps when my existing Resco ones are too old to be worthwhile.

[juni]

I don't mind upgrading when there is a real upgrade, but yes, it is true - I recently did a hard reset and tried using my old key with the latest version and it didn't work.

But I did promptly get the older version that worked with my key from resco when I asked about it. :)