acceptance of subscription services

VST, AU, AAX, CLAP, etc. Plugin Virtual Instruments Discussion

What do you think of subscription services?

best thing since the wheel
3
1%
dumbest thing since the square wheel
63
24%
totally neutral: don't care one way or the other
29
11%
I am subscribed to 1 or more
15
6%
I will never subscribe to 1 or more
92
35%
what's a subscription service?
0
No votes
I use ADOBE
3
1%
I use Roland cloud
7
3%
I use Komplete now
1
0%
I use other subscription service
8
3%
I use lamp, I LOVE LAMP
10
4%
potato
31
12%
 
Total votes: 262

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I'm sure that more and more software/music companies will implement the subscription model.

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It's worth keeping in mind that these threads are not even remotely representative of peoples' opinions on the matter. I have a few subscriptions and I like them, but the anti-subscription zealots are so loud and aggressive that I'm not interested in engaging with these threads. I'll probably regret this post as well! Anyhow, I'm sure there are lots of us who are fine with subscriptions but have no interest in talking about it here.

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naw, it's good to hear the other side also. I know people who are fine with subs also.

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Chrisk-K wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:41 am I'm sure that more and more software/music companies will implement the subscription model.
You take that back now, or I'll fight you behind the sheds!!! :box:
Say NO to CLAP!

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I also hate subscriptions but entered last year Roland cloud to get 4 synths as lifetime. Was much cheaper than buy the license.

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When did they offer 4 synths within a year? And do you trust to be able to use them anytime offline? Do you trust them that the service will be available in 10 years from now?
Their system put me off with the free Zenology already. Checking online and throwing complaints even when I did not use it… deleted forever. Absolute nogo area even for free versions…

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Zero subscription software. At all.

Never have, never will.

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Are you referring to music software subscriptions? Because I bet that everyone here is subscribed to one or more subscription services, personally:
- Netflix
- Disney Plus
- Spotify

I also used to have Adobe Cloud professionally but I cancelled after switching jobs. So I can tell you first hand that there is a catch with subscription services: You lose everything when you quit.

Personally I stay away as good as I can, but at this point there is no denying anymore that they are here to stay.

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I refuse to subscribe to anything. Only pay the bills ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Buy once, own forever. Use anytime... or never at all, at no additional cost.
This is much better than paying all the time, even if you're not using a thing at the moment. When you stop paying, you are left with no money and no product either.
The capitalist takes all the property and money either way. This is a modern, disguised feudal service. Or slavery, if you will.

Plus... I like to hand-pick best products from the entire market, single-company subscription doesn't do it for me. Even if it's NI.
Blog ------------- YouTube channel
Tricky-Loops wrote: (...)someone like Armin van Buuren who claims to make a track in half an hour and all his songs sound somewhat boring(...)

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I don’t make money from music so subscribing doesn’t make sense me me financially. I like buying things that if I don’t use for six months don’t cost me a thing. However, there is other software I use (daily) that I make my living from and that I do not have a problem paying for subscriptions for.

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flori89 wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 7:39 am Are you referring to music software subscriptions? Because I bet that everyone here is subscribed to one or more subscription services, personally:
- Netflix
- Disney Plus
- Spotify
It comes down to perceived value...

Netflix feels like an improved version of cable TV / premium channels, and most people don't want to own DVDs/Blu-Rays except for favorite movies that they plan to re-watch or just want to collect for some reason. They have something like 5000+ titles and some great original content.

Softsynths, until recently, were a product you bought once and owned forever (unless you decided to resell your license). When a company gets bought by venture capitalists and decides to turn these products into a "service" so they can collect rent on them instead, it just feels like a cash grab.

Two years of Roland Cloud Pro costs about the same as just buying Arturia V Collection 8 with the current discount. With Roland, you rent about 20 softsynths for two years.. except you can't use them all at once, you have to choose which ones are activated. With Arturia, you own 28 softsynths forever.

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yeah, as a musical site, I kinda meant this for music subs, but added adobe in because it is an example. but it is good to discuss video streamers etc, as they are also subscriptions, just sort of offering different value.

I'd suspect those NOT speaking up about liking subscriptions, PROBABLY use them in business more than personal, thus, a subscription has way less impact as it is simply another small business expense. Perhaps these are the people these subscription business models are aimed at, because the user base is existing, and a good business tends to have a solid income flow. so subs for them are easier. just a thought.

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OK, so what do we have here…
Major DAW companies like Avid - ProTools and Reasonstudios have it already in place, Steinberg will have it in place with the release of Cubase 12 in mid 2022.
Major software instruments like Roland and now NI are already onboard of subscription system, everyone will follow suit - Correct me if I’m wrong by the end of 2022.
Like it or not, Subscription is the new way of buying software now and in the future and is here to stay and expand. Personally I move with time and try not to get stuck in past.

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Atlatnesiti wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:08 pm OK, so what do we have here…
Major DAW companies like Avid - ProTools and Reasonstudios have it already in place, Steinberg will have it in place with the release of Cubase 12 in mid 2022.
Major software instruments like Roland and now NI are already onboard of subscription system, everyone will follow suit - Correct me if I’m wrong by the end of 2022.
Like it or not, Subscription is the new way of buying software now and in the future and is here to stay and expand. Personally I move with time and try not to get stuck in past.
Besides ProTools, you can still buy and will be able to by Cubase and Nuendo. With Roland, you can also buy their licenses. If anything, they dropped their 'sub only' model and began offering perpetual licenses again. Why did they do that I wonder?

Most companies know via the previous backlash we've seen, they will have to keep perpetual licenses as well. Just look at Slate and PA they really wanted a sub only model. But it didn't happen...

So yeah... More subs are coming. No big deal... I'm happy 'not to move' with the times. :D

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wwjd wrote: Thu Dec 09, 2021 2:03 pm yeah, as a musical site, I kinda meant this for music subs, but added adobe in because it is an example. but it is good to discuss video streamers etc, as they are also subscriptions, just sort of offering different value.

I'd suspect those NOT speaking up about liking subscriptions, PROBABLY use them in business more than personal, thus, a subscription has way less impact as it is simply another small business expense. Perhaps these are the people these subscription business models are aimed at, because the user base is existing, and a good business tends to have a solid income flow. so subs for them are easier. just a thought.
Subscriptions are great if you're businesses user. Software licensing used to be such a mess, basically needing an entire full-time employee to manage even for a fairly small business. Now with Office 365, Azure, AWS etc. it's so much easier. A company has nothing to gain by holding on to licenses they don't need/use at the current moment, so being able to add/remove seats as needed when employees come and go is a great feature.

For a hobbyist, it makes no sense. I might use a plugin once, then forget about it until a year later when I suddenly realize it would be perfect for whatever I'm doing at the time. Then there's always that decision whether I should cancel the subscription or just keep paying "just in case" I randomly decide to load up that plugin one day.

With perpetual licenses I can keep adding to and investing in my studio over time, similarly to how you'd gradually add hardware to a hardware-based studio.

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