The Cloud and the Future of Plugins

[robotmonkey]

There's two things: subscription and cloud.

So far, when it comes to plugins, they have meant the same. Cloud has been nothing more than a fancy word for subscription payment and always only DRM model.

The main question is what value does this model offer? I see some limited use cases where subscription could be useful but personally would never subscribe for plugins. I also don't see much use cases for true cloud features when it comes to plugins. Even Adobe Cloud is nothing more than subscription model with some cloud storage features bolted on the regular programs. They get away with it because they have a monopoly position.

One of the biggest false presumptions of cloud/subscription model is that I would care about constantly released new stuff or that I would even want all the plugins from a single developer. In fact, I don't give a damn in 99% of cases. New stuff will usually just constitute nothing than useless bloat and there's usually only couple of plugins I want from any given developer in the first place.

[telecode]

There's two things: subscription and cloud.

So far, when it comes to plugins, they have meant the same. Cloud has been nothing more than a fancy word for subscription payment and always only DRM model.

The main question is what value does this model offer? I see some limited use cases where subscription could be useful but personally would never subscribe for plugins. I also don't see much use cases for true cloud features when it comes to plugins. Even Adobe Cloud is nothing more than subscription model with some cloud storage features bolted on the regular programs. They get away with it because they have a monopoly position.

One of the biggest false presumptions of cloud/subscription model is that I would care about constantly released new stuff or that I would even want all the plugins from a single developer. In fact, I don't give a damn in 99% of cases. New stuff will usually just constitute nothing than useless bloat and there's usually only couple of plugins I want from any given developer in the first place.

If you had a plugin Boutique type site that had all developers and you subscribe to one place for everything?

[chk071]

Well, TL;DR: We will see how subscription models will pay out for the developers. Some will avoid it for ideologic reasons, and some won't have the ressources to even implement a subscription model. The bigger names surely will try it. And, to be totally honest with you, i think it will pay out for them. It's coming everywhere, and it is successful everywhere. Regardless of whether i or someone else likes it. I'm not a big fan either. But, i can see how it works for most software. Development costs money, this is a niche market, and developers have to see how they get around, and make a living.

Meanwhile, i'll backup my installers and serial keys...

[robotmonkey]

If you had a plugin Boutique type site that had all developers and you subscribe to one place for everything?

This is where I actually see some possible value. One of the problems with subscription model is that it might seem all nice and dandy but it will all quickly add up to a huge sum of your monthly income. Currently there's maybe only Waves (and maybe NI) that could cover most needs with one subscription.

[Aloysius]

Where is the cloud? Is it in the sky?

[kv331]

I also don't see much use cases for true cloud features when it comes to plugins.

We're releasing SynthMaster One v1.3 in a couple of weeks with "real" cloud features

1. Cross platform presets/waveforms/scales/samples syncronization to store user's data on the cloud
2. Cross platform public library for users to share their presets with the others

(This is based on Google's cloud infrastructure, and we're not charging anything monthly/annually for this)

[0degree]

I also don't see much use cases for true cloud features when it comes to plugins.

We're releasing SynthMaster One v1.3 in a couple of weeks with "real" cloud features

1. Cross platform presets/waveforms/scales/samples syncronization to store user's data on the cloud
2. Cross platform public library for users to share their presets with the others

(This is based on Google's cloud infrastructure, and we're not charging anything monthly/annually for this)

And you're a type of company I'll always support - already prepared money for Synthmaster upgrade

[metaside]

Well, TL;DR: We will see how subscription models will pay out for the developers. Some will avoid it for ideologic reasons, and some won't have the ressources to even implement a subscription model. The bigger names surely will try it. And, to be totally honest with you, i think it will pay out for them.

In plugin world, I think it might work for a while for some of the bigger devs. And then, at some point, people will jump off some of the older ships for some new hype thingy and many sub models will experience a shrinking user base, get more expensive and finally die...

[robotmonkey]

I also don't see much use cases for true cloud features when it comes to plugins.

We're releasing SynthMaster One v1.3 in a couple of weeks with "real" cloud features

1. Cross platform presets/waveforms/scales/samples syncronization to store user's data on the cloud
2. Cross platform public library for users to share their presets with the others

(This is based on Google's cloud infrastructure, and we're not charging anything monthly/annually for this)

This is exactly the cloud features I was talking about - just some cloud storage bolted on a regular on-premise software. I personally don't care a bit about such features and I would never be willing to put up with subscription / always online DRM for such features. I just see very little value in this. I'm sure there's some who would dig this though.

I have all your plugins and as long as I don't have to pay anything extra nor have to be constantly online to use them, I'm ok with that. Otherwise I would drop them in a heartbeat.

[robotmonkey]

Well, TL;DR: We will see how subscription models will pay out for the developers. Some will avoid it for ideologic reasons, and some won't have the ressources to even implement a subscription model. The bigger names surely will try it. And, to be totally honest with you, i think it will pay out for them.

In plugin world, I think it might work for a while for some of the bigger devs. And then, at some point, people will jump off some of the older ships for some new hype thingy and many sub models will experience a shrinking user base, get more expensive and finally die...

It will be interesting to see what happens when a recession will come. If you're just an hobbyist (or even business) I'm pretty sure dropping plugin subscriptions would be first thing to do to cut down your expenses.

[SLiC]

My experience with subscription (Roland Cloud) is that it pretty quickly descended in to quantity over quality (lost of sample pack based stuff) as there is too much pressure to keep pushing out new stuff all the time. I would rather have less, but of a much higher quality (and pay more for that) but 'the cloud' is a marketing wet dream.

[kv331]

This is exactly the cloud features I was talking about - just some cloud storage bolted on a regular on-premise software. I personally don't care a bit about such features and I would never be willing to put up with subscription / always online DRM for such features. I just see very little value in this. I'm sure there's some who would dig this though.

I have all your plugins and as long as I don't have to pay anything extra nor have to be constantly online to use them, I'm ok with that. Otherwise I would drop them in a heartbeat.

No you don't have to pay anything extra. We're not anticipating any substantial costs regarding this cloud feature. Google charges a fair and low price for the usage.

Ok then wanna help us test v1.3 Release Candidate ? Head over to : http://betas.synthmaster.com/userarea.aspx

[metaside]

It will be interesting to see what happens when a recession will come. If you're just an hobbyist (or even business) I'm pretty sure dropping plugin subscriptions would be first thing to do to cut down your expenses.

Yeah, good point...

[telecode]

It will be interesting to see what happens when a recession will come. If you're just an hobbyist (or even business) I'm pretty sure dropping plugin subscriptions would be first thing to do to cut down your expenses.

Yeah, good point...

Whether a recession comes or not. It doesn't matter. What matters is whether you lose regular income. I.e. you job or jobs in a family you are living in . The odds increase with a recession but it really could happen any time.

From my experience, cost of entertainment, dining out, going to concerts, movie theater far outstrips your cost of online services and subscriptions. A night out in movies runs about $20 to $30 per person. A dinner out at a regular restaurant like Keg, $50 to $60 per person. Off are, those will go before your Netflix subscription.

[vurt]

entertainment always takes a hit during recessions, conversely local music scenes in the past have found this advantageous as people looked for cheaper entertainment.
dunno how it is elsewhere, but i domt see that happening as much around these parts as many pubs/clubs are now closed/turned in to office space/flats etc.