Good to hear that more people let their subscription lapse. This business model makes it way too easy to feed crap to the customer. While I basically understand that it is great for the developer to have a fixed income, I can't see how it would keep people on their toes if I can't vote with my updating.
I'm wary of Adobes new policies too, but they at least offer an alternative, although I am VERY cautious about the current cheap prices for their rental - as soon as most people no longer have normal licenses, they are free to increase the rental price. And they just killed most of the large second hand software market in one bold strike too. Thankfully, I need less and less of Adobes tools, so this isn't as big of a problem. Initially I planned to do my new fullscreen-website in Flash, but in the end decided on HTML5, which I did mostly in a text editor and with open source tools - turned out just fine: http://www.screendream.de ;-) I'm really curious how the software market will develop in the near future - on one hand you have the cheap apple model, a professional app for 35 to 250 euro so almost everybody can afford it, on the other hand you have heavy handed Autodeskish companies who try to get us back to the silicon graphics days. I'm wary of both, but thankfully there is still a "normal" software market left. modo 601 may not be the tool for full on feature film production, but in my experience, it works much better than I would have expected (especially their render tree) and I like it that I just downloaded SP2 which again fixes a lot of bugs after SP1 did the same just some weeks ago. For Freelancers and small companies, it definitely is worth a try. At least it works for me :-) SItoM anybody? Cheers, Tom On 18 June 2012 20:06, Simon Van de Lagemaat <[email protected]>wrote: > I love Modo but it is in NO way ready for even moderate production loads. > I know because I've tried to implement it here for commercial production > and there are quite a few roadblocks that hold it back. That's not to say > it isn't capable on smaller jobs, it most certainly is. **** > > ** ** > > As it stands now the core of the program is not able to deal with the > heavy lifting that comes up in film and some commercials, both in > capability and stability. I also don't believe that the Lux guys want Modo > to become a heavy lifting package that could replace Soft or Maya. Right > now Arnold and Soft are light years ahead of Modo in terms of stability and > capabilty with a moderate to heavy production load.**** > > ** ** > > That said I feel your pain, we've let our subscription lapse because we > don't feel that 2013 warrants a paid upgrade. I really feel like AD is > holding us hostage with subscription fees, they force you into paying for > upgrades that you don't feel are worth the cost simply because not paying > for them is more expensive in the short term... of course all that does is > make us not upgrade for a longer period of time to offset the penalty. ** > ** > > ** ** > > I wish AD would shit or get off the pot and either move to standalone paid > upgrades or go to a full rental model like Adobe has which is closer to a > pay for play model. At least that way we could properly budget licensing > costs per project.**** > > ** ** > > *From:* [email protected] [mailto: > [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Szabolcs Matefy > *Sent:* June-18-12 7:11 AM > > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* RE: price increases?**** > > ** ** > > Modo is one of the possible candidates. I was working with LW for four > years, and I was working with modo for a while. It’s quite different, but > it might be a good direction. Of course it’s just my opinion, my bosses > will make the decision, but looking at the facts, if the price increase is > that large, we probably wouldn’t renew our subscription. It’s not a fair > way to pay for bugfixes. It’s like you buy a car, but wheel is working in > the opposite direction.. You have to pay an additional fee for fixing the > wheel? C’mon. Luxology seems to be delivering service packs addressing the > issues**** > > ** ** > > ** ** > > *From:* [email protected] [ > mailto:[email protected]<[email protected]>] > *On Behalf Of *olivier jeannel > *Sent:* Monday, June 18, 2012 3:53 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: price increases?**** > > ** ** > > "...we are considering to migrate to cheaper, more reliable product..." > Which one ? ...just curious. > > > Le 18/06/2012 15:38, Szabolcs Matefy a écrit : **** > > To be honest, due to the increased unreliability of Autodesk products, and > the increasing price, we are considering to migrate to cheaper, more > reliable product out of the Autodesk household. Why I should pay for > bugfixes? Why should I pay money for delivering useless, untested stuff? > It’s not against the excellent guys at support (hats off for you guys, you > really rock), but Autodesk policy. Shame on them. And that’ll lead to > increased software piracy, it’s sure.**** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > *From:* [email protected] [ > mailto:[email protected]<[email protected]>] > *On Behalf Of *Williams, Wayne > *Sent:* Monday, June 18, 2012 3:26 PM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* RE: price increases?**** > > **** > > “I can't believe AD's policy concerning pricing. I've dropped both my > subs due to the 70% price increase for uk subscribers - so are the prices > going up even more?!”**** > > **** > > You are doing the right thing. Money talks, and when enough of it does, it > roars. Just stop upgrading, stop subscription. When enough people do so > Autodesk will be forced to re-evaluate their policies or hemorrhage money. > Will probably get flamed to the depths of Hades for the contrarian opinion > but monopolistic price gouging isn’t a sustainable business model due to > various factors, most notably the demand curve. Only so many people can > afford the new, higher premiums so they wind up losing customers there. > They also extremely piss off much of the rest of their customer base with > the higher prices which makes that base more prone to look elsewhere for > solutions. This is when competitors step in and offer more value to lure > that customer base away. It may be that the competition has the same sort > of product for a cheaper price, or it may be they offer something that does > more than what Autodesk software can do but at the same price. Eventually, > this results in an equilibrium of prices for goods and services being made > possible. Know it sounds a bit odd, but this price exploration is something > that is desirable in the long term. It’s one of the things which drives > innovation, competition and helps producers to determine what is the right > price for their product. Non-market based external factors aside > (government’s injecting themselves into the economy (typically due to > lobbying from a weaker competitor) via subsidies, tax breaks, no bid > contracts, etc.) this process is the most efficient one our species has > observed to date for the allocation of resources. **** > > **** > > **** > > *From:* [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] *On Behalf Of *Matt > Morris > *Sent:* Monday, June 18, 2012 7:26 AM > *To:* [email protected] > *Subject:* Re: price increases?**** > > **** > > I can't believe AD's policy concerning pricing. I've dropped both my subs > due to the 70% price increase for uk subscribers - so are the prices going > up even more?!**** > > **** > > I'll think about upgrading again when they sort out their INSANE price > policies. 2013 should do me for a while yet. Given that we're in a > worldwide recession and the 3d market in particular seems to be being > squeezed, I have no idea how they are validating these decisions.**** > > **** > > **** > > **** > > On 16 June 2012 11:43, Tim Leydecker <[email protected]> wrote:**** > > On 15.06.2012 18:21, Byron Nash wrote: > > Is this an effort to get everyone on subscription? I haven't heard any > word about that going up. (crossing fingers!) I personally like > subscription.**** > > +1 > > > I just recently tried to consolidate my licenses into > one single subscription covered Ultimate package. > > It would have been very favorable for me but unfortunately, > my reseller would only offer a stiff +/- 5000 EUR option, > dropping Maya and upgrading Premium into a single Ultimate bundle. > > If I would just go and get my subscription for my Premium bundle > and the Maya license instead, even including pesky late subscription fees, > which are imho sending a wrong message in terms of marketing anyway, > I would end up at "just" roughly 2200 EUR. > > This doesn´t make sense at all and really, really sends the wrong message. > > I would have thought AD would be happy to simplify things and even sell > the full pack? > > Cheers, > > > tim**** > > > > > > > On 15.06.2012 18:21, Byron Nash wrote:**** > > Is this an effort to get everyone on subscription? I haven't heard any > word about that going up. (crossing fingers!) I personally like > subscription.**** > > On Thu, Jun 14, 2012 at 7:22 PM, Thomas Helzle <[email protected]<mailto: > [email protected]>> wrote: > > The 70% of the full price for an update is not a rumor, I got that in > an official mail from my reseller a month ago. > They say this will be effective from February 2013. > > I haven't heard of the general price increase but wouldn't be surprised > - I guess it's more the question of "when" than "if". And Softimage XSI is > really worth every penny, it > used to cost 70,000 or something ;-) > > Hey, just kidding anyway. I'm out of the loop already. > > Cheers, > > Tom**** > > On 14 June 2012 20:57, <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> > wrote: > > nope – a bet it is, as for now it is just a rumour.**** > > *From:* Thomas Helzle <mailto:[email protected]> > *Sent:* Thursday, June 14, 2012 8:37 PM > *To:* [email protected] <mailto: > [email protected]> > *Subject:* Re: price increases?**** > > > "bets"? > They are called "Screws" as far as I know ;-) > Applied to the thumbs or other sensitive body extensions they can > be very effective. > Especially in an endless spiraling economic crisis they are needed > to extract shareholder value from customers who might have become a bit > reluctant to let go of > possessions, even if it's for the greater good. > It's easily fixed with the: > S.C.R.E.W.E.D. 2013 Subscription Benefit Pack Extender Set. > Once applied, the needed flow of fresh blood, ahem, cash, is > guaranteed. > Enjoy your stay ;-) > Cheers, > Tom**** > > On 14 June 2012 19:59, <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> > wrote: > > a little fairy told me today... > in about two weeks we (Europe) would see 25% increase on > licenses/maintenance for autodesk 3D software, and upgrades at about 75% of > the cost of new licenses. > > all bets are on. > > > -----Original Message----- From: Stephen Blair > Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 11:17 AM**** > > To: [email protected].__com <mailto: > [email protected]>**** > > > Subject: RE: price increases? > > It's a North American price change. > I haven't seen anything about price changes in the rest of the > world. > > -----Original Message-----**** > > From: softimage-bounces@listproc.__autodesk.com <mailto: > [email protected]> [mailto:softimage-bounces@__ > listproc.autodesk.com > <mailto:[email protected]>] On Behalf Of > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Sent: June-12-12 3:15 AM**** > > To: [email protected].__com <mailto: > [email protected]> > Subject: Re: price increases? > > but with north america vs europe vs japan equivalency, we'll > see 10 % in > europe and 20% in japan. > (sorry, couldn't resist) > > > -----Original Message----- From: Stephen Blair > Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 3:20 AM**** > > To: [email protected].__com <mailto: > [email protected]>**** > > > Subject: RE: price increases? > > The price increase for commercial US and Canada licenses will > be something > on the order of 5%, I believe. > I don't have the actual prices atm. > > -----Original Message-----**** > > From: softimage-bounces@listproc.__autodesk.com <mailto: > [email protected]> > [mailto:softimage-bounces@__listproc.autodesk.com <mailto: > [email protected]>] On Behalf Of Matt Lind > Sent: June-11-12 7:43 PM**** > > To: [email protected].__com <mailto: > [email protected]> > Subject: RE: price increases? > > What are the new prices for new licenses? > > > > > -----Original Message-----**** > > From: softimage-bounces@listproc.__autodesk.com <mailto: > [email protected]> > [mailto:softimage-bounces@__listproc.autodesk.com <mailto: > [email protected]>] On Behalf Of Stephen Blair > Sent: Monday, June 11, 2012 4:38 PM**** > > To: [email protected].__com <mailto: > [email protected]> > Subject: RE: price increases? > > Subscription prices do not change. > Price changes apply to new licenses. > > > -----Original Message-----**** > > From: softimage-bounces@listproc.__autodesk.com <mailto: > [email protected]> > [mailto:softimage-bounces@__listproc.autodesk.com <mailto: > [email protected]>] On Behalf Of David > Gallagher > Sent: June-11-12 7:04 PM**** > > To: [email protected].__com <mailto: > [email protected]> > Subject: Re: price increases? > > > What are the new subscription prices? > > > On 6/11/2012 6:36 PM, Eric Gunther wrote: > > You know, > > I was just subscribed to this list to pick up the odd bit > about 3d and > softimage...but I feel the need to comment. > > I initially got softimage (decided to use it) because it > was selling > for > 400 bucks or something. Seemed like a good way to get into > the > industry, small. > > what is happening and has been happening with this is just > $%#@ed up. > > -eric > > > > On Tue, 2012-06-12 at 00:00 +0200, Thomas Helzle wrote: > > yeah, got some funny emails as well. > It seems that in the future you can update up to 6 or 7 > versions > back, but have to pay 70% of the full original price > (which funny > enough was increased quite considerably for XSI not > that long ago). > I'm sure an Autodesk representative would be able to > explain why this > is a fantastic thing to happen. > > > I'd call it your basic miss-use of a monopoly. > > > Cheers, > > > Tom > > > http://www.screendream.de > > On 11 June 2012 21:15, Paul Griswold**** > > <pgriswold@__fusiondigitalproductions.com <mailto: > [email protected]>> wrote:**** > > > Nevermind - I found it here:**** > > > http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/__servlet/pc/index?siteID=__123112&id=192218< > http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=192218>**** > > > 63 > > > So it looks like we're all going to see a > price increase in > August. > > > On Mon, Jun 11, 2012 at 3:14 PM, Paul Griswold > **** > > <pgriswold@__fusiondigitalproductions.com <mailto: > [email protected]>> wrote:**** > > > Can anyone from AD discuss the price > increases that > have been announced? Will it affect > Softimage or is > it just CAD products? > > **** > > > http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/__servlet/pc/index?id=19221634&__siteID=1231< > http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?id=19221634&siteID=1231> > 12 > > > -Paul > > > > > > > > > > > > **** > > > > **** > > **** > > -- > www.matinai.com**** > > ** ** >
