In this video starting at 42:21, Greg from Pixel Fondue had a few words to say about Autodesk’s attempt to price-force perpetual license owners onto subscription (rental). I think he captures the current Autodesk customer mood quite nicely.
Here are some of the highlights from Greg and others:
44:36 – If you’re gonna eff me, know my name.
45:20 – The only thing they forgot to attach to this was the head of a horse.
46:54 – If they didn’t think it was a tough sell, they wouldn’t have written a 2000 word essay…
49:14 – This is a trade-in, and they’re looking to take this [Entertainment Creation Suite]. So I give you this, this $12,000 investment … I give it back to you, plus like another $1,000 … and you give me the exact same thing. Except I no longer own it.
51:02 – Hi! Give us your thing you bought from us, we’ll rent it back to you… dumbass!
58:49 – It’s OK to be pissed, and Autodesk needs to know that people are pissed. So, Teresa, people are pissed. That’s a bullshit letter. Be honest with us.
Great watch ! Thanks for posting
Good watch, agree except re 49:14 comment technically you only ever ‘owned’ the right to use it. I think that distinction has caused much confusion even with perpetual licenses when it came to transfer etc
That technicality is debateable and depends on jurisdiction. In Europe, First Sale Doctrine for software is fully supported by the European Court of Justice. The ultimate decision in the Vernor case in the US came to the opposite conclusion. Later US decisions varied from Vernor under different circumstances. In other places, it’s up in the air.
In any case, the box is just being used as a visual representation of the license for dramatic effect. I’m pretty sure Greg knows he’s not expected to send the physical box back. Box or license, it’s still something that $12,000 has been pumped into, that Autodesk now wants back for nothing.