Sure that's a very real possibility, but what other alternatives do you/we have? 1) Not buy anymore software (as no one can guarantee lifetime support) 2) Buy the software & hope for the best 3) Use hardware only 4) Other options? Considering what you stated Bit, which scenario would you use?
It's sad, but the hard truth is that, like your cat, all software has a limited lifespan. Actually, cats live longer than most software.
Hardware does offer advantages in regard to longevity but is harder to justify, cost-wise. Ironically, it's (computer) hardware that ultimately guarantees software obsolescence.
One thing we can do to protect our software investments is to avoid the most blatant guaranteed-obsolescence mechanism: hardware-based copy protection. That includes USB dongles and license keys based on hardware configuration.
If you think Pace invented the dongle, think again. Dongles have been around for at least 30 years that I know of, and the majority of them are now obsolete and no longer manufactured or supported. They all have the same Achilles' Heel: they all depend both on drivers external to the products they serve, as well as internal support within those products. Their
only purpose and primary mode is to prevent your software from running. Without ongoing vendor support, they will eventually fulfill that prime directive.
Then there are the non-hardware schemes that attempt to restrict the software to a single computer through use of a key that's based on one computer's hardware profile.
A couple years ago, Dell was one of many manufacturers hit by a batch of faulty capacitors, requiring motherboard replacements on a huge scale. I was one of those customers whose motherboards failed. Luckily, I had a maintenance contract with Dell and got a free motherboard.
However, some of my software no longer worked because the CPU had changed. I had to contact each vendor and re-authorize those products. One product simply refused to ever work again, and had to be replaced. Another could not be re-authorized because the vendor was no longer in existence. In another case, the manufacturer had been sold to another company but the new owners' only advice was to buy their new version.
This would be like having the ignition key in your car fail to work after an engine rebuild, and having to go to the manufacturer for permission to start your car. Fine if it's GM or Toyota but good luck if it's a vintage Studebaker.