I am wondering if anyone wants to join in on a discussion of the apparent trend in the music software community to switch to subscription models.
 
I admit I was a bit disturbed at first by Sonar switching to an annual subscription model, but I finally decided I like the deal and what it offers in terms of updates. A few hundred dollars a year seemed reasonable for what Sonar has to offer as a DAW.
 
However, today I noted that EastWest has gone over to a subscription model for its large number of instruments and plugins where the cheapest subscription plan seemed to be $30 a month for access to 7 products. If you allow your subscription to lapse you can no longer use the instruments. Hmmmm.
 
It would seem that if many of these music software companies start switching to such a model, then many of us home studio enthusiasts would be unable to afford to keep our plugin / vst libraries going for very long. I have about 20 high end libraries that I like to upgrade by choice, but if I found myself forced to subscribe or lose the right to use them, I would not be able to afford the many thousands of dollars a year for such subscription models.
 
I think many of these companies are facing short falls because even professional studios are not making the profits they once were able to generate and have taken some steps to cut costs. I would only guess that growing competition and dwindling funding is cutting down the slice of the pie for music software developers.
 
Many of us represent a source of income for these companies who have not been highlights of their financial years, but have contributed to their success through our willingness to save up and purchase quality products. But I see a future at least for me where I will not be able to continue to fund subscriptions. I perhaps would have to support the small developers who might not have the coding resources for shiny products but who at least could be innovative.
 
Just wondering what others think ... Am I being too paranoid or just realistic?

I admit I was a bit disturbed at first by Sonar switching to an annual subscription model,

 
Sonar is NOT subscription.  You can pay in full, or you can pay in instalments.  There is no subscription option.

Some here feel the monthly fee for SONAR is "acceptable" even if it means they pay more over 12 months that I did for my yearly subscription. As noted with SONAR we both (monthly and annual payers) get to keep our products.
 
East West on the other hand would best be served by the SONAR model but probably with a three or five year payment plan. I own their composers collection which meant that I had to make finite choices. With that, I have what I want from them. I can't see me ever going for their subscription service until they have an end game plan where I own everything.
 
Personally I think EW's choice may well be the death of them. Unless I am in the minority of musicians who want to own what I use to make music.

I've been predicting the emergence of regular payment models for a long time.  It's the only way software companies will be able to survive.
 
 

BobF
I've been predicting the emergence of regular payment models for a long time.  It's the only way software companies will be able to survive.
 
 

Or fold under even less in sales than previously.

I would/will stop using any software that ever goes down the compulsory subscription route. If I stopped at where I am right now I would still have more than I will ever fully master and the biggest handicap to me making great productions will always be the idiot working the controls, not the lack of the latest version.

bapu

BobF
I've been predicting the emergence of regular payment models for a long time.  It's the only way software companies will be able to survive.
 
 

Or fold under even less in sales than previously.

You think burger flippers have high expectations for pay?  You should hear what software engineers expect.  Yes, I agree.  All companies certainly won't survive this change in the industry.  Most changes see casualties.
 
It's funny how a lot of people want to pay as little as possible for things they want, but at the same time press for the absolute most they can get for their own efforts.

bapu

BobF
I've been predicting the emergence of regular payment models for a long time.  It's the only way software companies will be able to survive.
 
 

Or fold under even less in sales than previously.

Agree.  There is a limit to the amount of money that I am willing to spend on monthly subscriptions.  I currently have everything that I really need to produce music.  There are also a lot of really good inexpensive and free plug ins out there that work just fine.  Valhalla for instance is my go to, even over some of the pricier plugs.  
 
Myself, I have actually started trending back to more hardware, so that I am not tied to everything software.  

BobF
You should hear what software engineers expect.  Yes, I agree.  

Ummmmmmm  I am a software engineer (for over 30 years).
 
Today, because they can, companies are pay 30-50% less than they did 5 years ago. I know from direct experience.
 
I am grateful that I am still in this field but the new standards for pay is tough.

I spent 50 years in my software engineering career both as a consultant / contract worker and a paid staff employee. When I started there were nothing but mainframes with COBOL and Assembler on IBM mainframe DOS (not PC DOS)  and MVS. In the beginning, I was treated pretty much as a superstar actually having some pretty impressive spending allocations when I travelled.
 
As the years progressed and the market was flooded with programmers, the salaries started to drop dramatically (in relative terms of inflation) and the quality of the programming became abysmal. In my early years, bugs were a sure way to get yourself fired, but now they are accepted. Certainly there is more complexity, but the tolerance level is way to high. It is pretty much a relief to be retired at this point.
 
I would agree that software engineers are underpaid. They are taken right out of college at miniscule salaries while the experienced programmers let go ... all to cut costs. Talk about "Penny wise and pound foolish."
 
I am pretty happy with the CW form of subscription or whatever you want to call it because at the end of the 12 months I have a product I can use without any need to continue to pay. These other models such as EastWest will not work if you allow the subscription to lapse. I never joined the subscription plan for Photoshop when it first appeared for that reason and use it constantly now without ever thinking of losing my rights to use it.
 
It is not a question of lack will to pay for enhancement, but there is a limited amount of money I can spend and they will not get water by squeezing this rock. I feel I have pretty much what I need for the rest of my life if I was entirely cutoff from further software purchases. However, I feel for those younger than I am, the squeeze is coming and another route will have to open for these young people. Simply put, I know there are very cheap sources of DAW and plugin software and that will be the salvation of many. Also, I have considered the hardware route as someone else has mentioned. Who knows maybe in the future you won't own your hardware but only lease it (a joke, but who knows what these companies are capable of considering in the name of profit).