@alexnetogeo @mcc

Agreed. I think more/most commercial software will use the subscription model.

My idea about the reason for this is: a) it's greed of the manufactorers, but also b) we have reached a saturation in benefits from (buying) newer versions of software.

Nobody really needs Windows 11 and the latest MS Office version for doing regular office work. There's just not that one shiny new set of features that makes you switch to Windows 11. So MS must force people to use it.

Same holds for Adobe Suite and creative work, with only a few exceptions (like supporting new camera RAW formats and stuff).

So, manufacturers want to force users into the subscription plan.

Open Source doesn't need to do so.

@mcc

But Open Source isn't so much the point about this message by Adobe.

The point is not to use a Cloud service you do not have control over and not to use software via subscription.

Because you could always use old hardware, an old OS, not being connected to the Internet for safety reasons, to run old software you need. Or you could do it in something like VirtualBox.

Open source, is it easier with that respect? It depends… there is also old open source software that will not run on your current system, because dependencies have changed / cannot be provided any more, and lots of other stuff. And if you do not know how to compile from source, resolving dependencies manually, it's of no use for you.

Anyways… this Adobe message basically means: Better think twice before you marry. People somehow forget common wisdom when it comes to computers.