I’m sorry Matt, but this is going to be a very long message and it really does cover some issues with the Eagle v8 license change that either AutoDesk has not considered or has considered but simply have not communicated, so bear with me.
I’m also going to be a bit testy here as the CAD software is akin to religion and the reason for that is that it takes a huge investment of time (not to mention money) to get across the various packages so, that when a vendor starts changing stuff in that software, the users are generally going to get very, very irritable very quickly ….
So … let’s start …
What the hell is it with Eagle that is so hard regarding the licensing? Seriously?
You would have thought that after the V5-V6 licensing debacle, that others would have learnt, bit appears no ... that is not the case. 😞
Not to be critical Matt, but this whole issue has NOT been handled well at all, and the issue here at play isn't the software ... it's the licensing. You know that there is a problem when the topic of focus isn't actually the software - and really it should be.
Ok, lets' start off. Subscriptions ... There are three effective means of implementing subscription software:
1. Pay money to turn it on and get any data.
No money (i.e. no subscription) = no data. The user is held hostage. This can be implemented in a number of ways .... for example ... 100% online services ... or software activated via time locked license key (e.g. That absolutely EVIL pile of crap called LMGRD). This by far the most *EVIL* of all SaaS models and any company who still does this *NEEDS TO DIE*. Any company that does this these days, needs to go bankrupt and the people responsible for said decisions need to suffer. I say this as a person who has had to deal with supporting old devices when software for programming PLD devices was either no longer available, or could no longer be "activated" in order to implement a safety fix in a product.
Can you image being told that you can't look at a picture of your wife and kids without paying someone money? Outrageous yes, but you get the idea.
2. Rental type subscriptions.
The user data, stays the control of the user. It is always accessible by the user, and the software will always allow the user to retrieve his/her data. Exporting/printing/viewing is always possible even if changing isn’t due to a lack of valid subscription. It’s not completely EVIL, but it does demand that the user keep paying for “features” that they may not actually want if they want to keep using the software. In other words, the user wants X, Y and Z but that is all they want. They don’t want the bills and whistles, of A, B and C but in order to keep using X, Y and Z, they still have to keep paying, so it is still EVIL, just not as much so as the 1st type ...
3. Feature subscriptions.
I say feature vs fix as there *IS* a difference, and that is fixes are for something that is known to be broken (for example ... a library has the "wrong" pin assignment, or using a specific feature causes the application to crash or it eats your data). That is a bug. That needs a fix, and *anyone* who has at least paid for the software, in any form, is entitled to a product that does what it says it does (if it cooks your eggs, then it should cook your eggs without burning them). A feature subscription is where enhancements are added, and for this, this is definitely a chargeable extension. You want the newest features, supply a credit card. You want eggs *and* bacon, then you pay a bit and you are entitled to get the "bacon" module as an add-on.
"Improvements" are feature extensions, so a major re-write of the auto-router is a feature enhancement compared to say a fix to the auto router where it attempts to lay a track across the middle of a drill hole (that would be called a bug).
Ok, so those are the models. Fair and easy enough.
So what do we have? We have a model that is something hybrid of #2 ... something that is inherently EVIL, but at least you allow people to look at their designs if they choose/unable to keep paying the subscription.
But herein lies a problem. In order for “rental” to work, it has to be online.
Now for 99% of the user base, this will probably be fine. After all ... 99% of the time, a user will be connected. What happens when you aren't? According to your own FAQs/support responses, a connection needs to be re-established after 14 days.
What the hell happens if after 14 days, you still aren't online and you work? According to you as the vendor, the software stops working.
Matt ... you've spent a bit of time in AU, so on a map of AU, draw a circle around those areas that have mobile coverage. Seriously .. do it. I'll wait.
... no map, ok.
Jump on the AU Telstra site, and look at their coverage map. Good coverage on the east cost, round Tassie a few spots on the western edge ... but bugger all in the middle.
Not real good is it. But hey, this is AU, so we can expect that. So what happens if you are working for say a month or so in a location where there is *no* coverage and no internet.
Beyond belief? Nope. Sorry ... dude. That's what I do for a living (typically 40+ days at a time).
Now according to you, that means I'm only able to use the software for 14 of the fist 40 days - in other words .... it unusable for on average ... 16 days out of 40 (on average) ....
… and this *assuming* that the user can actually “activate” the software. What happens to software on a workstation that *only* lives in a internet free environment (i.e. … there isn’t any internet)?
According to you … well … you can’t.
What the hell are people smoking there ... because whatever it is ... they should be sharing.
Look, I really can understand the rental software model - honestly I can, but this online connection requirement is complete and utter bollocks and while it will work for *most* of your user base, it is going to cause a huge problem for some.
In short, the Eagle v8 licensing is a huge shamozzle - no ... really it is.
It has been made even worse, by the hap-hazzard way that it has just been pushed out. Add to this the fact that little or “no” migration information has been sent to the existing users.
Rule #1 … don’t alienate your existing customer base – they are why you are still here.
Rule #2 … make sure you provide a clear and concise migration path for the existing user base. What happens for those who have already paid you large sums of money (thanks for the ride but get lost unless you can give us some more?) The only thing I could find from anyone in terms of a migration path for existing users was a message from you that basically said “watch this space” … well … hang on, this needs to have been sorted out already – not after the fact.
Rule #3 … What happens to those customers where the new licensing model just does NOT work. There will always be some, so what options do you provide for them?
“Stay with V7.7 for now?”
I can find no other viable alternative. I can only speak from my own experience and how Eagle is used in my own organisation, and that is the "Feature" subscription would be right for us. Pay the $$$ and get the various feature updates for a fixed amount of time for the seat count that we have - for us ...it's easy. 3 machines.... two are workstations, one is mobile, I can only use a maximum of two license at a time because I haven't been able to be in more than one place at a time, and I only have one guy working for me. Offline update .... works a treat ... up until now that is ....
Two are "disconnected" 99% of the time ... one (my laptop) is connected and then disconnected when I'm on-site.
So what do I do? Answer??? No idea. I have been able to find absolutely nothing, and this should have been thought out well in advance.
Finally, and this is something that you personally really need to take to heart. It is ok to change your mind, or change your stance if have to, but when you do, then you need to communicate that this has happened and as to why.
What I mean by this is that you went on record as saying:
“Eagle will, of course, be integrated with other Autodesk products – the entire point of Autodesk buying Eagle is for full-stack hardware development, from mechanical design to electronic. Whether this means Eagle will become a subscription-only model is still up in the air, but from the casual observer’s position it’s doubtful; there are still perpetual licenses of Eagle out there, and right now that’s what Autodesk is selling”.
You need to “fess up” and say that:
a) it changed
b) why the previous decision had to be revoked.
People (and specifically your customers) are not abject about a supply vendor having to change their terms if circumstances change, but they should NOT be finding out about it AFTER the fact.
Be honest and up front.
I'm your customer. I should not be finding out about the license changes, and how it affects me AFTER the fact - that just isn't on, and NO .... burying it in 20 pages of legalese does NOT count....
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