So as a hobbyist, I'm finding a steep learning curve on most cad tools. So it is a commitment on my part to learn a tool. What I'm reading here is that Autodesk is only willing to commit to one year at a time, unless I am a student. So a guy that will for sure be a pro can use Fusion 360 for 3 years, but someone that is not a pro must invest his time at the risk of having the software become unavailable after a year.
I can see removing update rights, or access to new library downloads... But if you are telling me that I potentially loose use of the skills I have learned or loose use of my own files/designs, or worse must pay you a quarter of my gross income from unrelated work just to have access to my own work, that is asking too much.
If I learn your tool, I am a potential pro down the road... But if learning your tool carries with it grave risk, that down the road pro will be using a different product such as freecad. If I learn Freecad now, I'm unlikely to have a desire for an Autodesk product down the road.
I would rather Autodesk come up with a price for the hobby version. I am willing to pay, as long as I know up front how much it will cost and how long I can use the files I generate. I'm not against paying, I'm against taking a risk with my time and designs.
I live in the Austin area, and there are horror stories around here of people being burned by Autodesk a few decades back, Autodesk burned bridges with people helping them sell product, so the lack of commitment and the software license that expires on an annual basis is a deal breaker.
I am 20 days away from having to give up another product I was originally told was free... I've only partially utilized it for what I need, and now suddenly it is going away when I told it was supposed to last as long as I was in the free tier. In the case of the other product, I was offered purchases along the way, and all of that money is lost as soon as the underlying service goes away. It is great that Autodesk gives you a warning up front that you only get a year, but I'm not making an investment in *anything* that threatens to potentially destroy my creativity design at the whim of someone that might decide to squeeze me for money later... Give me the option to pay a fair price now for something I can keep using. If you must charge renewal fees, give me a commitment on what those fees will be... like $X00 now and 20% of the original price every year after X years...
I don't mind paying, but I don't want my creations held hostage later.
Fusion
