Named User trade in offer, and the future of ADSK...

[Out-Of-Light]

Hi,

I've left this until the 11 hour, but at this point, what with ADSK's out of control pricing, I can go either way on this.

I decided back when ADSK announced Desktop subscription and the unjustified price hikes to maintenance customers, that I would continue until 2020, meaning for me my 2019 payment would be my last.

I have protested quite a bit over the last few years regarding the price hikes to maintenance sub, especially that 32% increase the year before the 5%, 10%. 20% per year increases started.  

I still do not believe there is any justification for this, that this excuse of running two business models being costly,  was and still is nonsense. Its same software automated online using the same system, just under different names. A school child coding in their lunch break could solve this!

AutoDesk have used tactics of listing all the updates and bug fixes throughout all versions to help justify these price increases, but for anyone that's been on maintenance subscription as long as I have or longer, we have already paid each year for that long list of improvements. Its also very cheeky of ADSK to list 2018 on the page, and all of its bug fixes and service packs, as no one could use it for almost a year due to serious instability issues. We all should have received a full refund that year! 

Now, there is no way I am going to switch to desktop even with the discount. After the year is up, I am then paying quadruple what I was paying 3 years ago for the same snail pace development , and not apparent to the naked eye bug fixes, and the odd gimmick tool that never gets used. I am already very unhappy having to pay twice what I was paying 3 years ago, for what is basically the same maintenance plan and software every year. 

There is absolutely no value in this anymore.

The decision for me is, do I continue another year, seeing as that's all we have left until maintenance sub is gone forever. And yet another 20% price hike with zero justification. This has only ever been about slowly increasing maintenance plan prices to match desktop plans, so we all pay the same price, and acclimatize maintenance customers to the sickening cost of desktop subscription. This should actually be the other way around, desktop prices falling to maintenance prices, what will all the development team cuts, and online automation reducing staff over the years, and snail pace development. These cost saving should be trickling down to the customer, but instead we see extortionate price hikes.

Why should I start renting software that I have been paying for the last 19 years? Its like a car dealer saying, well remember that car you purchased from us with a maintenance plan? Well now we want you to rent the whole car from us again, plus continue your service plan every year or you loose the car! Its an absolute disgrace the way ADSK are treating their long term customers.

Anyone remember the promise from ADSK that maintenance subscription is never going away, and you can renew your subscription now until the end of time as long as you keep up your payments.???? Yet another broken promise by ADSK...

Seeing as I have already been paying double what I was paying 3 years ago, I am thinking well why not continue if the prices are going to be locked until 2028 at 2019 prices by switching to a named user account, but according to my reseller, this is not the case, and I have to renew again at an even more extortionate 20% increase, or switch to desktop. My reseller is saying this offer is for multi-seat users only, but the documentation I have read through, the videos, and the Webinar, all say differently.  That If I am within my 90 day renewal, I can make the switch now to  a Named User account, and take advantage of the discounted 2019 prices until 2028. That this offer is open to standalone, multi- and network maintenance subscribers. And if there was a deadline for this offer, why wasn't I ever informed about it by my reseller?

So who's right here?

I read recently that quite a few larger UK companies have also started complaining about ADSK's ever increasing prices.  Are ADSK upper management really blind to what is going on right now? Especially in the industries that use their products? I have seen a large fall off in work due to Covid-19, as my business and I am sure a lot of other peoples businesses that are read this, depend on a chain of other business, studios and factories. Any break in the chain, and nothing happens.. A huge number of factories shut down over lockdown in the US, and most of my business is done state side, yet ADSK keep pushing up the prices. Disgraceful and unethical.

Its very clear ADSK don't want hobbyists, small studios and freelancers using their products anymore and only care about their 1000 seat+ industries now.  But this really will backfire in the future. No new talent using ADSK products, no future additions to their 1000+ seats list when those small start ups become big fish and wont use ADSK products due to pricing or principle due to their treatment of their long term customers. 

I do not know the CEO of ADSK, but from the articles I have read, he seems like someone wanting to make a quick kill,  and move on, not caring about the shipwreck he leave behind, only caring about investors and not the customers he supplies., or how ADSK will generate new customers, when no one will pay the extortionate prices anymore, or refuse out of principle and anger to use ADSK products again in their pipeline for they way ADSK treated them in the past.

Its a real shame the direction this company has gone. I call for a vote of no confidence in...

And what's going on with ADSK upper management, it seems to change faster than traffic lights.... 

I think the tactic by ADSK of buying up the competition, and adding as many apps as they can to their over bloated portfolio didn't work. All it did is slow development across the entire portfolio down to a crawl, and ADSK customers are the ones paying for this mistake via extortionate price hikes and snail pace development for the price, paying a lot more for a lot less, all to keep the investors happy.  A company that cares more about its investors than the customer, from large to small, that fails to see future  potential in all of its customers no matter the size of their wallet,  is eventually doomed to fail, and end up with a stagnant list of blue chip companies with no growth, and in this climate, then those companies are at risk.. 

As for students, once they are no longer in study and see those prices, well, there is a lot of competition out there with faster development.... don't expect them to stay on the hook....

ADSK should never have introduced Desktop Sub. Maintenance just worked, and the prices 3-4 years ago reflected well on what we got out of it in terms of development each year. ADSK should have kept upgrade plans, and stand alone perpetual licence purchases, giving customers choice. This is all now about greed, and its stained ADSK's reputation forever..

[rkmcswain]

It is what it is.

If you don't like what Ford is doing, go buy a Chevrolet.

It's a Free market. You are free to choose your CAD software vendor. 

Cheers and good luck.

[pendean]

Non-maintenance perpetual-license customers are "not our customers" because they don't give us money anymore. - Autodesk CEO Andrew Anagnost (source: https://twitter.com/upFronteZine/status/930590879412310017 )

[Out-Of-Light]

@rkmcswain 

Thanks for the reply...

What you say is a very easy way of looking at it, but I see it as 19 years investment in a lot of time and money, and as I am running a business, in the middle of projects, its not that simple just picking up a new 3d app and continuing on with projects at the same pace and skill level, especially when those projects are in a chain with other studio's and factories expecting a certain level of quality and compatibility. I've spent the last 19 years perfecting my skills in Max, Mudbox, and various plugins, all paid for,  all tied to 3ds Max. 

@pendean 

I am still ( at least for the next 24 hrs) a paying maintenance customer. Purchased Max 4.2 in 2001, upgraded to Max 6 and joined Maintenance subscription in 2004, and have continued without breaks. So I'm unsure of the relevance of the link you sent, at least for the next 24 hrs...

Although I have had a good rant about ADSK, and their couldn't care less attitude, which seems to now be reflected on the forums...   I do have some questions regarding the Named User transition,  would appreciate it if someone can clarify them for me.

Thank you.

[Anonymous]

contact a reseller: https://www.autodesk.com/partners/locate-a-reseller?cntr=US

[rkmcswain]

@Out-Of-Light wrote:

What you say is a very easy way of looking at it, but I see it as 19 years investment in a lot of time and money, and as I am running a business, in the middle of projects, its not that simple just picking up a new 3d app and continuing on with projects at the same pace and skill level, especially when those projects are in a chain with other studio's and factories expecting a certain level of quality and compatibility. I've spent the last 19 years perfecting my skills in Max, Mudbox, and various plugins, all paid for,  all tied to 3ds Max.

I think you are starting to see the light now. Autodesk knows that you have this investment. Is it possible that this is an incentive for you to remain a renter of their products, regardless of the costs? 

[Out-Of-Light]

@rkmcswain 

I have seen the light quite a while back. When Autodesk first announced Desktop, I kicked up such a fuss on the forums that I ended up meeting in person with their Senior product development manager for max and a lengthy three way phone meeting between their marketing manager and senior max software engineer. All really great to speak with, and that goes for anyone in the support teams too. A lot of people doing their jobs right at ADSK, shame there are a few at the top end, where customer feedback falls on death ears. 

Its defiantly an incentive to stick with Max. But no matter the cost? No.

I still think subscriptions should offer value. Paying twice the price now, or quadruple the price I was originally paying each year just 3 years ago when the trade-in offer ends, for the same software, same benefits and same snail pace development, just leaves a bad taste in the mouth, and in these uncertain times even for the larger studios, loosing that perpetual licence, a nice cushion to fall back on if things get tight, is a huge turn off make the switch.

That slow increase from around £250 to £600 (just max until 2014 +mud onward) from 2004 to 2016 seemed like a comfortable price annually for the small amount of development that goes into Max, with small inflation increases each year.  That sudden 32% increase, then 5%,10%,20% IMHO has no justification other than greed, and is unethical.

I know for a fact that it destroyed a lot of freelancers and small studios livelihoods, and turned away hobbyists, which could have become freelancers or small start ups in the future. I did! Business ADSK will not be getting in the future. A lot of studios drastically reduced the number of seats they purchased. No doubt costing jobs in the long run. This information is from a previous reseller.

I also think that after the original purchase of max, the upgrade, and 15 years subscription that I should own Max, and just be paying for fixes and updates, and not having to be paying the same price as someone that starts using max on subscription for the first time tomorrow. IMHO.

Seems very unfair.

I've had clarification on the named user trade in now from my reseller.  I will reluctantly be making the switch, locked at 2019 prices until 2028, with the 5% increases every few years. I should be happy about this, but it feel like a violation of principles.

I am ditching Mudbox.  Almost non existent development, and there were even two years we saw no development at all for our money. While ADSK handed the keys over to the Maya team, and instead of giving subscribers new features, they integrated it into Maya.  You are welcome, Maya subscribers... donations can be made at....

Anyway, enough ranting 🙂

Thanks for the replies.

Cheers!