Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

Except it's not. Your license is not being held hostage. If you have a perpetual license, then you have a perpetual license. Options you don't like and update policies you don't like are not the same thing as extortion.

Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

To get updates in order to fix their bugs, yes it is.

Being locked out FOREVER makes it extortion. No other model does this. Not Sonar, Slate, MS, Adobe.
If you miss your renew date and renew later, all is good.

Not with AVID. You miss, you lose.

Ergo. Extortion.

Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

That email is so wrong on so many accounts I have trouble believing it really came from someone as respected as Bobby O. I think somebody hacked his email account.

Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

You get bugfix updates even without a support plan. You are never locked out of your perpetual licenses. This is in the FAQ.

It may not be what Slate, Adobe, and Popular Mechanics magazine are doing - it doesn't have to be. I don't like the new policies either, but I don't see how the use of hyperbole will help anything.

Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

Is the music industry actually moving away from Pro Tools or are studios just not upgrading?

And if they are moving away, what is the new "industry standard" DAW?

Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

Well, that is how it was originally presented ...

But more recently, the word from Avid has been that there will be free updates to Pro Tools 11 "Through December 31st 2015”.

I've asked the question, and there has been no answer so far ....

That phrase either means ...

1) Avid does not intend to release any more updates to PT11 after the end of 2015, which goes against their historical support period for a PT version, e.g. they have promised a further update to PT10 in 2015, or

2) Any updates to PT11 after the end of 2015 will be designated as 'upgrades' and thus not be available unless you are on a support plan.

Those are the only conclusions you can come to unless unless it turns out to be yet another example of bad wording by Avid, with them conflating the deadline for signing up to a support plan with availability of free updates in error.

Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

Not true:

"If you choose not to renew, you can continue using your software indefinitely at the latest version you have, but will not be able to upgrade it at a later time."

Latest version [B]YOU[B] have. Meaning, if the last version you had was 12.1.1, and a week later 12.1.2 was released fixing a number of bugs, you will NOT be able to get that update.

"If you don’t get on a plan, you will not be able to upgrade your software in the future."

No more updates after expiration, and you cannot upgrade your product or get on a new plan with that license.

I've used those examples to show how other companies look at their customers differently.

Locking the customers out of updates and upgrades forcing them to have to buy a completely new license is dumb.
Look, if they want to keep people from updates who haven't renewed, fine. But allow them a chance to come back, in a normal none extortion like threat as it is now.

I only mention AVID's demise as something that is a real fact. Picture editors are pissed too.
Look at Keurig. The backlash from the customers is so big because of their DRM sceme, their earnings are tanking.

And that's coffee.

I think if AVID loosened the reigns, allowed customers to come back if there was a lapse, more people would be on board. A whole lot more.
But the forcing of it is what and why people are lashing out and walking away.

AVID is trying to increase their bottom line. This is only going to lead to a negative bottom line next year.

Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

As I pointed out, bugfix updates are free - and as Nigel clarified, the cutoff date is the end of 2015. With or without a support plan. In this case, "the latest version" is referring to the latest feature version, where bugfixes are not full versions - they are "dot releases" like 11.2.1 and 11.2 etc.

Source

Somewhat of a silver lining, that is also the cutoff for adding support plans to existing licenses. So you have until then to see how things shape up before you make your decision, and you'll still receive all the bug fixes in the meantime.

Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

I wouldn't say moving away. Just not upgrading to 12.

There isn't anything in 12 that is drawing those users to 12, and with the AVID plans, its tapping people out too much just to stay current.

From my circle of people, I hear talk of Logic, DP and Cubase/Nuendo. Especially now that Logic has VCA's as does Cubase which was one thing that was keeping a lot of users on PT.

Considering the cost difference, it will just be taking the time to learn a new DAW or just sticking with the last working version of PT for the next 4-5 years.

I have both older versions of Nuendo and Cubase, as I moved to PT completely. However, I can upgrade those licenses, even though they are 7 years old.
Both are far more powerful than PT vanilla and have all the features PT has now.
I can keep one HD license and let the rest go.

So much for multiple license upgrades when I am ready. They basically lost that business and hardware purchase business from me and many others.

Re: Pro Tools 12 — I don't care about the release date, because...
 

Depends on what you call the music industry. In today's commercial music studios the medium of exchange between different studios is a Pro Tools session playing the same role 2" tape once did. I frankly don't see that changing anytime soon. Lots of "name" studios are still using Pro Tools 7 and 8 HD. I don't picture them upgrading until they have enough customer demand that it becomes well worth the investment.

What new features turn up in PT12 will probably dictate where a lot of people go but that's all speculation at this point.