[mmk]

Originally Posted by Bill Denton

Again, note that the contents of this post are totally my own conclusions and opinions, based on my own research. My only relationship with Avid is that of a customer.

For the upteenth time, this is all related to Avid's accounting issues. The issues have negatively impacted Avid's financial statements retroactively for several years. Finding and "fixing" these accounting issues has cost Avid a great deal of money. Changing their accounting system to avoid these issues going forward has cost a lot of money.

The licensing models that Avid is describing are the way things are going to be. Avid is a US corporation...as such, they are bound by Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations, which means they are bound by US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Even if Avid wanted to go back to the old licensing model, under US laws, they cannot go back!

No matter how much people p*ss and moan, Avid cannot go back! No matter how much people hold out hopes of unicorns farting rainbows, Avid cannot go back!

Unfortunately, the document Park Seward located is totally irrelevant to the licensing model Avid will be using going forward. That document relates to the old "service plans" often referenced by Bob Olhsson. These were plans primarily offered to Avid's larger customers, for whom a day's downtime might translate into the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars US. The "service plans" currently being offered by Avid are related to the previously mentioned accounting issues, and are a totally different animal from those described in the document found by Mr. Seward.

Also, unfortunately...mmk despite your expressed wish of "Lets just hope this means that the regular HD update price / option is not going away!", it has, in fact, already gone away, and will not be coming back. Going forward, the only way you will be able to obtain anything other than bug fixes will be via: a "service plan". And while details have not yet been released regarding HD software, for non-HD licensees it will not be like the Waves WUP. Should you let your Avid "service plan" expire, with a new purchase of a "service plan" and Pro Tools license, currently priced at $899 US.

And that's just the way it is...

This would be OK I guess 889 and I get service plan with it. As long as its permanent. That's actually not too bad, its a little pricey but were HD users you gotta expect that. As long as it doesn't matter when I buy it whether its now or in 3 yrs