With perpetual license, do I get bug fixes after upgrade plan expires?

[moshuajusic]

If not, I really think releases that are exclusively bug fixes and not upgrades should be free. It's called Upgrade Plan, not Bug Fix Plan.

[YYR123]

makes sense

[Southsidemusic]

No versions after you stop paying the plan you had. I agree bugfixes should be free until a stable version is out (12.4 is a great version) but Avid sets the rules.

[electrodaddy]

This was the original plan and I believe they even committed to do so on this very forum. If the plan ends on v12.5 then you should continue to get 12.5.x. Its not like there bug fix versions get new features. At the moment if you leave on a version that has a show-stopper bug then you have to roll back to a previous version. Thus not getting the new features you've paid for. Doesn't sound very fair.

[Southsidemusic]

Originally Posted by electrodaddy

This was the original plan and I believe they even committed to do so on this very forum. If the plan ends on v12.5 then you should continue to get 12.5.x. Its not like there bug fix versions get new features. At the moment if you leave on a version that has a show-stopper bug then you have to roll back to a previous version. Thus not getting the new features you've paid for. Doesn't sound very fair.

Agree but thats the way Avid set up the license scheme. Sorry but as soon as you jump off the plan you are no longer getting updates even though some have seen Avid say otherwise.

[metalmixer]

there is no such thing as bug free software - it simply does not exist.
Pro tools 10.3.5 and 11.3.2 have tons of bugs and those versions are no longer being updated even if there was an update plan available.
FWIW the last truly nearly bug free version of Pro Tools was 5.3.1 that was 12 years ago and Digidesign spent about 5 months on the beta version of 5.3.1 there were over 200 builds - they simply don't spend that kind of time anymore as customers are far too demanding now that they have to pay to upgrades. The unfortunate fact with software is that the more features you add the more chances of bugs. Not to mention the fact that Avid has huge job with Pro tools testing now there are ton of hardware they have to test with with and it's no small feat to get out an update. Now that the full separation of software and hardware is complete customers cannot expect free updates in perpetuity because hardware sales no longer subsidize software development - and folks those are the cold hard realities of they way things are now.

[moshuajusic]

Originally Posted by metalmixer

there is no such thing as bug free software - it simply does not exist.
Pro tools 10.3.5 and 11.3.2 have tons of bugs and those versions are no longer being updated even if there was an update plan available.
FWIW the last truly nearly bug free version of Pro Tools was 5.3.1 that was 12 years ago and Digidesign spent about 5 months on the beta version of 5.3.1 there were over 200 builds - they simply don't spend that kind of time anymore as customers are far too demanding now that they have to pay to upgrades. The unfortunate fact with software is that the more features you add the more chances of bugs. Not to mention the fact that Avid has huge job with Pro tools testing now there are ton of hardware they have to test with with and it's no small feat to get out an update. Now that the full separation of software and hardware is complete customers cannot expect free updates in perpetuity because hardware sales no longer subsidize software development - and folks those are the cold hard realities of they way things are now.

I knew someone would say that. It's irrelevant though. The fact that there are always bugs is why companies typically fix them for free. Every legit product comes a warranty. And parts/upgrades come with their own warranties. If a "new feature" is bugged and your "annual upgrade plan" expires before the fix, then what did you really pay for? 11 months? 10 months? Avid is setting a very cynical precedent.

[metalmixer]

Originally Posted by jscomposer

The fact that there are always bugs is why companies typically fix them for free.

not always for free

Originally Posted by jscomposer

Every legit product comes a warranty. And parts/upgrades come with their own warranties.

so does pro tools you get a 12 month warranty

[moshuajusic]

Originally Posted by metalmixer

not always for free

I didn't say always, but feel free to give an example. Just make sure it's actually analogous, unlike...

Originally Posted by metalmixer

so does pro tools you get a 12 month warranty

No. And like electrodaddy pointed out, in many cases the "annual upgrade plan" is effectively less than 12 months. "Check out this awesome new feature! Oh wait. It's bugged. Oh, and this other feature that you've been using for years is now suddenly bugged. But don't fret. We'll conveniently get around to fixing em after your plan expires next month. :)"