New Licensing

[Jay_uk]

The support plans provide all major upgrades—not just "dot" releases—and additional customer support for 12 months. Major software upgrades will be offered only through these support plans. We've also committed to providing the previously announced cloud collaboration, PXF archive, metadata and Avid Marketplace and freeze workflows as part of this offer.
If you purchase/activate between November and Dec. 31st, we'll extend upgrades and support through March 31st, 2016. If you purchase/activate starting January 1st, 2015, you'll receive 12-months of upgrades/support.

[Actionmusic]

Any clarity on the position for existing HD11 users?

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by johnsimmons

Any clarity on the position for existing HD11 users?

What is unclear?

[propower]

Its painfully clear so far

[Niilo Nuori]

Basically it looks like Avid wants to minimize the user base (for support etc.) but maximize the revenue from the remaining customers (roughly doubling the annual cost assuming ~2 year major upgrade cycle).

[mesaone]

From where I'm standing, it seems like a better deal for customers. Year subscription is the same cost as an upgrade used to be, and you get a year of support in addition to the new version.

What am I missing here?

[JCBigler]

Originally Posted by mesaone

From where I'm standing, it seems like a better deal for customers. Year subscription is the same cost as an upgrade used to be, and you get a year of support in addition to the new version.

What am I missing here?

It's only a better deal if they make regular releases of new features.

If they run 2 or 3 years between major upgrades, then you've spent $597 to get one new feature set.

They've said that this is an effort to "shorten" their upgrade cycle. But, before Protools 11, how many years prior was the last major feature update to Protools?

[Darryl Ramm]

Originally Posted by mesaone

From where I'm standing, it seems like a better deal for customers. Year subscription is the same cost as an upgrade used to be, and you get a year of support in addition to the new version.

What am I missing here?

What tangibly do you get for actual support that you did not get before besides a $40 or $60 phone call?

How frequently will significant software upgrades come with features that you want/need? If that is less than annually you lose out vs. the old model.

[propower]

I am in the every two year camp and if there is no penalty for letting it lapse and re-AUPing when needed then I have no issue with the new program.

I do have an issue with the current "deal" cause there there is no "love" for those that already are on 11! And for a V11 owner to purchase today (for the 16 months of AUP) there is no V12 - so we are prepaying for it at the same rate that others who are on prior versions pay. They get 11 as a big upgrade - we get - 11 for now with the promise of 12 later - or features - or support - who wants to buy the ASC I have now??

[JCBigler]

Originally Posted by propower

I am in the every two year camp and if there is no penalty for letting it lapse and re-AUPing when needed then I have no issue with the new program.

Oh, I'm sure there will be a penalty for letting your AUP lapse. Either you have to buy the new version outright (at $899) or you will have to buy it for however many years it has been lapsed for.

I also do not like the no love for current PT 11 owners. Right now, a Protools 8 LE owner pays the same to get into the current AUP scheme and gets Protools 11 as those of us who already own 11. I already bought Protool 11 at full retail price a year ago, and now to stay current I have to pay another $199. But that PT8 LE owners only has to pay $199 to get 11 with AUP.