This is exactly how I have had it explain to me from an Avid Rep.
Quote:
Originally Posted by dsetto
Flautista,
This is my understanding.
If you upgrade your existing PT11 to a PT12 perpetual license for $199, then you can use PT12 in "perpetuity". I.e., you don't have to pay Avid anymore to continue using PT12. And, you will be eligible to receive PT12 updates/fixes, for no additional cost.
If you do not pay an additional $199 before a year expires from your PT11 to "PT12 perpetual" upgrade date, then, when you are ready to move beyond your "PT12 Perpetual", to PT14, for example, you have 2 options: 1. pay the "PT14 Perpetual" price, 2. Subscribe (monthly/yearly)
|
So many times I hear someone try to explain this thing it seems to get more and more confusing.
The problem is, in my opinion, that we (collectively) seem to be using the term 'subscription' and for both the monthly or yearly subscription plan
and the yearly "Maintenance Agreement/Support Plan".
I sincerely wish that Avid would have just named it what it is. A Maintenance Agreement with tiered support included. It would have been a HELL of a lot less confusing to a lot of people.
This Maintenance Agreement would state that for a fee of $199 for Pro Tools native and $599 Pro Tools HD per year, the holder of a PERPETUAL license will have delivered to his/her AVID account ALL incremental
upgrades to said current PERPETUAL license for the duration of the Maintenance Agreement. Once the Maintenance Agreement has expired and not renewed, the user retains his/her license to the LAST version of ProTools that was deposited in the user's AVID account. Updates due to bug fixes and OS compatibility would remain no charge for XX number of previous version plus the current version.
THEN go on and explain the OTHER ways to get Pro Tools; Leasing it by the month or leasing by the year (subscription). Which like any subscription, be it magazine, newspaper, cable TV, whatever, as soon as the subscription expires, you no longer have access to that service or product. This would NOT affect any perpetual license(s) that you may have.
Now getting back in if we let it lapse is still up in the air for HD. For native, simply buy another license. (yeah I know it could be better but it certainly is clear)