Centroid CNC Software Licensing Upgrade Announcement

[martyscncgarage]

So much detail provided it's not easy to see the wood for the trees!

If you want to upgrade to the latest version of CNC12 send us $79 so we can pay the programming team and keep the lights on. If you don't want to upgrade you still get bug fixes for free.

https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... nsing.html

Bug fixes for free....
for the current active license version correct? Say one upgrades to 5.40 and pays the upgrade fee. They are covered for bug fixes 5.4X, not bug fixes for 5.5XX I know that's obvious but....

Marty

[cnckeith]

So much detail provided it's not easy to see the wood for the trees!

If you want to upgrade to the latest version of CNC12 send us $79 so we can pay the programming team and keep the lights on. If you don't want to upgrade you still get bug fixes for free.

https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... nsing.html

Bug fixes for free....
for the current active license version correct? Say one upgrades to 5.40 and pays the upgrade fee. They are covered for bug fixes 5.4X, not bug fixes for 5.5XX I know that's obvious but....

Marty

yes, your existing license will work with any new version of CNC12!
you only pay for new features if you want them, if you don't want them, don't pay and still get all the bug fixes for free. very generous in IMHO.

do i need to word this differently?

"Do I have to buy a new license to use the new software? No, Your existing license file will work with all future versions of CNC12! So you can always benefit from any and all bug fixes."

[cnckeith]

draft web page License upgrade page.

[martyscncgarage]

If you want to upgrade to the latest version of CNC12 send us $79 so we can pay the programming team and keep the lights on. If you don't want to upgrade you still get bug fixes for free.

https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... nsing.html

Bug fixes for free....
for the current active license version correct? Say one upgrades to 5.40 and pays the upgrade fee. They are covered for bug fixes 5.4X, not bug fixes for 5.5XX I know that's obvious but....

Marty

yes, your existing license will work with any new version of CNC12!
you only pay for new features if you want them, if you don't want them, don't pay and still get all the bug fixes for free. very generous in IMHO.

do i need to word this differently?

"Do I have to buy a new license to use the new software? No, Your existing license file will work with all future versions of CNC12! So you can always benefit from any and all bug fixes."

Good discussion. We want no assumptions...

SO, you pay the upgrade to 5.4. Is that going to entitle you to ALL Future upgrades (5.5, 5.6, 5.7...6.0? etc) or JUST 5.4. If so, this needs to be clarified.
I am ASSUMING that you pay the upgrade to 5.4, you get bug fixes for 5.4.
THEN when 5.5 comes out, you pay for 5.5 and get the bug fixes for 5.5 free.

What happens at 6.0?

[cnckeith]

Bug fixes for free....
for the current active license version correct? Say one upgrades to 5.40 and pays the upgrade fee. They are covered for bug fixes 5.4X, not bug fixes for 5.5XX I know that's obvious but....

Marty

yes, your existing license will work with any new version of CNC12!
you only pay for new features if you want them, if you don't want them, don't pay and still get all the bug fixes for free. very generous in IMHO.

do i need to word this differently?

"Do I have to buy a new license to use the new software? No, Your existing license file will work with all future versions of CNC12! So you can always benefit from any and all bug fixes."

Good discussion. We want no assumptions...

SO, you pay the upgrade to 5.4. Is that going to entitle you to ALL Future upgrades (5.5, 5.6, 5.7...6.0? etc) or JUST 5.4. If so, this needs to be clarified.
I am ASSUMING that you pay the upgrade to 5.4, you get bug fixes for 5.4.
THEN when 5.5 comes out, you pay for 5.5 and get the bug fixes for 5.5 free.

the license upgrade is not for all future licenses , i don't know of anyone doing anything like that. that would effectively cut off any source of income for software development.

each Major revision will have a license upgrade charge if you want those new/improved features of that version.

examples of versions that will have an upgrade charge. 5.50.0, 5.60.0, v6.10.0, 7.20.0, 42.10.1

example of version that will NOT have an upgrade charge. v5.41.1, v5.41.2, v5.42.1, v5.47.1 these are all version of v5.4x.x


the generous part of this plan is if you decide today to wait until version v6.00.0 comes out years from now, the cost to upgrade is the same as a "one step" upgrade. you get all the feature from all the version in between the one you are on and v6.00.0. such a crazy good deal, probably should change that!

I don't understand your question "what happens at v.6.0"

basically if you like to stay up to date with the latest version of CNC12 and you are an Acorn user, expect to pay about $79 to $158 per year. (expect two or maybe one Major revisions per year)

i'm hoping that users will purchase the upgrade to help us continue to produce excellent reliable CNC software at a DIY friendly price.

[tblough]

Bug fixes for free....
for the current active license version correct? Say one upgrades to 5.40 and pays the upgrade fee. They are covered for bug fixes 5.4X, not bug fixes for 5.5XX I know that's obvious but....

Marty

Bug fixes are always free regardless of the version number. If you pay to upgrade to 5.4, you get the new features of 5.4. When 5.5 comes out you get the bug fixes but not the new features. When 5.6 comes out, you get all of the 5.5 and 5.6 bug fixes, but none of the new features since 5.4, and so on for 5.7 and 5.8...

If you then pay to upgrade to 5.9 when it comes out (a SINGLE upgrade fee), you would then get ALL of the new features in versions 5.5 through 5.9!

[CentroidFrog]

One way of looking at this is that licenses and CNC12 versions can be looked at as two separate things:
CNC12 is what brings the bug fixes and CNC12 is ALWAYS FREE to download and install.
Licenses are what unlocks CNC12 FEATURES and the features unlocked depends on the level and version of the LICENSE.

So, you're always able to upgrade your CNC12 version for FREE and continue using your already owned license.
Meaning bug fixes are ALWAYS FREE and you only pay for the features you want.

[Black Forest]

Keith, many years ago before Acorn was released we talked on the phone. At that time I told you support was going to be your biggest headache.

As a business person I think you are making a mistake not charging a cumulative upgrade fee. This inhibits your cash flow substantially. You model as you have described will encourage users to wait and see what is in the next upgrade. If the users know they will have to kick in X times the $79 to get to the latest version they would be encouraged to upgrade every time a new version is offered. Your products are so inexpensive that it is a no brainier to update. Your cash flow would be more even and as the old saying, "happy wife, happy life." goes your business would be better off hence we as end users would be better off. It would keep you stimulated to keep improving and already outstanding product.

People that only look at one side of a deal are not being realistic. Anyone whining or complaining about a $79 dollar fee is in the wrong business/hobby. Me personally I would change it to a yearly subscription fee and be done with it. You have a proven track record of a quality product and service. I pay nearly $500 a year for Fusion and think it is a good deal.

[suntravel]

I am with Black Forrest, it is common in IT if you skip one update (5.40) you have to pay twice to go from 5.30 to 5.50

Uwe

[cnckeith]

I am with Black Forrest, it is common in IT if you skip one update (5.40) you have to pay twice to go from 5.30 to 5.50

Uwe

thanks guys, yeah, the more i think about it you are right.

the complaint i get is "so keith you are telling me that i effectively have to buy a new license every year"

response will be "your license works with the major version of cnc12 you bought it with forever"