> Piracy doesn't bring any money, and forever licenses don't scale to keep a steady income per month after the user base is settled, and everyone likes to get a steady income for their work.
How about selling a new version with more features? That used to work in the past. Or sell a new software. That used to work, too.
Because as I clearly pointed out " forever licenses don't scale to keep a steady income per month after the user base is settled".
After a tipping point no one is buying new versions in an amount that can keep the salaries of the building rent, employees salaries, company taxes and whatever else is required monthly in a continuous flow that can keep the company going, without starting to cut down business costs.
The only new feature most will care about is that the version they own doesn't run on the new OS.
It is exactly the same thing as people stuck in Java 8, Python 2, .NET Framework, C99, C++11,... it works for the purposes of their employeer, and the costs to upgrade doesn't justify the outcome, unless forced by external factors.
Subscriptions started exactly because that model doesn't scale.
Anyone that starts a business quickly discovers how "easy" these things are in practice.
Right, so you build a business out around forcing people to buy something they don't need (updates). That seems... fragile. It will work for products I need and have no good alternatives for, but.
Then again, when apps require subscriptions I avoid them, 100% of the time.
How about selling a new version with more features? That used to work in the past. Or sell a new software. That used to work, too.