Comments on: Software Subscriptions Start to Take Shape http://www.digitaltrends.com/talk-backs/software-subscriptions-start-to-take-shape/ Upgrade Your Lifestyle Sun, 22 Nov 2009 19:25:39 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Ian Bell http://www.digitaltrends.com/talk-backs/software-subscriptions-start-to-take-shape/#comment-60287 Ian Bell Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:20:40 +0000 #comment-60287 I have mixed emotions about a model like this. $70 is not bad (roughly $6/mo) for three PC's and if you do the math, you probably come out ahead here. MS Office for example costs roughly $150 - $300 per package and if you multiply that by three (we are supposed to pay for three copies right?), that adds up very fast. Plus, in a few years there will be a newer version out that you would have to upgrade to eventually, and that costs more. I assume with the subscription model, you get updates as part of the deal.<br /> <br /> On the other hand, you don't really "own" anything tangible and people do not like that. <br /> <br /> But if you think about it, Microsoft is really making it hard to install their software on multiple PC's anyways. So while you can own Office, it's not like you can put it anywhere you want. I have mixed emotions about a model like this. $70 is not bad (roughly $6/mo) for three PC's and if you do the math, you probably come out ahead here. MS Office for example costs roughly $150 – $300 per package and if you multiply that by three (we are supposed to pay for three copies right?), that adds up very fast. Plus, in a few years there will be a newer version out that you would have to upgrade to eventually, and that costs more. I assume with the subscription model, you get updates as part of the deal.

On the other hand, you don't really “own” anything tangible and people do not like that.

But if you think about it, Microsoft is really making it hard to install their software on multiple PC's anyways. So while you can own Office, it's not like you can put it anywhere you want.

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