Are you READY!!! for the future of PC. Paying montly fees to use your computer.

[VirtualLarry]

As this pointin time (June 2023), I personally feel that it would be more likely that you'll pay a subscription fee for your front door (smart home) lock, than you would your PC.

 

[Captante]

Since this thread was started, I could count the software I paid for on one hand, not counting donations. I still don't do subscriptions. BTW, debian bookworm was just released this past Saturday. Took a half hour to download(on my slow connection), and fully upgrade my computer. Windows can barely do a simple install of a large package in that time :^D It was of course flawless, and is working great.

This would be true for me IF you didn't count PC games.


And my 5800x based system ... not the fastest by any means... can do a full wipe & reinstall of 10 Pro in roughly 10 minutes. Including a download and copying the ISO onto a flash drive add maybe 5 more minutes tops.

As this pointin time (June 2023), I personally feel that it would be more likely that you'll pay a subscription fee for your front door (smart home) lock, than you would your PC.

Technically we don't actually OWN anything we buy on Steam for example.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Not a fan of how games seem to always rely on launchers now, whether it's steam or their own one. Since yeah, you don't really own it at that point. Meanwhile if I want to play Rollercoaster Tycoon I can pull out a Windows 98 machine and it will work. Same cannot be said for most games now. Even consoles now.

App based stuff is a step towards getting people ready for the idea for subscription based stuff too. Even if it's free, you're still at the mercy of the app servers continuing to work, as well as the app continuing to be available for when you get a new phone. It's not like PC where you can just download the installer file and store it somewhere safe. If the app relies on cloud they can also start charging at any time if they really want to. It seems so many products now days require apps. I've even seen routers that do! Had to setup internet for a family member and the only way to setup the modem was to pair it with an app. It's madness how everything is going that route.

I see a lot of security cameras going that route now too, it's getting harder to find standard POE cameras that work stand alone. They're out there, but you really have to dig for them because when you search for security camera 9 out of 10 results are app based and cloud based ones.

 

[lxskllr]

This would be true for me IF you didn't count PC games.

That's only games for me. I haven't really played any of them either :^D

 

[Captante]

That's only games for me. I haven't really played any of them either :^D

I figure I've played MAYBE 30% all the way through ??

All kidding aside Steam works pretty well 99% of the time and Valve isn't going anywhere for awhile.

I don't like "big brother" much myself but I DO like having all my game software available anywhere I have a broadband connection, having most of my save-games get backed up auto-magically, and also having them stay up to date with little to no effort on my part.

 

[nakedfrog]

Technically we don't actually OWN anything we buy on Steam for example.

Well, there's always GOG for DRM-free games, or some other platforms
I still typically buy physical media for console games unless it's a particularly good deal.

 

[Captante]

I see a lot of security cameras going that route now too, it's getting harder to find standard POE cameras that work stand alone. They're out there, but you really have to dig for them because when you search for security camera 9 out of 10 results are app based and cloud based ones.

Connecticut just passed legislation allowing for the use of cameras in traffic enforcement.... I have mixed feelings.

I don't like the idea of using them on open highways BUT the way people drive on local streets these days is out of control and somehow I can't see large numbers of cops doing mass traffic stops ending well.

Too many people think the local streets are their personal race-track ... I think THEY should cover the "road-use" expenses for everyone else! (or at least some of it)

 

[lxskllr]

GOG is all I've bought. A game would have to be pretty exceptional for me to rent it through steam. I haven't seen that game yet.

 

[Captante]

I still typically buy physical media for console games unless it's a particularly good deal.

Physical media is tough to come by these days for any PC software .... especially games.

And new PC's don't come with optical drives anymore at all ... most DIY cases no longer even have a bay for one!
(I have a 16x Pioneer Bluray burner in an external enclosure but rarely use it and NEVER for games)

 

[MtnMan]

I reluctantly, and finally had to cave to the "subscription" plan on software, specifically Quicken.

It really pissed me off, as I have used Quicken from the version that ran on DOS. You owned it, and if/when you chose to purchase the next version, it was because it contained features and enhancements you wanted or needed. Next they went to the schema of time bombing the program, after "X" years some shit stopped working, like downloading from your financial institutions. And finally, the annual subscription plan, or shit stops working.

I tried every alternative program I could find, and they all fell short, or were simply a PIA, for my needs/wants. All a plan to fuck the little guy because they can. And it can still be buggy as fuck...

Nor do I trust them to respect the security of my data, thus I do not use their online backups, or share anything with them. I manage routine backups locally, and additionally I don't trust the ability to view historic data while it's stored in their format, so about every quarter, I export everything to a common format, like Excel.