Hello,
I believe if you refer here: https://support.stardock.com/space/SHC/1544388616/Stardock+Software+Subscriptions.

Subscriptions will automatically renew at your initial purchase price, meaning the price you pay for the first year of purchase, that price will also be your renewal price as long as you continue the subscription.

I believe, it should be at your first purchase price.

Thanks
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

That was from 2022 and new subscription rules was introduce just few months ago. So, whatever AzDude said back then should be correct then. However, we do appreciate your feedback. I have forwarded your grievances to Stardock Support Team for their review.

Thanks

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

I'm glad that it's clear now, but clarity doesn't address why Stardock believed it was appropriate to provide a renewal discount last year (at at time when the regular subscription price was cheaper than it is now), but no longer does.  To me, the issue isn't the money, but rather the principle of believing, as a matter of company policy, that a renewal discount was appropriate as an incentive or reward to loyal customers to maintain subscriptions just a year ago, but now abandoning that belief as if this priority no longer matters. Why the change?

Indeed, there other recent Stardock moves that appear to reflect a lack of loyalty to its customers--dramatic and repeated price increases on various products, chief among them.  It seems to me that your corporate values have shifted over the past year or two--away from customer loyalty and satisfaction toward a more purely pecuniary aim.  Don't get me wrong, Stardock produces quality and useful software (albeit tends to be a bit too slow in releasing updates to resolve identified problems), but I believe that a company can offer good products and make it clear that it values its loyal customer base while making a healthy and durable profit.

Richard

So I was about to hit the renew button after a promo email, but put the brakes on that after reading through this forum and getting thoroughly confused.

I should say that I had the Object Desktop Suite from 2017 - so am on Windowblinds 10 and Fences 3 etc.  So I have all the offline installers and haven't used any apps for a few years.  I just installed WB10 the other day and activated using my original key - no problems at all.

Then I get the renewal invite with a discount and was about to renew for a year to refresh the versions, but if I read this correctly you have now changed the licencing model, so that if I cancel my subscription after renewing now, then all the software ceases to work! Really??

So are you saying that regardless if I download offline installers for the renewed apps, there's really no point as they won't work after a year anyway?

If that's the case then sorry, but I HATE this model with a vengeance.  I like to pay for some software and have the right to use at the time of my own choosing.

If this is the case, I will be better off using the existing versions as there is nothing to tempt me to upgrade but I risk losing the lot if I do upgrade after a year, now that you are crippling the software.  Good luck with that if this is the case, I won't be renewing because of it and nor will my family once they know.

I have email client software that I purchase to use and I get all upgrades for that version until a later major version is released.  But my software never expires.  So at some future point I may decide a like a new feature and upgrade for a discount, then the same repeats - all version releases within that major release.  They do not cripple the software though.

Sorry but this is NOT the way to go.

Hi Basj, yes I think I get that my 2017 Apps will still work but anything later once renewed to later versions will expire after 1 year when subscription expires and software won't work.

That confirms it and Stardock have therefore lost any future business from us which seems self-defeating, but that's my choice.

Thanks for replying anyway.

I don't understand a word of that - no wonder people are confused Sean.

1] Yes I had a Classic Sub for my 2017 Apps of which there are absolutely loads of versions of each for which I have the offline installers and am currently using for WB 10 Fences 3 and all working fine thanks. 

2] What I am suggesting you are telling me in a confusing sort of way is that if I decide to purchase a new 1 year subscription for Object Desktop, the following is true:

a] I uninstall my WB10 & Fences 3, then install WB11 and Fences 4.

b] One year passes and these Apps will stop working if I don't renew.

c] If I don't want to renew my Subscription, I have to uninstall WB11 & Fences 4 as they won't work and reinstall my older WB10 and Fences 3 again and that they should continue to work?

Do I have this right? I hope by giving an example it may help others.

The confusion is arriving when you talk about classic subscriptions - can we put that to bed  - as I said I bought the suite back in 2017 nearly 7 years ago and have had NO further active subscription since that expired, but have offline installers and they continue to install and work.

Please stop talking about Start11 V2 - that's only just been released so I don't even have that from the apps in 2017.

Therefore if I bought a renewal of Object Desktop now at the offered reduced cost, ALL current versions of those apps within the current suite at the time of purchase today, will only work for 1 year should the subscription not be renewed 1 year from now.  Which is what I was trying to explain in my last post. 

The case being I would have to go back to the older 2017 versions of those apps with their offline installers and use the older versions as the later versions won't work after 1 year.

The issue is not helped because the guidance littered all over the Forum is historic and confusing to people who are being given advice for what you call 'classic Subs' and not the latest subscription models which won't work  after the 12 months if not renewed.

This whole new licencing model is lousy Sean.  If you'd kept to the original model I'm sure you'd have less confusion and more income and an incentive to keep your apps tweaked and updated.  Releasing minor updates until each new major version release which would require a new purchase or upgrade.  This would be far more likely to appeal to new and existing users rather than be cut off after 12 months.

Here:  The bit in red that I have highlighted.

The subscription (if I were to buy one today) is past May 2023, so according to your own info, would cease to work after 1 year if not renewed!  My subscription to Object Desktop was bought in 2017 and was not renewed.  So yes the old apps for the old subscription will continue to work   But it has not been renewed.

Quote from your link:

"If my Object Desktop subscription should lapse, will the products included in it continue to function? 

For the ‘Classic’ Object Desktop product, if the subscription lapses, the included software will continue to function at the versions that were available when the subscription lapsed. Any Object Desktop Subscription purchase after May 2023 will see the software cease to function if the subscription is allowed to lapse.

What do ‘Renew’, ‘Extend’, and ‘Subscription’ mean on my account page for Object Desktop? 

‘Renew’ will be shown on an Object Desktop Classic subscription if it is allowed to lapse.

‘Extend’ will show if an Object Desktop Classic subscription is still active and allows clients to ‘extend’ the time."

So here is my subscription status (key redacted):

So given the status of my sub in the image above, if I renew from the invite even though it expired 2019, are you categorically telling me that if I download the new versions of Object Software Suite, that the software WILL NOT cease to operate after 1 year from renewal?

The confusion is ion that highlighted paragraph and seems to be in conflict with what you have told me.

Sorry if this seems to be exasperating Sean, it is, but only because it seems contradictory.

Are you telling me that because I bought a 'Classic' subscription prior to June 2023, even if I renewed for a year today and installed the latest App versions, that those new apps would never expire after 12 months?

Amen to that!

That now makes it perfectly clear Sean.

By adding that last sentence the distinction has been made between what is a NEW licence for this product (you've not purchased Object Desktop previously on your account before June 2023) and those customers that have already purchased Object Desktop previously in the past at any time prior to June 2023, who will not be affected by apps ceasing to work if their subscription is not renewed.

You have now just got a renewal out of me in that case.  Just make sure you don't leave the company for another year!    

Thanks for the clear clarification, and please do mark this as solved.

Sad but true, but in my case I'm not sure if it is right what he wrote. 
In my case it does'nt work. E.g. I got an expired license and can't install the old version with my key on my new laptop. I have to renew it. 

This is my Software, and I can't use it anymore on a new computer. If I pay it again, but this is not my itention for a payed software. 

Quoting sdrohan,

reply 20

Quoting Sweeney70,

reply 19

Sad but true, but in my case I'm not sure if it is right what he wrote. 
In my case it does'nt work. E.g. I got an expired license and can't install the old version with my key on my new laptop. I have to renew it. 

 



This is my Software, and I can't use it anymore on a new computer. If I pay it again, but this is not my itention for a payed software. 

 

It is true.  If you have the original installers from when the sub was active, the key you obfuscated would activate them. 

If you have one that is not working, please tell me what that is.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Product Lifecycle Manager

I thought, if I take the "Download" her from my Account, this is the right one.

Really, this is like making packages smaller with the same price and saying, "we don't raise the price".

Quoting sdrohan,

reply 20

Quoting Sweeney70,

reply 19

Sad but true, but in my case I'm not sure if it is right what he wrote. 
In my case it does'nt work. E.g. I got an expired license and can't install the old version with my key on my new laptop. I have to renew it. 

 



This is my Software, and I can't use it anymore on a new computer. If I pay it again, but this is not my itention for a payed software. 

 

It is true.  If you have the original installers from when the sub was active, the key you obfuscated would activate them. 

If you have one that is not working, please tell me what that is.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Product Lifecycle Manager

Everything is to buy. And this is the installer from April 2020, bought Object Desctop.

Anyway, the concept to have a subscription needed is not my kind of buying software. I know, everyone does it now, but there are few and small developers doing it the old way.