Re: PHOTOFORUM digest 6570/software by sub.

[karl shah-jenner <shahjen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I did write on this in May last year, making the point / warning that 
computer gamers and observers had already made,  that subscription based 
gaming was a cash grab that many other software companies were exploring. 
Remember, gamers have been dealing with this for years now, so their 
cautionary tales are there as a warning for others.

At a time when the gaming industry obliterates the movie industry for 
profits, the most successful model is one where to play, you pay - but this 
has downsides customers disregard when they passively accept the model as 
just 'the way of the future' and decline to reject it.

The first problem any gamer will tell you is - even with what's known as a 
'single player' game, one that has utterly no need whatsoever to connect to 
the web other than to do a license check..  is that when the validation 
server goes down tough luck - you're offline until such time as they bring 
it back.

The next warning gamers will point out is that you may well be happy with 
the version of the game you play, but if the manufacturer decides to tinker 
with (and often break) the product, tough.  You are merely a passenger in 
this and they'll point to the terms and conditions which allow them to make 
changes to both the software and your computer as they see fit.

Those who don't buy the 'upgrade packs' or expansions to games may happily 
continue to play with their early version but they'll be constantly taunted 
by seeing what they're missing.    I wouldn't mind betting that Adobe will 
probably bang in an instant messaging feature at some point as well .. so 
users can keep up with like minded users and share ideas, cloud-share images 
they're working on and help one another.  It would be cool ..  people like 
cool..  another psych trap that's proved successful in the gaming world to 
keep you hooked and plugged into the social side.

many gamers are perfectly happy with this (many gamers are young) - it's 
just old grumps like me who object and look for problems.  after all, 
forewarned is forearmed.



I guess following through on the game analogy I should point out again that 
there are other options to photoshop, some arguably more capable - so 
there's no need to panic if Adobe fails.  After all, 600+ of the biggest and 
most profiitable computer software companies have already gone to the wall 
in the short time we've had software companies ;)

k