- I just don't buy the proposition that the rental model is mandatory for technical reasons because of the way Adobe wants to roll out more frequent updates.
Do you understand the implications of revenue recognition relating to generally accepted accounting practices here in the USA? Google it...it starts with Enron...it means that based on the way Adobe had previously set up it's accounting for R&D for Photoshop (and other apps), once a product version was shipped, after the end of the quarter that the product shipped, Adobe was specifically precluded from adding any new features, only bug and maintenance fixes.
With the perpetual license model, Adobe was precluded (meaning that they literally could not) add any new features to the perpetual version.
Now, with the subscription model, Adobe was able to change the way that they accounted for R&D...since the subscription is an on going pay/time model, Adobe is now able to create and add new features and release them when they are ready without delaying the features till the next major version.
The problem (highlighted by the 13.1/13.0.4 technical issues) is that keeping a dual licensing model alive proved to be impossible, so they dropped the perpetual license model so they could go all in on the subscription model.
All this stuff about buy vs rent is a distraction...whether you pay as you go or pay once for an unlimited time, it's still a license. You don't "own" anything other than rights...so an analogy dealing with tangible property (car, house, camera) are totally irrelevant. The only difference between a perpetual license and a subscription is the time terms of the license. Unlimited time vs time limited. In either case, the only thing you own are rights, not property.
Jeeesh, I really feel embarrassed by all the photographers who completely and totally misunderstand intellectual property and copyrights. You buy Photoshop? You don't own Photoshop, you own the right to use Photoshop for either a limited period of time or an unlimited period of time. Both transaction are the same principal. The only difference is with a subscription you lose the right to use after your subscription expires. With a perpetual license, it doesn't expire until such time as you no longer have a computer it will run on.