Interesting article, Steve.
I think few amateur photographers (or professionals with intermittant income) like the rental model. And I get rather fed up reading patronising posts explaining it all, and saying how it's really in our best interests, and "proving" that it's such good value. I just don't like renting software. When I stop paying, I want something still to be there. End of. As Steve says, I don't want to pay Nikon to stop them taking my camera away, and I don't want to pay Adobe not to take my software away. Call that an emotional, irrational view: I don't care. It's my hobby, and dammit, I'll think about it however it pleases me.
Given that I have CS5 and LR5, I might (just might) take out the offer, on the basis that I can revert to those perpetual licences later. But I'm not happy about it.
I was on a customer visit once, and my colleague started to say "you have to see it from our point of view..." and the customer cut him off: "Listen, pal: me customer, you supplier. You have to see it from my point of view, I don't have to see it from your point of view."
'Nuff said?