I get the whole renting and licensing thing everyone is talking about here. But if I buy software (be it a game or a program) I can install it as many times as I want for however many years go by. I understand I may not get the updates or upgrades of the software but I can still install them none the less. If Impulse's concept is for you to have digital software that can be installed thru Impulse without the need for CDs, I don't understand why after a year they would restrict you from using Impulse to install it and instead you are provided a link to download an .EXE version of the program? It's interesting how these things work.

Shirley-

I'm thinking that after a person's subscription expires he/she is only entitled to the last full release version, not any subsequent beta's, right?  So if a person lets their subscription expire and needs to re-install, they would install Impulse (and Stardock Central for any ancient stuff maybe if there's not an Impulse archive for it), and then would they be able to restore their most recent beta archive or would they need to go back to a full release version?  I'm wondering if the full release versions should be kept, I can see where a person would be tempted not to keep those archives after newer beta's came out.  Thanks.

This only applies to Object Desktop, as it's really a subscription, not a purchase.  If you were to purchase the apps separately, or games, those are good indefinitely.

You can restore any archives made before the subscription lapsed, beta or full release.

It's not a bad idea to make an archive of both.  I wouldn't rely on beta releases for backup copies.

If that's the case, how many people really know about archiving and how to do it? Impulse should give some kind of prompt with this statement and instructions on how to archive and restore to remind users so they don't lose products they've paid for.

This policy change - and afaik, license change - needs a corresponding Impulse UI change. If you're making a distinction between Object Desktop and every other piece of software available through Impulse by limiting access to only one year, then you need to have the corresponding UI to support such limitations and distinctions.  Reminder nags don't cut it in this regard, since the end result is that the customer can permanently lose access to the product if they don't understand the archiving requirements.  And given my earlier response - and Jafo's affirmative support of my response - a strong case can be made that since Stardockians don't have a complete handle on this, that it's a sure bet some of your customers do not either.

One possible implementation is for OD apps to auto-archive at the end of the year.  A better implementation is for a field in the customer <-->license table be used to track the last licensed version of a piece of software that each customer is entitled to.  But if you're dead set against that, auto-archiving is another option.  And there are other ways of handling this, but I have to say I'm surprised you're now making an arbitrary distinction for this one package.  Any other bit of software I obtain through Stardock and Impulse is supposed to be available out to some undefined future date.

"If that's the case, how many people really know about archiving and how to do it? Impulse should give some kind of prompt with this statement and instructions on how to archive and restore to remind users so they don't lose products they've paid for." --Reply #19 (For some reason the "quote" function isn't working for me)

I agree. How do we archive? My sub doesn't run out for quite some time (I got the special 2-for-1 deal back in early Fall), but it would definitely be nice to know how to keep an archive in case something goes kaput.

To archive, open Impulse, then click on the upper left button with the arrow. A dialog box opens; click on Preferences, and then, in the next box, click on Archive and Install, and your options are available there. It would be a good idea to back up your archives elsewhere if it's true that you won't be able to get old versions once your subscription expires.

Also, to immediately archive an application that you already have installed, go into the "My Software" tab and right click on the application's icon.  Then on the popup menu select "Archive Application".  That will create an archive from your drive.

To download and archive an application that you don't have installed and don't want to install right now, right click on that application's icon and select "Download and Archive".  That will download the application and create an archive for it without installing it.

Hm. I have to agree with Aesir on this one. Essentially cutting people off from their apps because they failed to archive without at least providing some kind of substantial warning (by this I mean a colorful pop-up box at a minimum, not an EULA) seems like shabby customer service.

Now that is just plain silly, especially since you don't provide physical media. It isn't like you've wiped these versions from your archival systems. There should at least be a set time period that people have access to what they paid for.

Um...there is....it's the time of their subscription....

remind self that Jafo is now on the LIST!!!

He is correct though.  The point of Object Desktop vs buying the apps individually is that it works as a subscription.  You have access to download and update the latest versions of the applications while the subscription is active.  When it expires, you even get to keep using the applications, you simply lose the ability to download new installs or updates.  If you keep your subscription active by resubscribing (at a discount from the original price mind you) you continue to be able to do this.  We even allow you to make your own backup archives to save your software so you can restore from them later.  The service we offered as a courtesy (it was never an advertised benefit of the subscription) was the ability to write to us if you did not make your own backups and use the ones we had on hand.  Unfortunately this puts an administrative burden on us to make these archives on a regular basis and to make them available, not to mention the costs to support older versions of the applications.  Because of these drawbacks, we have decided to no longer offer this to users with expired subscriptions.  All of the other above mentions options are still available, and archives made on your own will still be able to be restored (we have even added a reminder to the about to expire warnings to make archives).

I've ALWAYS been on a 'list'....

....somewhere....

Hmm, was just going to post a query about not seeming to be able to get minor updates to the versions of software I have installed from my now expired Object Desktop subscription.

Shocked to find that you can't even get patches without a sub - can understand not being allowed the next major version but minor versions or bug fix releases... really?

Now even more shocked to learn you cannot download the software after your subscription is up, even the versions you were entitled to when your subscription was active.

Are you guys meant to be competing with Steam or what - don't see any update or download problems there?

Needless to say I will not be updating my subscription, or buying more software through Impulse. Shame cause your desktop software is well polished...

Cheers,

Krusty