Autodesk subscription scandal

[mdi]

it does seem a bit sucky, i tend to think that although you where late, you should still be regarded as a valued customer, and they should treat you as such.

something similar happened to me not so long ago, I ordered CS creative suite direct from Adobes site, it took 15 days for it to be delivered, About a month later (i think it was a month, cant really remember) they released CS2 CS, and anyone who perchased CS1 CS within a he last month would get a free upgrade. Cool i thought, Iv only had my CS1 for about 2 weeks, so I phoned Adobe for my free upgrade. Abobe told me that because I ordered it over a month ago that I would not get a free upgrade (an upgrade would cost me £500)

So, it turned out I had ordered it 6 days outside the "free upgrade" time, Adobe had taken 14-15 days to diliver it, well inside the free upgrade time.....no free upgrade for me....and me very pissed off with adobe.

And im still using CS1, and im not to sure Ill be upgrading to CS3

[tricky]

Customers like us *could* be very powerful if we chose to be. I know it is difficult, but I don't think we should just roll over when things like this happen. Autodesk are turning into a giant turd in my opinion. A healthy software market is a mixed software market. Choice is important. With Autodesk taking over so many other companies, our choices are becoming very limited.

To people like RErender, glorybound and Dynedain I would say don't just accept what is laid down by corporate giants like Autodesk. It isn't always fair or reasonable.

(not wanting to pick on you guys - this is only based on your comments )

I shall begin the search...

[ene.xis]

tricky,
i m no autdesk fan, neither i agree in any way with their policys...i am in fact looking for an alternative atm, since i m feeling tired of paying for useless updates, or to say the less very expensive updates, since they don t meke me by themselves profit more...
but i have to say that in this situation they r right imo...thats the terms u agreed to since u bought the software and sign the subscrition, even if u weren t aware of them! that doesn t make if fair nor reasonable...but...

otherwise this might be a cheaper way to jump subscriptions...if u get what i mean...

[tricky]

otherwise this might be a cheaper way to jump subscriptions...if u get what i mean...

I don't see why it is regarded as cheating subscriptions. To upgrade to the next set of updates should mean that you have had an 'intact' subscription throughout. If there are gaps in your subscription history, they should be paid for. This is fair enough and quite reasonable - they are in fact acting on this with our situation by backdating our subscriptions to October.

What I am wound up about is being charged a fee on top of this. This is my point.

but i have to say that in this situation they r right imo...thats the terms u agreed to since u bought the software and sign the subscrition, even if u weren t aware of them! that doesn t make if fair nor reasonable...but...

I agree that small print should have been read, wherever that is! On our pro rata invoice there is no mention of this backdating. But, please tell me, who ever reads all the small print? We are talking about fairness here and they way in which Autodesk treats its customers. I do not think this is fair.

i m no autdesk fan, neither i agree in any way with their policys...i am in fact looking for an alternative atm, since i m feeling tired of paying for useless updates

Let me know what you come up with!

[dlparisi]

I don't see why it is regarded as cheating subscriptions. To upgrade to the next set of updates should mean that you have had an 'intact' subscription throughout. If there are gaps in your subscription history, they should be paid for.

While the cost is the same it does mean potentially "lost" money for Autodesk. With subscription you are basically betting that the upgrades will be worth it to you so you sign up before the updates are actually available and keep giving money every year. If it was always an option to just backdate your subscription, there would be a lot of people that would probably never get onto to subscription until they had to and just pay the back years if they felt it was worth it. Some however would never update and Autodesk would have lost that money.
Still doesn't explain to me why they need to backdate your subscription, that's what the late fee's for.

[ene.xis]

I agree that small print should have been read, wherever that is! On our pro rata invoice there is no mention of this backdating. But, please tell me, who ever reads all the small print?

We are talking about fairness here and they way in which Autodesk treats its customers. I do not think this is fair.

i don think a lot of things r fair, but that s just the way things r...
though yes we should complain more and make it more audible!
or find other solutions...

Let me know what you come up with!

i will...but i must tell it s a hard one, beside a large amount of werk fell on my lap, so i had to (again) postpone the search...

[RErender]

If they did not date it back to October the "fine" would just be buying you an extension on the subscription which is almost 1/2 a year.

Like dlparisi said if it was any other way then it could be played to their disadvantage.

Look, no one is forcing you to use Max, you entered into a contract with all your faculties, so why whine when you break that contract?




p.s. How much was the fine?

[tricky]

Look, no one is forcing you to use Max, you entered into a contract with all your faculties, so why whine when you break that contract?

Just wondered if you worked for Autodesk? It certainly feels like we are being forced. You've got to agree that this software market is being strangled by Autodesk? Discreet, Maya... This cannot be a good thing.

Maybe I haven't made myself clear enough: surely you should either be fined a suitable amount OR have your subscription backdated - not both.

The fine was 4500 UKP.

[mcphep]

I'd contact them direct, let them know how disappointed you are. I have had a pretty good relationship with Autodesk and found them to be open to discussion more often than not (no experience like this though). You may not have the best re-seller either (some do seem to have better relationships than others in my experience).

At least give them the opportunity to better their 'service' to you....

[tricky]

At least give them the opportunity to better their 'service' to you....

...we have done with every 'update' they have ever released!

(only joking, but I couldn't resist!)

[mcphep]

....haha! and yet still we subscribe!

[tricky]

...not if I can help it!

[RErender]

Look, no one is forcing you to use Max, you entered into a contract with all your faculties, so why whine when you break that contract?

Just wondered if you worked for Autodesk? It certainly feels like we are being forced. You've got to agree that this software market is being strangled by Autodesk? Discreet, Maya... This cannot be a good thing.

Maybe I haven't made myself clear enough: surely you should either be fined a suitable amount OR have your subscription backdated - not both.

The fine was 4500 UKP.

Ouch, don't get me wrong, I can see how that much would hurt. How many seats is that for? I guess you will still be saving as opposed to a regular upgrade?

Heh, I do not work for Autodesk :P and if you'd picked a different reason to gripe at them I'd will probably be right with you, for instance this upcoming subscription release is a joke, it is point release stuff...

I do however believe in the free market...

[tricky]

I guess you will still be saving as opposed to a regular upgrade?

The thing is, we, like many others, would probably not bother upgrading quite so often. Every upgrade so far has caused us varying levels of headaches with ongoing projects that run over the various iterations of Max/ADT.

We mainly upgrade Max to keep us up-to-date with vray as that is the software that gives us the main improvements in our work (hoo-ray for v-ray). We have seen little point in upgrading ADT since AutoCAD r13c4 in DOS!

We could say 'no more' to this subscription malarky, but what happens when we get another memebr of staff? We can't buy additional 'old' licenses of Max/ADT to match the rest of the office so we have no choice but to subscribe!

[Geertvdp]

Tricky,

I had actually the opposite problem: the first year I renewed my subscription, I filled it in as a "good" customer is supposed to....

To my surprise, I lost 3 weeks of my second year subscription because I renewed it earlier then the deadline date...

The result is that, since then, I always wait till the date has passed, as you still have some weeks left after it expired.