Just a heads up to everyone using Autodesk software:
You may not realize that Autodesk has made changes that affect your EULA and will prohibit you from activating your license in the near future should you need to switch machines, or upgrade your hardware which can break your license and require re-activation. Their goal is to get people off perpetual licenses and onto subscription which you may view as a good thing or bad thing. If you have money invested in a perpetual license it would be wise to plan ahead as far as which version to stick with and hardware since you will not be able to change either soon.
More info can be found at www.aplocalas.com/ or you can dig through https://forums.autodesk.com/ where some users have discussed this but it’s hard to find the info.
This is incredibly shitty behaviour by the kings of shitty behaviour 
is there anybody from autodesk on this forum that is willing to defend their shitty behaviour?
You’ve got to be kidding!
Always something with them. Three crashes this morning… they are the armpit of software developers.
Not much info can be found at that link…
the best licensing for max these days is xforce, its cheaper than autodesk and not prone to going offline or having weird behaviour.
I can’t seem to find any news about this. Does someone have a more direct link?
- Neil
This has been news for at least a year I’d say. I’ll see if I can find the links, they’re on the AutoDesk forum some place…
Oh, I was under the impression this was fresh off the press news. Is it this issue?
They give you the three year buffer?
- Neil
it is this,and to be fair, it’s versions ten years old, so though I’m definitely no AD fanboy, I think 10 years would be plenty for most people.
Well, from what I’ve read, it’s 10 years until Max 2022, when it will be reduced to 3 years. My current plan, since max 2022 will be my last copy of max, is to buy a brand new computer in 2025, activate max, then sit on that computer keeping it alive until I retire 
- Neil
You’re right Neil, I read it more fully but couldn’t be bothered to change my post
I stopped paying at version 2020, but am now on the Indie version which at £294 a year is a steal.
Glad it works for you. I am morally against rental only software, regardless of price, so I’m coming to the end. But it was a great 25 year run for me
- Neil
I hear you and I guess we all have feelings about that and AD.
I have been cynical about the introduction of Indie especially with the timing of Blender 2.83, but it’s a step in the right direction and Blender is getting easier to fathom and get used to, even for me.
By the way, I remember you from over 20 years back and was in awe of your work ever since that time.
Will you be continuing in 3D in some capacity?
Thanks Jez! I’ve seen you around as well and you’ve always been super helpful to people.
I’m a fulltime concept artist now, so less of my day job is 3d than it used to be, but my plan is to keep using my maintenance copy of max 2022 until it dies, then switch over to another app like blender or whatever the best app is at the time. I’d move over now, but to be as efficient as I am with max in an app like blender would take a lot of time, from learning to script writing to porting material assets and such, and I just don’t have the time to insert that into my work schedule. But if I am ever in a position to take a sabbatical or something I’ll certainly give it a go.
- Neil
I would just love to get rid of Autodesk, but, for now, I have to stick with it because of PhoenixFD. I wish that Chaos Group develops that solution on another platform, whatever it is, and I’ll make the big jump. I can’t wait for news regarding this.
Thanks for clearing that up Neil.
Not too much to worry about after all…
Well, I would still worry, but at least it’s not a brand new worry
- Neil
It sounds incredible, but I happily paid $6,300 for my ArchiCAD license to replace Revit… I stopped my maintenance fee so I can still use If I need myAD perpetual licenses, instead of accepting their demands to switch to subscription.
For renderings, I will buy Cinema 4D or Vray for Sketchup or Blender.