Over the last 25 years I've spent thousands of dollars on Corel software and now they have decided not to allow me to upgrade anymore. They decided I should rent their software instead, I don't rent software, ask Adobe I quit their software for the same reason. Does anyone know another software package?
What do you do?
The work I do can only be done in Adobe or Corel so it is what it is. However there many things people do that can be done with other software.
In reality all you ever do is rent software, you buy it, time passes and it will no longer run on current systems, I bought a $2,750 software package that was sold as a lifetime license. Seven years later I got the screw you notice, pay another $3,500 or stop using the software.
Life's a bit#h, what are you supposed to do, give up your business over $500?
I'm a lead software engineer, I do a lot of websites and screen designs. I know software is not going to last forever but I bought the 2020 version of all their software now one year later I can't upgrade it. I have their full line of software so I have to find replacements for all of them,
I use, CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 2021, AftetShot Pro 3 and PaintShop Pro 2021 and update every new version. My accounting software, my company database software and color management software each are 5 to 10 times the cost of all my Corel software combined.
I'm helping a client replace their estimating software because it's $350 a month for the server software and 2 satellite users.
I stopped getting Designer as what it did for me was not that important. However I jumped on the low cost upgrade protection Corel offered years ago and it has saved me a few bucks. AfterShot Pro and PaintShop Pro are priced low.
RIP software is much worse than graphics applications it locks you in not only to their software but many times into a computer system and hardware that can't be upgraded. Imagine that at $7,000 to $50,000 depending on the RIP.
I consulted to a printer that paid $3,000 a month for 5 years for his prepress, digital front end and plate setter that was obsolete before he signed the contract to lease it. Then if they wanted to update their computer systems they were forced to buy them from the manufacturer at over $6,000 per system or not be eligible for support. Within the 5 years all the gear was obsolete.
Now let's wonder why the graphics industry is in trouble.