@MikaS @AAProds

I am not defending Magix in this but often because of the licencing agreements between the companies who provide the third party plug-ins that are offered by Magix as part of their package deals. They would have limited licences granted to them. They are often offered as a way for a user to experience other manufacturers effects in the hope you either upgrade to the full version of what is offered or buy another unrelated effects package. It's similar to how a photographer would do different deals with different end users depending on the use an image they took is put to. It's a standard practice when dealing with intellectual property rights and copyright issues. Seldom is a product offered with no end of use agreement however that is arrived at unless it's an end of lifespan product.

Magix uses them to tempt people to buy their product over a competitors product. Of course they want you to upgrade. Computing requirements never stand still and software has to be rewritten to cope and that means lots of coding work that needs to be paid for. If they didn't update their programs, then at current rates of change of hardware it's possible that the program would no longer be competitive in the market place inside of two years.

Then there is the question of compatibility. Sometimes an older plug-in may not be able to be used because of new requirements by the parent program. Even with the most expensive programs, not all of previous plug-ins will be compatible with new versions of the program.

I have lost count of things I can no longer use over the years from very expensive sound cards to programs that no longer run on current hardware or operating systems.

But then the same applies to my car. My dealer wants me to change my car every couple of years. Of course I don't have to but if I don't I eventually pay more on repairs and servicing, Lose out on improved fuel economy and the value of my car drops like a stone. OK lifespan expectancy is different but the similarities remain. I am only a customer at the point of purchase or have some sort of agreement with them for future interaction, such as servicing. Brand loyalty is mainly a thing of the past. One person doesn't renew, another new customer tries the goods. It sort of balances out.

You should always read the terms and conditions of anything you buy software or hardware wise and understand what they mean. The clauses you find there are there for a reason.

Ray.

 

"If the program is reinstalled, the version that was installed at the time of your purchase will be installed. Updates that have been made cannot be downloaded again."

This sounds ridiculous. 

I agree. It's a conjob: pay for an update service and don't get access to the updates you were entitled to during that time if you have to re-install later. Clearly designed to force you into updating again. Not Happy Jan.

@AAProds

Hi Alwyn,

What the Update Service means is clear. I have been through this argument too many times and I really don't want to do it again, but...

Before the Update Service, you got whatever was available when you purchased. Nothing new came out until the next version and you had to pay for it if you wanted it.

Enter the Update Service and, for the same price, you got an advance on new features and the next version if it came out before the one year ended. And, you could keep the updated version forever - unless you had to reinstall for whatever reason. Then, you fall back to whatever was available on the purchase date. Thus, you got an advance on the new features and the new version for which you really have not yet paid.

If you got version 2018, you likely also got 2019 under the Update Service - limited to not having to reinstall. If you don't update for a year after the expiry and a new version, 2020, has come out, you can get it and if 2021 comes out within that one year, you can get that one too. So, you can get two for the price of one. Con job?

Would you like to go back to the old method? No Update Service = no new features, no next version? If so, it's easy - for the same price, don't update or upgrade, period! Same price as before. And even better, if you ever have to reinstall, guess which version you get. Then pay to upgrade to the new version each and every year.

Read about it here. It is not a con job; the rules are clear.

As for having to reinstall, any problem down the line that requires a reinstallation is not the problem of Magix. If there is a problem and the only solution is to reinstall, whether or not it is Magix that tells you to reinstall, the terms of the Update Service are clear. This risk is yours.

Please do not bring this up again. It is not something that any further discussion will change.

John CB

@browj2

Gday John, @MikaS, raised it I was merely commenting on his post.

If for no other reason, he now knows how the system works.

I know it's in the Ts and Cs. It disappoints me though that the policy is actually being defended.

There is nothing ethical about denying updates to a program version if that version has to be re-installed after the 12 months. Is it any skin off Magix' nose if I re-install MEP 2019 and update it? Of course not.

Would you like to go back to the old method? No Update Service = no new features, no next version? If so, it's easy - for the same price, don't update or upgrade, period! Same price as before. And even better, if you ever have to reinstall, guess which version you get. Then pay to upgrade to the new version each and every year.

I don't follow you. Under the old system, I would re-install the version I paid for, and get the updates for it. Surely the system should allow me to do that? I may choose to update every 2 years because it works OK for my needs. I don't need to have new features forced upon me. That is exactly what's happening now, because if I install after the 12 months, I effectively only get a probably bug-ridden, initial version of the program for which I paid for a 12 month update service.

Please do not bring this up again. It is not something that any further discussion will change.

The more people know about it, at least they can prepare, as Jeff said. They may even complain to Magix, as I am about to.

Anyway, on on. I won't say any more on the subject. 👍