Mostly, but allowing access during the window on an enduring basis is generally not typical of subscription models.

This is more like dated entitlement than subscription.

Most subscriptions have much stronger pressure to renew, including inability to install or download outside subscription period, version limits, software quits working, and, and, and...

It's the sketch model just extended out. At least with this you don't have a version blocker if someone sends you a file made in a newer version.

Yeah, text is nice that way.

Depends on details but +most+ "subscriptions" sadly increasingly mean you can't use any version whatsoever once you stop paying for it.

I'd call it purchase plus support period but it may be the enterprise IT geezer in me :->

Yeah, I would go with that too.

I think this implies that after 3 year, you can keep using whatever is the last version you were using. It's basically license to get what you have right + any versions in the next 3 year.

JetBrains also has a similar license for yearly subscriptions, where you can keep using whatever version was supported at the end of the license.

> whatever version was supported at the end of the license

No. The version you will perpetually have access to is the last version released one year before the expiry of your license. So if you get a one-year license and don't renew it, you only retain access to the version you first bought, not any new ones released during the year.

Ah, my bad. They should fix that.

It's not broken. You're basically buying that version of the software with some benefits for a year; and they make it nice and easy to get the next version with benefits. If you decide to quit, you leave with exactly what you already paid for in the first place. Sure, it's not as nice as the Sublime Text model, but it's a fair, decent, and non-broken model.

In contrast, subscription software expects you to pay in perpetuity so they can take risks with your money instead of their own on new versions and features. Generally nothing is guaranteed to you at all, only access to whatever version of the software is current. No guaranteed support, upgrade times, or anything. And when you leave, you get nothing at all.

They already did... somehow. iirc their original plan was that you'll lose your license after you stop paying. But due to a big backlash against that, they changed it in a way that you can keep the license for product available 1 year before you stop paying.

Jetbrains license works slightly different.

You get a license and access to all updates released for duration. But if your license is not renewed at the end, you lose access to updates in the year/time since you bought the license.

You still keep original version at the time you purchased license for as long as you want, though.

I'm fairly certain the Jetbrains subscription model is:

(Edit, I had to look it up, the exact wording is:) "You will receive perpetual fallback licenses for every version you’ve paid 12 consecutive months for.

Other notably nice app/programs that uses this or similar sane, friendly models including Sublime Text 4 and Jetbrains products:

- Agenda (Mac, iOS) Planner/journal

- Manic Time time tracker (Windows, maybe Mac). This can easily save you many hours a month or help you increase billing.

feel free to add more examples here, we should make some positive noise about companies that don't abuse their customers.

(Please don't misunderstand me: Open source is often even lovlier but there are plenty of lists of Free/Open source software.)

I let my rider license lapse and I did have to "downgrade" to keep using it.

But only to the last version that you had paid for 12 months, right?

I only had one year, so it was the release when I first paid.

So you are forced to downgrade in some (many?) cases?

Subscription models like Office365, Creative Cloud, etc., lock you out of the software version you’re already using when the subscription expires. In this approach, you can continue to use that version just fine. (And even still upgrade, if you’re yet not on the newest version your license extends to.)

Normal subscription models make you lose access to the software if you stop paying. With Sublime Text's new license model you retain full access except to updates released after the 3 year period has lapsed.

No, with a subscription you lose access after 3 years.

This is purchasing (not subscription), but that includes 3 years of upgrades too.

Not really. Subscription means that the thing stops working once you stop paying. This is a purchase with included maintenance subscription, a bit different (and much better).

Not really since you don’t lose access to prior versions. It’s more like buying the old Photoshop CDs but then getting three years of updates with that purchase.

A lot of subscription models would lock you out after expiry, plus obviously the terms are usually much shorter.

It has the added benefit that you can continue to use an outdated version.