Billy+ wrote: ↑08 Feb 2021
Your first point is unsubstantiated as until Reason Studios officially offers a perpetual license for the next major upgrade we won't actually know. They have said that they will offer them but we will have to wait until release to see what that will entails.
I really don't think you're second point is even valid as I'm fairly certain that intro won't be updated nor supported
As for the third point you have not taken into consideration that someone willing to pay for subscription might be quite happy to increase their overall cost by adding a bundle from the current device subscription service that has been available since 2017 and includes 3rd party rack extension which if I'm correct in my understanding any developer can opt into.
Given the direction over the last few years I would assume that developers are going to accept its benefits over the alternative and we will start seeing more 3rd party devices in that list, and as long as I can purchase them and own the devices I see very little issue with that as an option.
My problem with it all is that I've spent 20 years investing in Reason as a product and could never adopt it as a service. Software as a service just doesn't work for me.
I have just tried to state facts here, and where I am uncertain about implications I have used words like "may" or "might". Suite 11 and Intro 11 have both disappeared from Reason website as of now, and the only perpetual license that remains available on their site - as of now and for new customers - is Standard. So while R+ has been introduced, Suite 11 and Intro 11 have been removed for new customers on the same day. What decisions they make in the future remains to be seen, these are the facts as of now.
I also want to be very clear: My intention here was just to point some things out so that everyone can make a fully informed decision based on the current situation. For example, maybe this will encourage some people to buy Suite or Intro while they still can. Sorry if this came across as another rant thread, or as me pushing my opinion. That was not my goal.
The RE competition argument is difficult, this is why I have said "may" and "might". In Europe there have been some cases where competition authorities have asked companies not to bundle their own version of certain things (e.g. Apple and Microsoft) to allow for competition. This is similar in some ways, but of course total effects are intricate and could go either way. We can all form our own opinion, but we should maybe take this into account.