Purchase software or buy a license?

[timwinters]

So,

In the past I have purchased both Speed Up My PC and, more recently, Speedy PC and, to my dismay have found that in both cases only AFTER you "buy the software" you discover that you haven't bought the software at all but you've simply rented the software...because you have only purchased a 1 yr license agreement.

A scam? It sure seems like a bait and switch because I could find nothing on either of their websites that would indicate one is purchasing a license agreement and that it's not an outright purchase. (I'm sure it's buried in the fine print of the terms and conditions that no one ever reads)

A further scam, IMO, is that Speed Up My PC will auto bill your credit card annually without further authorization. When I protested this "unathorized charge" I was told that my original purchase receipt gave them authorization. My receipt! No, they didn't keep that money.

Be careful out there.

 

[RJM62]

I haven't found either of those two programs particularly useful (certainly less so than some of the free stuff I've come across), so I'm probably the wrong one to comment on their pricing. But generally, I don't have an issue with ongoing licensing for system utilities, provided that they actually keep them updated as necessary.

For most other types of software, I prefer an outright purchase (or better yet, Open-Source alternatives).

-Rich

 

[JeffDG]

To be precise, with software, rarely do you ever "buy" the software...it's almost always a license (unless you purchase the source code, and the exclusive right to distribute...)

The difference is whether you buy a perpetual license or a time-limited one.

Sorry, IT Asset Manager in me comes out, and I've read WAY too many EULAs!

 

[SkyHog]

I will give advice to anyone here:

Speed Up My PC is a scam. They advertise using shady methods, and they're selling spyware.

YMMV.

 

[RJM62]

I will give advice to anyone here:

Speed Up My PC is a scam. They advertise using shady methods, and they're selling spyware.

YMMV.

I tend to suspect that as well. I've only come across it in the past few weeks and haven't looked to closely at it, but my hunch has been, "useless at best, possibly malicious at worst."

-Rich

 

[OffCenter]

I don't buy any software. There is enough GOOD freeware out there that you can find almost any kind of program you need for nothing.
Here is a list of some of my favorites:
AVGFREE antivirus
Firefox browser
Thunderbird email
CDEX for ripping CDs
WINAMP for playing MP3s
AUDACITY for editing sound files
MP3TagTools for editing the tags
MediaPlayerClassic for watching videos
PIXresizer for resizing pictures
OpenOffice instead of Microsoft Office
....and many others.

 

[ScottM]

To be precise, with software, rarely do you ever "buy" the software...it's almost always a license (unless you purchase the source code, and the exclusive right to distribute...)

The difference is whether you buy a perpetual license or a time-limited one.

Sorry, IT Asset Manager in me comes out, and I've read WAY too many EULAs!

Jeff is absolutely correct. This licensing trend is the way of the future sadly. When you buy electronic media you are often only buy a license to use it in a particular format.