HumbleChief

I've watched a few tutorials on line and thought it looked complex and cumbersome to do the simplest of tasks but maybe Chief looks the same to a long time Revit user? I have no intention of switching programs for my business but would love to be convinced otherwise just to see some possibilities I may have missed.

Are you sure? Did you read the articles above? Where's the evidence that "subscriptions have hurt the software industry?"

Are you sure? Or projecting? What source are you using for the information? This article seems to suggest Adobe's revenue is strong and getting stronger "Adobe sees sales rising due to 'massive market opportunity' in the years ahead" https://seekingalpha.com/news/3892439-adobe-sees-sales-rising-due-to-massive-market-opportunity-in-the-years-ahead Another article. "Adobe announced record revenue for the third quarter as the company continued to profit from its subscription-based business model." ..and another article stating (you can easily google the source)... "Microsoft 365 consumer subscriptions have also grown again this quarter, up 13 percent to 61.3 million. Microsoft continues to promote its subscription offerings in Windows and on new laptops that are shipped by third-party OEMs. Microsoft Office will soon become Microsoft 365 in a major brand overhaul, so that will likely help drive growth around the company’s Office-based subscriptions."

These discussions happen here every so often comparing Revit to Chief and I fall for the same trap every time thinking that Revit might be better for what I do so I watched another Revit video and the shear complexity of the interface and arcane manner in which models are built might lend itself to more complex structures but for the residential house it seems like a very bad fit - even for free.

Same here and what might appear to be 'lazy' by the cynical among us as X15 misses its (as expected by users, but never agreed to) release date there will be calls of "Told ya so," but lazy I don't think will be the reason for any snafus that are sure to arise.

I can write a press release of sorts if you would like. 'We at Chief Architect appreciate all of our users and will try and keep our prices for all aspects of your purchase, SSA or subscription as reasonable as we can ensuring value for our customers and a reasonable profit for our company to expand and offer that continued value to our users. We cannot however predict future economic pressures that may cause price increases in the short or long term but rest assured any price increase will only come as the economic environment dictates not from a need to pad our profits or decrease the value to our customers." Or something like that.

Ah, and finally the children with the down votes have decided to join the discussion.

That is the point. There are questions about the future price of SSA and needing some guidelines about that future price and just like the price of eggs, it will go up, plan on it.

As I posted previously perhaps I can help understand 'the future SSA prices' with 'a firm statement' - the price for SSA will go up in the future. Count on it. Depend on it. Budget for it.

Here's a pretty definitive guess on SSA pricing as we move forward - it will be more expensive in the future like it always has as inflation and other cost factors have their way with all things in business.

I'm wondering what the new subscription upgrade cycle will look like? Will it be a once a year thing? Like now, X15 X16 X17 etc. Or might it be an incremental upgrade plan through the year like Tesla that can push through improvements and features when available? Perhaps in the future?

Good point but I guess technically the new buy in cost is only $200 for the first month.

Why would one 'switch to a Sub License'?

This might actually be intended as small time users add very little value, in general, to the company

This is an amazing option for smaller businesses. If I have a single house to design I can factor in the cost of the rental into the design fees. And if a business can't afford that, again, the business is simply not viable.

EXACTLY. CAD design software from a company that intends to provide a professional tool for professional users cannot accommodate' low-level businesses and it's the low-level businesses that provide Chief with no revenue. Chief has accommodated low-level businesses for far too long and thier business cannot tolerate that user any longer.

The point is that a business should be designed to include the cost of the tools required to perform that business.

Agree...

Then you reevaluate the business and consider the amount of business done currently and the amount of business forecast for the future and the cost of the software needed to keep doing business. If you can't (don't want to) afford the cost of the software needed to do your business then you might be in the wrong business. One could even set aside a special small business account (a sinking fund) with a meager deposit of $50 a month which would cover the cost of the current yearly SSA fees. If the business cannot set aside $50 a month then that business is probably not a viable business as currently structured.

I get the frustration but the analogy is flawed and points out the problem with software businesses. Unlike other hard goods like cars and washing machines that eventually wear out and need to be replaced, software doesn't only last a long time but sometimes, and in your case perhaps, it lasts forever. Maybe there will be a change in operating systems or something that will force an upgrade but your copy of X11 (as well as others' copies of X12, X13, and X14) will never wear out and never need replacing so software companies never realize the revenue from legacy products that really never wear out and never need to be replaced. Not saying anyone should be happy with the change but the reality of the software business leaves those companies with few options to maintain a revenue stream. I've got X14 and will pay the $600 (and certainly to go up) SSA fee when it comes due in June and be sure to include that cost in the cost of running my business.

The price research is much appreciated but those are apples and Chief is oranges. I have absolutely no use for Revit or ArchiCad or AutoCAD as my business is focused on small residential remodels and the occasional new home. I simply wouldn't use Revit or any of the others shown even if they were free. Doesn't make any of the programs bad but one has to know and understand their business niche as Chief does, and has over the years. Will new users who are focused on small residential remodels understand that Chief might be a better choice than otherCAD? No way to know, but that's the concern of the higher ups in Chief and for some reason, even though the demise of Chief has been predicted many times on this forum (not in this thread so much) because they aren't Revit et al and should gear the software towards bigger more commercial projects, they, as have I, stayed focused on the market niche they are best at and continue as a going concern. I'll give this news 3 months tops before the hubbub dies and we all get back to work and wishing you all the best and success no matter your choices.

This is the same problem all software companies face when their software becomes so capable there's no longer any need to upgrade, or in this case renew the SSA contract. Think of Microsoft Word or Excel. They have been way more than capable for 95% of their users for a decade at least giving user no need to upgrade - ever - giving the software company no renewal revenue. It's bad business model. One thing this change might bring about, from Chief's top line revenue at least, is it may encourage (force?) current users to renew their SSA and keep renewing their SSA to avoid the subscription costs and provide CA with their needed monthly/yearly revenue.

I think that if your design pricing will increase (4n) over your current pricing because the price of the software you use will increase $00.00 after you renew your SSA and that somehow that will increase your design fees by (4n)? Not getting the logic, or perhaps the business model needs a closer look.

I'm pretty sure the policy does not consider whether or not someone sells their company.

This IMO is a very important point. The good folks at CA have not taken this step lightly and without a great amount of thought to the consequences of their decision but to a new user the choice is not as easy as it is for me or other long time users to continue with our SSA. To the new user. "Why Chief?" "Why not (insert other CAD here)?" Is Chief compelling enough for first time users who will have little to no understanding of its power and focus on smaller residential construction? "Oh wait, I can buy Revit, or SoftPlan or... for the same price and this review or that review says they are better than Chief." So again, why Chief for the first time user/buyer? Like as has been stated Chief has not taken this step lightly and must have asked themselves the same questions but if it were me, and I was just beginning and knew little to nothing about design software and how it might work in my business I would look elsewhere with the new subscription pricing model. Would I choose Chief after that look elsewhere? Dunno. Really don't know.