Free or Paid. Let your wallet decide

[trjam]

This isnt about which is better but more about the time has come for vendors to make a fundmental change in their pricing structure. Prices of computers continue to drop. But yet everything evolves around a magical numerical limit, on what a product will protect and cost.

I have always wondered how the majority of them came up with 1 and 3 as the two most used combinations for licensing software. That doesnt cur it anymore. The price is getting way to high, products that are free have vastly improved and the vendors who charge, best look for a more creative pricing structure.

This isnt me, I have plenty of friends who talk specifically about this issue. I dont know what the answer is, a family license?. To me, there shouldnt be any increase for the number of users in a specific location. I do realize the limitation on that with things getting out of hand.

I guess maybe more along the lines of, you buy a product, can install it on up to 10 computers but only 5 may be online at anytime.

[NoIos]

I never buy any more software that comes with a license for a single pc. For my needs even the number 3 is really limited.

I have licenses for various software like Avira, Avast, Online Armor, WinPatrol, Zonealarm, Vipre and many more. The license I appreciate most is my Vipre home site license. For the future I have intention to drop every software that does not offer me a family (or home site) license or a single license but with a huge discount.

[Victek123]

Originally Posted by trjam

This isnt about which is better but more about the time has come for vendors to make a fundmental change in their pricing structure. Prices of computers continue to drop. But yet everything evolves around a magical numerical limit, on what a product will protect and cost.

I have always wondered how the majority of them came up with 1 and 3 as the two most used combinations for licensing software. That doesnt cur it anymore. The price is getting way to high, products that are free have vastly improved and the vendors who charge, best look for a more creative pricing structure.

This isnt me, I have plenty of friends who talk specifically about this issue. I dont know what the answer is, a family license?. To me, there shouldnt be any increase for the number of users in a specific location. I do realize the limitation on that with things getting out of hand.

I guess maybe more along the lines of, you buy a product, can install it on up to 10 computers but only 5 may be online at anytime.

.
Generally I agree. Licensing and cost for paid/subscription security software is gradually becoming more flexible and at least part of the reason is the improved quality of free products. We just have to keep voting with our wallets.