Update Permission Time Model Details
Motivation
Until 2015, we at Crystal Impact tried to release a new so-called "major update" of our software packages about every
3-6 years. In between, we provided free-of-charge so-called "minor updates" that introduced some minor new
features as well as bug fixes.
However, implementing a large amount of new functionality for a new major version that is worth
for the customers to pay for is not easy if the still current version has to be further developed in
parallel. Maintaining the source codes both of a current "official" version as well as of its still
unpublished successors causes a lot of surplus work and is a permanent potential source of new bugs.
In practice, we had to stop development of functionality for a certain version some months after its
release and reduce its support to bug fixes, in order to be able to develop and sell the update to a
new major version with significantly improved functionality within a reasonable amount of time.
Hence, in 2015 we decided to switch over to a so-called "update permission time model" that allows us to ensure a
more continuous development of our software, and to add new functionality
(and bug fixes) as they come along, without having to think about keeping a highlighting new feature back
for a potential future major update. For the users this means that new and improved functionality will become
available much earlier than with the previous 'major update' model. At the same time, this concept much better
suits our daily work and the way we like to develop our software.
The update permission time model in practice
With the new model, you can still use your software/license as long as you like (if you have purchased
a permanent license), just like it has been with the previous "major/minor update model".
However, in contrast to this earlier model, you will only be able to download updates for a limited
amount of time (which is called your "update permission time"; typically 3-5 years): All updates and new
versions that are released within your update permission time will be available for download and installation
free-of-charge, even if major improvements have been implemented. Updates of versions that
are released after your update permission time has expired cannot be installed and run.
If you would like to use these more recent versions, you have to purchase an extension for your update permission time.
Schedule
The update permission time model has been introduced along with Match! version 3 in summer 2015.
Diamond will follow along with the upcoming new version 5 in late 2020 or first half of 2021.
For the current, Endeavour will still continue to use the old "major/minor update model".
Pearson's Crystal Data is not affected by the new update permission time policy, because it is not our own product and the licensing and update
conditions are defined by the publisher ASM International.
Purchasing
With the new model, a 3-year update permission is included automatically when you purchase a new license. Additional update permission time
can be purchased directly along with the new license or separately sometime later on.
Update permission time purchasing can be handled very flexible and totally according to your requirements:
For example, you can purchase a update permission for a long period of time (e.g. 7 years), if you currently have
funds available from some project, or you can purchase a new update permission frequently (e.g. every 3 years)
if you prefer more flexibility.
If you receive some unexpected budget during your update permission period, you can purchase an extension of your update permission time
immediately, i.e. you do not have to wait until your update permission has expired. On the other hand,
it is also no problem to stop purchasing update permissions for some time (remember that you can use the
software versions that have been released within your update permission time as long as you like), and maybe purchase a new update permission time later on when you feel that recent
improvements of the software are of interest for you again.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Below, you will find some frequent questions that arise in the context of the new update permission time licensing model, along with their answers:
Up to now, we at Crystal Impact tried to release a new so-called "major update" of our software packages about every
3-6 years. In between, we provided free-of-charge so-called "minor updates" that introduced some minor improvements as well as bug fixes.
However, implementing a large amount of new functionality for a new major version that is worth
for the customers to pay for was not easy if the still current version has to be further developed in
parallel. Maintaining the source codes both of a current "official" version as well as of its still
unpublished successors causes a lot of surplus work and is a permanent potential source of new bugs.
In practice, we had to stop development of functionality for a certain version some months after its
release and reduce its support to bug fixes, in order to be able to develop and sell the update to a
new major version with significantly improved functionality within a reasonable amount of time.
Hence, we have decided to switch over to a so-called "update permission time model". With this new model we are now able
to continuously develop our software and add new functionality
(and bug fixes) as it comes along, without having to think about keeping a highlighting new feature back
for a potential future major update. For the users this means that new and improved functionality becomes
available much earlier than with the previous 'major update' model. At the same time, this concept much better
suits our daily work and the way we like to develop our software.
No. Even with the new model you can still use your software/license
as long as you like (if you have purchased a permanent license), just like it has been with the previous "major/minor update model".
However, in contrast to this earlier model, you will only be able to install new updates for a limited
amount of time (which is called your "update permission time"): All updates and new
versions that are released within your update permission time will be available for download and installation
free-of-charge, even if major improvements have been implemented.
Updates of versions that are released after your permission time has expired cannot be installed and run though.
If you would like to use these more recent versions, you have to purchase an extension for your update permission time.
No. All updates and new versions that are released within your update permission time will be available for download and
installation free-of-charge.
Updates that are released after your update permission time has expired cannot be installed. If you would like to use these
more recent versions, you have to purchase an extension for your update permission, however, this is not mandatory:
It is also no problem to stop purchasing update permissions for some time (remember that you can use the
software versions that have been released within your update permission time as long as you like), and maybe purchase a new update permission time later on when you feel that recent
improvements of the software are of interest for you again.
Update permission purchasing can be handled very flexible and totally according to your requirements:
For example, you can purchase an update permission for a long period of time (e.g. 7 years) if you currently have
funds available from some project, or you can purchase a new update permission frequently (e.g. every 3 years, which is the minimum period)
if you prefer more flexibility.
It is also no problem to stop purchasing update permissions for some time (remember that you can use the
software versions that have been released within your update permission time as long as you like), and maybe purchase a new update permission time later on when you feel that recent
improvements of the software are of interest for you again.
The update permission model has already been introduced for Match! along with the release of its version 3
in summer 2015.
Diamond will follow along with the upcoming new version 5 in late 2020 or first half of 2021.
For the current, Endeavour will still continue to use the old "major/minor update model".
It may be switched over to the update permission model when its next major update (Endeavour version 2) will become available - although
a final decision has not been taken yet in this matter.
Pearson's Crystal Data is not affected by the new update permission time policy, because it is not our own product and the licensing and update
conditions are defined by the publisher ASM International.
We are no longer developing Match! version 2, basically due to technical reasons. However,
all Match! version 2 users are entitled to update to version 3 free-of-charge.
Yes, but there will be only bug fixes but no new or improved functions in version 4.x. Licensed users of version 4.x are entitled to update to the new version 5 for free and will receive a free-of-charge 3-year lasting "update permission period". After these 3 years, Diamond will continue to run but not install further updates, unless you buy an elongation of your update permission period.
The expiration date of your update permission time will be stored in your license file. While checking your license,
Match! (or Diamond version 5, rsp.) also compares its release date that is stored inside the program executable with the expiration date of your update permission time.
If the release date is more recent than the expiration date, Match! refuses operation and displays a corresponding
information message instead.
The validity of your update permission is already checked during the installation of a new version of Match!. If the update permission
time has expired before the new version has been released, the installation will be cancelled and a corresponding
information is displayed.
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