Altium is killing off perpetual AD

[55pilot]

I was contacted by a new (to me) Altium sales rep this week. He pushed hard to have me "convert" to a SAS (Software As Service = pay or lose access) license. The support on my perpetual license expires in a couple of months.

I told him that SAS is not going to happen, so not to waste his and my time. I asked him, what he had to offer without SAS and he said absolutely nothing. Everything moving forward is SAS.

Then he continued trying to sell me on how great the online services are and how I will miss out on great things. He stopped only when I asked him to call me back after he gets some hearing aids because he is not listening to what I am saying.

P.S. I am in the USA

[exmadscientist]

Ask for a written statement. I think Altium uses some wild west salesman, that try anything to upsell you on the product. I guess commissions are big, so ethic go out the window.

Altium salesmen are some of the most psychotic nutjobs I have ever encountered. Years ago I remember trying to tell one that we don't need more seats, we're happy at the current number, and even if we did need more seats, I don't have any purchasing authority, so please never call me again. We'll call you. Or you can call [manager] or [IT guy], both of whom actually have job descriptions that include dealing with your ass.

Of course he kept on calling me for weeks, at least once a week, even after I'd told him that I couldn't give him any money.

He somehow stopped just before I went to talk to the IT guy about getting his number blocked at the PBX. I don't know how he managed to cut it that close!

And, yeah... get it in writing from these nutters.

[55pilot]

And, yeah... get it in writing from these nutters.

That will not help you one bit. The company will tell you that the salesperson was not authorized to promise you what they promised in writing.

Been there, done that and not just with Altium.

[JohnG]

And, yeah... get it in writing from these nutters.

That will not help you one bit. The company will tell you that the salesperson was not authorized to promise you what they promised in writing.

Been there, done that and not just with Altium.

It is still important to do so in any correspondence, but especially with companies that you do not trust. If they are behaving unethically, you might be glad to have a document trail. Sure, 90+% of the time it has little value, but it can have a lot of value if you need it.

John

[Doctorandus_P]

If they are behaving unethically, you might be glad to have a document trail. Sure, 90+% of the time it has little value, but it can have a lot of value if you need it.

I'd say vote with your money. Give it to a company that cares for it's customers instead of it's shareholders.

Edit: Found some .pdf.pdf presentation for their investors on their website:

https://cdn-static.altium.com/sites/default/files/2024-02/ALU%20First%20Half%20Investor%20Presentation%20FINAL.pdf.pdf

[JohnG]

I'd say vote with your money. Give it to a company that cares for it's customers instead of it's shareholders.

Some people here may actually be in a position to vote with their money. The rest of us can only try to influence those with the money to vote. Definitely worth the effort, IMO.

Edit: Found some .pdf.pdf presentation for their investors on their website:

https://cdn-static.altium.com/sites/default/files/2024-02/ALU%20First%20Half%20Investor%20Presentation%20FINAL.pdf.pdf

Slide 26 says it all. But I can't believe they forgot to say something about "Industry 5.0"!

John

[tooki]

I also wonder what doofus wrote slide 25:



Google and Apple both own and sell apps. They might have been able to piece this together by, I dunno,... opening their phone?

And Netflix is planning to open physical locations: https://www.forbes.com/sites/claraludmir/2023/10/16/netflix-to-open-brick-and-mortar-location-in-2025-adding-retail-to-its-roster/

And I'd be quite surprised if Skype didn't own some infrastructure of its own, even if it just means servers and whatnot. (And since Skype is a Microsoft product, even if it runs on Azure, then it's still on company-owned infrastructure...)

[tooki]

Oh, and slide 28: "Altium has the Opportunity to Disrupt the Electronics Industry in the Same Way that Amazon Disrupted the E-Commerce Industry"

Umm... did it escape their attention that Amazon does not exactly have a good reputation anymore?

[tooki]

Oh this is rich, especially the highlighted tile.

[Doctorandus_P]

And there is more, page 32 confirms once more they're set on killing the perpetual licenses:



Also, I don't know how long they are going to keep that pdf available, so grab a copy while you can.

[floobydust]

I also wonder what doofus wrote slide 25:

(Attachment Link)

Google and Apple both own and sell apps. They might have been able to piece this together by, I dunno,... opening their phone?

And Netflix is planning to open physical locations: https://www.forbes.com/sites/claraludmir/2023/10/16/netflix-to-open-brick-and-mortar-location-in-2025-adding-retail-to-its-roster/

And I'd be quite surprised if Skype didn't own some infrastructure of its own, even if it just means servers and whatnot. (And since Skype is a Microsoft product, even if it runs on Azure, then it's still on company-owned infrastructure...)

You clipped off the top of that slide - All Hail the Cloud. Stock - to the moon!

[Smokey]

Oh, and slide 28: "Altium has the Opportunity to Disrupt the Electronics Industry in the Same Way that Amazon Disrupted the E-Commerce Industry"

Umm... did it escape their attention that Amazon does not exactly have a good reputation anymore?

... among a certain class who's news media spends a significant amount of time dedicated to bashing Amazon (along with any other large and therefore inherently "Evil" company). 

[tooki]

Oh, and slide 28: "Altium has the Opportunity to Disrupt the Electronics Industry in the Same Way that Amazon Disrupted the E-Commerce Industry"

Umm... did it escape their attention that Amazon does not exactly have a good reputation anymore?

... among a certain class who's news media spends a significant amount of time dedicated to bashing Amazon (along with any other large and therefore inherently "Evil" company).

Uhhh… no? Like… Amazon’s shitty behavior is well documented by a wide variety of news outlets. Not everything is a partisan issue.