trying to hang on to non-subscription desktop software

We know the march toward subscription-based software is inevitable. But, I'm trying to hang on for at least a few more years.

* Adobe Acrobat
I still have a licensed version of Acrobat Pro XI. Trying to install it on my new machine was a real pain and time-waster, ever after I de-activated my license on the old machine. My Adobe account showed I was fully licensed for this version, yet the license key would not work. Turns out I had to go back and re-install Adobe ver. 9 first with that license, then I was able to apply the newer license with the new software. In the meantime, in desperation I decided to try the cloud-based subscription. They want $15/month, with no discount for paying a year in advance, so I paid for one month. Then, once I finally got the desktop version working, I went to cancel -- first thing the Adobe web site offered me to get me to change my mind was two months for free ($30 discount!!). Amazing. But, I still canceled, and allegedly I will get a refund of the $15 (I never used the software).

* Microsoft Office Home & Business (the version which includes Outlook, which I use for calendaring)
The last-ever version for desktop is 2019, for which support ends in about six years, I think. I currently have Office 2010, which reaches end of support in 2020. My 2010 license for a incremental fee allowed for use on two machines, but now MS no longer offers that, so I would have to buy two licenses at full price ($200-249 each, depending on where bought). That really sucks, but I might do it just to get that extra six or so years of support (security patches), by which time I probably won't be doing much professional tax prep if any.

Quickbooks
Shamefully, the still haven't fixed the simple "output to PDF" function even after more than seven years. Here's what QB expert Charlie Russell wrote seven years ago, and it's still true now:

"I’m not sure why Intuit has had so many problems with “PDF Drivers” over the years, but this has been one of the constant thorns in our side, as users and advisors. Can’t they just fix this in a simple way? We just want to send forms and reports to a PDF file. I have to tell you, with my own software, I have a simple PDF driver and I never have any trouble like what we’ve seen in QuickBooks!"

I spent over an hour on the phone with Diamond level support (I'm a ProAdvisor), and tried every one of the dozen or so things they suggest for fixing this (after discovering that the only way I could even view the web page with support links was using MS Edge browser, as both Firefox and IE could not display Intuit's poorly configured web page).

This prevents me from generating invoices in my QB 2019 software with a payment link for QB Payments. I still have two older computers where it works (although those were upgraded to Win 10, unlike my new machine). I will probably have to use QBO solely for the purpose of sending online invoices -- I guess I can just upload my client list in order to create the simplest possible online invoice, and still send the "real" invoice from my desktop software as an attachment.

Tax software
I paid for ProSeries through TY2014, but I'm not going to try loading it on my new machine. But even if I did, could I still open tax returns that I paid for (PPR)?
What about UltraTax? Now that we have to log in to use it every time, what happens if I stop buying the software in future years, can I still open my older return files? I could not even install the software without an internet connection, even thought I had a full offline install copy and license file.

I am still hanging on to my 2010 Microsoft Office. I did have to reinstall it on a new computer by using the phone activation after calling support.

I dropped Adobe and now I am using PDF Exchange

FWIW, I do not have to log on to UltraTax for 2016 and earlier years.

I love desktop Outlook. If I ever have to abandon it I will have to change the way I use email (less for work and more for quick chats).

I converted to Office 365 quite a while ago. I use the desktop apps, but like knowing I always have the latest versions. I pay $15/user/mo for the software, Exchange, etc. Heck of a lot simpler and cheaper than having a local Exchange server.

Adobe--I have a subscription so I can access all of their apps. Hate paying $50/mo, but since branding is done in-house, it is a bargain. Always have issues with Illustrator updating, but at least Acrobat Pro works when needed, even with updates.

Quickbooks and UltraTax remain my only software not on monthly or annual subscriptions. Well, I guess Quickbooks is since I'm a ProAdvisor (only for access to software and payroll subscriptions).

I switched over to subscription Adobe, Microsoft and QuickBooks. I know I could save some pennies here or there, but it seems worth it.

My son tells me that Libre Office is a clone of MS Office and is shareware. It reads and writes Word and Excel files.

Anyone using Libre Office?

Probably similar to OpenOffice. I don't like using non-standard programs, because then you have issues with other apps not recognizing them, even if they can open standard Office files. Also, I have yet to find one that opens an Excel file without issues, though my worksheets tend to be more complicated.

I resisted the move to subscription software, preferring the CD or DVD, but my Office 365 experience has been a no brainer for me, especially because it also has my e-mail inbox. Would recommend buy.

I have tried Libre and Open Office in the past, years ago, as well as Google Docs, but power users of Excel such as accountants are just not going to be satisfied.

I would just stick with Office 2010 that I already have, but as a tax professional I feel like I need to affirm that my software is still currently supported with vendor security patches (that's in the written security plan I have in mind somewhere...) -- and security updates end early next year for Office 2010.

I prefer the model used by WinZip and SnagIt (Techsmith) -- sell a fully licensed new desktop version each year, but offer generous upgrade discounts to prior licensees. The annual upgrade only needs incremental improvements in this model, it doesn't have to be "knock your socks off" each time.

On a side note, I'm happy to report both my ancient HP laserjet and Fujitsu ScanSnap (non-TWAIN) work OK on my new Win 10 machine, using the drivers I obtained way back when, for the Vista version of Windows (or was that Win 8?)

In homage to upgrades past, I'd like to mention some of my golden oldie memories:

Purchased AST 386 (or was it 286?) desktop computer in the mid-to-late-1980s for about $2,200 (over $4,000 in today's dollars?). It was an unreimbursed employee expense, and I don't think I got a tax deduction either. Purchased a NEC MultiSync flat screen LED monitor (13-inch?) in the late 1990s for about $1,000, flat screens were high-end technology back in that time.

In further homage to the older software I still like to install,

* Microsoft Streets & Trips 2013 -- I know you can download offline maps for the Windows Maps app, but this program has nice features for road trip support not found in Maps app.

* RealPlayer -- circa 2013. It's a great database for making sure I randomly play all the songs in my collection, at least once every year or so, no matter where I listen to them (and no internet required).

* Microsoft Office 95 -- I've written it here before, but I give Microsoft big props for still supporting a clean install of my licensed version of Office 95, which then allows me to install my licensed upgrade of Office 2000 Pro -- of which, I use MS Access 2000, still a surprisingly useful program in certain cases.

* ActiveState Perl 32-bit (for access to a legacy ODBC data source)

* Apple Quicktime -- the only purchase I have ever made from Apple!

Oops, I guess I just told everyone on the internet what software on my machine they can try to attack!

For pdf editing, Nitro PDF offers a nice product with a lifetime license.
For MS office, subscription seems the way to go, as much as I dislike it.

Microsofts new policy of not updating Office 2010 except for security patches is in contract to Office 365 which gets feature updates along with security updates. Obviously you are paying for ever!

I prefer the model used by WinZip and SnagIt (Techsmith) -- sell a fully licensed new desktop version each year, but offer generous upgrade discounts to prior licensees. The annual upgrade only needs incremental improvements in this model, it doesn't have to be "knock your socks off" each time.

Understandable, but every year you give your customers an opportunity not to buy the upgrade, and only offering incremental improvements are a great reason to skip the purchase. I guess I'm a bit surprised WinZip is still around... and still has improvements to make.

What is everyone doing for email? The $12.50/mo MS Office plan comes with exchange email. That's one of the few reasons why I'm semi-ok with with subscription plan.

What is everyone doing for email? The $12.50/mo MS Office plan comes with exchange email. That's one of the few reasons why I'm semi-ok with with subscription plan.

I use Exchange via Office 365. I was originally on GSuite, but eventually grew tired of not being able to do simple tasks such as vacation or out-of-office notices via the Outlook client.

Since switching to Office 365, not only have I saved money, I have not looked back one bit. OneDrive works infinitely better than Google Drive, and I have fewer e-mail issues.

Understandable, but every year you give your customers an opportunity not to buy the upgrade, and only offering incremental improvements are a great reason to skip the purchase.

Yes, that is a customer-centric approach -- customers will only pay when they feel they are receiving value. And for me, at least, it works, since I do buy the upgrades every so often, or a voluntary "maintenance" plan which includes annual upgrades. But the point is, I can stop paying at any time, including after the initial purchase, and I still have a license in perpetuity, not dependent on continued monthly extortion payments. It is completely one-sided in favor of the vendor, however, to only offer a subscription, which upon cancellation terminates all customer access no matter how much cumulative payment previously made.

Vendors have every right to offer subscription-only, but it causes me, and others too, to resent them mightily (QBO vs. QB desktop, anyone?)

I guess I'm a bit surprised WinZip is still around... and still has improvements to make.

Such as? I use a recent version of WinZip Pro and have not found it lacking, so what am I overlooking? The ZIP/ZIPX format is an widespread standard AFAICT.

Vendors have every right to offer subscription-only, but it causes me, and others too, to resent them mightily (QBO vs. QB desktop, anyone?)

We're in agreement, but this is the way that things are going. You might like the WinZip/SnagIt model, but it's not the future of software. It's wrong to say, however, that it's completely one-sided in favor of the vendor; the customer gets the benefit of a lower (or even zero) up-front cost in a subscription offering.

I guess I'm a bit surprised WinZip is still around... and still has improvements to make.

Such as? I use a recent version of WinZip Pro and have not found it lacking, so what am I overlooking? The ZIP/ZIPX format is an widespread standard AFAICT.[/quote]

That's kind of what I'm saying. Every year they're upgrading the software, but what is the point of upgrading?

I used WinZip years, years, years ago, but haven't ever since Windows made creation of .ZIP files part of the OS, which also coincided with the expansion of data space and better/faster ways of transporting data. Compared to 15-20 years ago, I rarely have a use for .ZIP files these days.

We're in agreement, but this is the way that things are going. You might like the WinZip/SnagIt model, but it's not the future of software. It's wrong to say, however, that it's completely one-sided in favor of the vendor; the customer gets the benefit of a lower (or even zero) up-front cost in a subscription offering.

But that's a simple buy vs. lease scenario. They are not offering the "buy" option anymore, only the lease. I tried to think of a good analogy, but only came up with this: suppose in the near future, IKEA manages to monopolize 90% of the home furniture market, for whatever reason (such as operating at a loss for multiple years). Then, they suddenly decide, you can no longer purchase furniture for your home, your only choice from IKEA is to rent it. The moment you stop paying rent, they will come to repossess your furniture. Do you think they are really doing anything in this scenario to earn your rent every month, possibly for years at a time? Sure, maybe every five years or so you can swap in replacement furniture of "equal" value (in their view) at no additional cost (other than delivery/pickup, of course), but what if you don't want or care for that feature? You are paying for it anyway.

We are all being forced to become renters, with all the downsides that entails. But yes, that's the way of the world. After all, corporations are people too, but with a hundred-fold more rights and privileges than real people (when's the last time a corporation went to jail?)

I used WinZip years, years, years ago, but haven't ever since Windows made creation of .ZIP files part of the OS, which also coincided with the expansion of data space and better/faster ways of transporting data. Compared to 15-20 years ago, I rarely have a use for .ZIP files these days.

Windows doesn't support encryption of ZIP files. That is one of the main things I use WinZip for: a scheduled daily backup job that zips and encrypts all my important files that have changed since the last time the job was run. It is a critical part of my backup and security plan.