After recent update I see License Upgrade Required (2021)
forum.sublimetext.com
forum.sublimetext.com
I don’t really see the problem here? Like, ok, maybe you can be a bit upset that the app now asks you to upgrade, perhaps they should have used a less permanent reminder about that. But you can literally download every version of Sublime Text ever from the website, so if you don’t like the latest one with that you can just go back a version?
Going back to previous versions is a possibility but will require either permanently disabling updates or dealing with deceptive update pop ups. It’s also not obvious this is an option.
Kate is really great these days. And then ZeroBrane for Lua and Rider for C#.
The upgrade dialog (in v3) nagged incessantly, and frequently. It produced a dialog on macOS eating keyboard input, and was really annoying. It wasn't obvious how to turn it off. And it could be more honest about requiring a license upgrade up front.
So all of that wasn't the best thing ever.
if we want integrity and fairness in our field we need to apply it everywhere. giving passes isn't going to get us anywhere. the issue at stake is the use of dark patterns.
1. You bought a license to use SublimeText 3 in perpetuity
2. Later ST3 offers a routine update that doesn't communicate the fact that it is actually an upgrade to a product with a different licensing scheme. This comes as an unpleasant surprise to you.
2a. Additionally, applying a small update constitutes a small interruption to whatever you were doing (update, restart, continue editing).
3. Once started, ST4's very clear messaging is that you need a new license.
4. Because of #3, the minor interruption turned into a large interruption. Yes, people can go and downgrade, but _they shouldn't need to do that_.
I think #2 was a mistake on ST team's part (which they acknowledge) and it makes them look unprofessional in this one instance.
It is a frustrating experience, and it's OK and normal for users of SublimeText to feel frustrated. I want to make sure this is recognized, because saying "oh oops it was a bug" explains the root cause, but doesn't acknowledge the frustration it causes. I see this in software all the time. Software is for humans - we, as software developers, need to own the human consequences of these bugs as well, not just the technical side-effects.
Sublime's behavior was deceptive and invasive, their users have all the reasons to grudge.
I’m a free user, and because of it my “don’t check for updates” setting is ignored. Apparently you have to pay in order to disable the https request and the popup on each minor point release.
Anyway, I left Sublime Text for Doom Emacs at the start of the pandemic and couldn't be happier.
It looks nice.
If a vulnerability is found in v3, will there be a security patch? If so, how will you notify users that you’ve now encouraged to entirely disable updates?
You say this like that's some minor detail. It doesn't just "win", Sublime absolutely wipes the floor with VS Code, and for my development style at least, I feel that every minute of every hour of every day. I do like the look of VS Code but unless they can improve its performance such that I don't feel like I'm using a 286, I'll continue with Sublime as my main editor.
Developers are expensive these days, and I understand needing to fund development.
Edit: Added back "Why post this now?"
EDIT: responding to pre-edit of parent
The issue isn’t the cost. I’ve gotten my value out of Sublime Text and would happily pay more. The issue is that the update is pushed on users with no indication that it will then require payment.
Yeah, that's a valid complaint. The v4 upgrade probably should have been more explicit about that.
Because people are so hesitant to paying for a license, it has become one of my go-to gifts to friends and co-workers who use sumblime but haven’t purchased a license yet.
I just wish they'd implement VS Code plugin compatibility rather than try to go head-to-head. I realise that would be an obscene amount of engineering, but if anyone can do it.. It's them.
Although, I simply removed the new version and reinstalled 3. Then disabled the update popup in the settings:
“update_check”: false
Not doing this out of spite for the ST4 licensing nag --even though I didn't like it. By doing this they made me think whether or not I needed their product enough to pay for it again. The decision was clearly "no".
I'm posting this just as a note/through that might be useful to other software providers. Sometimes you force customers to re-evaluate if continuing to pay for your tools is worth their money.
I had a similar experience with Altium Designer this year. They sent me repeated emails as the $2000 annual maintenance fee due date approached. With this they forced me to take another look at KiCAD --something I had been looking at-- and realized it easily covers 95% or more of the designs we are doing. Paying for multiple AD licenses, in this context, makes no sense. We still get to use the last 2021 version and get to switch to KiCAD this year. And, yes, we will be donating to the KiCAD project on an annual basis. I believe in paying for good software when you want quality and continuing development (JetBrains being another example of this).
Now I am on the hunt for a good alternative for flow/thermal simulation for Solidworks. Anyone have any suggestions? It doesn't have to be free, just not the cost of a small car and lock you into ridiculous annual maintenance fees. We have FloWorks, which dates back a few years, and works fine. If we can upgrade to a better tool for a reasonable per-seat license I'd go for it.