FL Studio is the most ethically licensed software I've ever used. In 2002, I paid $150 and have received lifetime updates since then. No ads, no renewal fees, no nerfing of my license to push me into a higher tier. Just the latest version every time it came out, from v3.4 to v26.

Contrast w/ Ableton, where you pay about that much every upgrade. Or something egregious like Adobe.

I'm actually rooting for FL Studio to NOT be cloned, respect to the way they ran their business, hope people pay them their money.

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butlike 2 hours ago | parent [-]

IS the idea that as the population increases, you'll always have a larger market share in in the future than you do now? Kind of like human inflation? If it's not that, I just don't see how they can keep the lights on month after month, year after year with single licenses.

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nonethewiser an hour ago | parent | next [-]

That's how software used to work. The flip-side is that you bought "as-is" and you couldn't expect updates. Hell you might even have to re-buy a newer major version.

Because yes it doesn't really scale. I've worked at a place with software like that and it creates a lot of bad incentives. Where I was they sold a lot of custom development for revenue beyond the upfront licensing and you can imagine the toll that wrecked on the codebase over time.

So he is right - $150 for a lifetime license of good, continuously developed software is a steal.

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DANmode 2 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

New sales, smart spending and low overhead.

Not everything has to be a billion-dollar swing.

Not everything should!

	▲	butlike 42 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		Totally. I was just remarking that the electric bill comes every month, but revenue only comes once and was trying to reconcile that. I suppose after a critical mass there's runway to keep the lights on and cultivate new customers, though.