Flexi subscription

[bayviewsignworks]

We're running Mac based 8.5 which will no longer be support. We do also use illustrator but one in our shop prefers Flexi as she has run it for years. I would need to either run Windows 7 on a virtual machine, which also isn't supported by SAi. Fellers is only selling the cloud which with DSL here I don't think will work that well. Even if it does we'd like to upgrade to Pro. At $695.00 (upgrade) that's $95.00 more a year than getting the subscription. With the subscription all updates would be hopefully painless and if a new version came out mid-year that would also be free at no extra charge. If I compare this to purchasing, which I can't, for a Mac and can for PC but only as a cloud it would appear subscription would be my only option.?

 

[player]

If you get the cloud, and stop paying all your files are dead.

I would get a pc, get the $695 upgrade, and carry on.

Screw the cloud...

 

[AF]

I agree with getting a PC because running a VM/Hypervisor is just asking for trouble and probably won't work anyway.

 

[DirtyD]

Your files are not dead, you do not have to save them to the cloud, you can save them anywhere....When you do the subscription you download the pro version, the only difference is that it has a license at the bottom that states how many days are left before it will not open

 

[SightLine]

Your files are not dead, you do not have to save them to the cloud, you can save them anywhere....When you do the subscription you download the pro version, the only difference is that it has a license at the bottom that states how many days are left before it will not open

And when it will no longer open because you have decided that you are changing direction in business and can no longer justify subscribing monthly then what use will your .fs files be? Other than useless and dead? With a perpetual license, you will still be able to open and work with them indefinitely. The only other solution would be to make sure to spend the extra time and export every single file from Flexi as a pdf, eps, etc and never bother with saving native .fs files. That would be a bit of a pain.

 

[AF]

And when it will no longer open because you have decided that you are changing direction in business and can no longer justify subscribing monthly then what use will your .fs files be? Other than useless and dead? With a perpetual license, you will still be able to open and work with them indefinitely. The only other solution would be to make sure to spend the extra time and export every single file from Flexi as a pdf, eps, etc and never bother with saving native .fs files. That would be a bit of a pain.

There is something to be said about having an old dinosaur machine that can be turned on to get an old file for a return client.

 

[CS-SignSupply]

The only other solution would be to make sure to spend the extra time and export every single file from Flexi as a pdf, eps, etc and never bother with saving native .fs files. That would be a bit of a pain.

On the other hand, I wish more would do this as a precautionary measure to have for backup purposes and file corruption issues. File corruptions occur as everyone has experienced and I have taken my share of support calls on such an issue, with the end result being the enduser recreate the artwork as they did not have a backup .FS or .PDF or .EPS file to fall back on.

Every .DOC file we create here is also saved as PDF and dumped to external locations for safe keeping. 10 seconds per file, or thereabouts.

Perpetual or Cloud, Flexi or Adobe, cover your ___

 

[VIP]

On the other hand, I wish more would do this as a precautionary measure to have for backup purposes and file corruption issues. File corruptions occur as everyone has experienced and I have taken my share of support calls on such an issue, with the end result being the enduser recreate the artwork as they did not have a backup .FS or .PDF or .EPS file to fall back on.

Every .DOC file we create here is also saved as PDF and dumped to external locations for safe keeping. 10 seconds per file, or thereabouts.

Perpetual or Cloud, Flexi or Adobe, cover your ___

Why waste the time? They should save the files on a RAID1, 5, or 6 file server with remote/cloud backup.

 

[Harry Constable]

Cloud

I have been having my doubts about the cloud as well. Once you stop paying for the program use you have no access to your files from what I understand. If no one would sign up for these subscription programs they would go back to the purchase like it should be in the first place.

 

[mrugen]

Best of Both Worlds

Well, at least the Flexi(R) people will allow both to happen. You can subscribe OR you can get a desktop version. Adobe on the other hand is total subscription. I know many seem hesitant to have anything that has a cloud connection. Here's an interesting article: http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox...s_think_it_has_to_do_with_literal_clouds.html

And in this article, feelings are mixed about the Adobe CC subscriptions: http://www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog/2013/september/creative-cloud-1-millionth-user

Fact is Adobe, Microsoft and others are moving to the cloud model for two reasons, in my opinion, 1) piracy & 2) financial. As far as Flexi goes, I know from personal experience that many shops use pirated copies. One shop in Houston had 10 pirated copies! and they EXEPECTED tech support! SAi is no where near the size of MS or ADOBE and cannot weather that kind of piracy.

Financially, subscriptions make sense to both the users and SAi. Retail of Flexi is like $4295, subscription is like $60/mo. that leaves a shop with potentially $3575 to spend on other stuff!

Finally, cloud versions can be updated and supported far more that stand-alone copies. Profiles, drivers are available as they are released and needed.

I realize, many will disagree with me, but there is no turning back! Technology is moving to the cloud and I predict many more companies and software will end up with this model. That means we will need to change our model and no one seems to like change.

P.S. Always save files to a physical backup.

 

[deand_sai]

Buy Upgrade vs. Subscribe?

As Mark said, SAi gives you a choice to buy the upgrade or go subscription. Either way, Flexi Version 11 installs on your PC like always, but has Cloud-based tools that enhance the product. For example, owners like the free mobile app which lets them see everything being printed and cut while they are not in the shop. The cloud storage is meant to make it easier to do design from home and send to the shop, which was also a big customer request.

I work for SAi and we started offering the subscription option because of overwhelming customer demand. Last year at ISA we had a lot of sign shop owners asking for subscriptions and saying they wouldn't upgrade until we had a subscription option. They say they find it easier to pay $50 a month and always have the latest features and drivers. But subscriptions aren't appealing to everyone, which is why there is a choice.