I’m just a hobbyist (not a SW developer), but I developed two apps (for my use) many years ago that I use a lot. I extended my Lite license for two years, but I cant rationalize paying the updated fee ($500/yr) for just my two apps after that. I’m wondering what my other options would be? Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks
What’s wrong with continuing to use the version that you have?
Will I still be able to modify and complile? I guess my question should be, what capabilities will I have when my license expires and for how long?
Xojos license allows you to continue using the IDE versions up through the end of your license period indefinitely for editing & compiling. The only reason you might run into problems is if a newer OS caused an incompatibility with your software.
2 Likes
FWIW, I have used Xojo for desktop, console, web and iOS projects over the years and I’m kind of in the same boat as you now. Since my post-Xojo career no longer includes Xojo programming, I just can’t justify $1000/yr for a language that pays back a small fraction of that these days. I still test projects in newer versions, but building is limited to my last licensed version.
1 Like
To supplement what Greg is saying, Xojo is not a subscription. The only thing you lose is future updates, which is why I call this type of licensing “Updates Period Licensing”
For Desktop projects you can definitely squeeze a few years after your updates end. I was building Lifeboat with 2022r2 until a hard-crash with RuntimeException.Stack forced my hand.
It will be difficult to justify renewing for me as well this coming term. We shall see.
You could buy a new lite license every 4 years in a sale.
So instead of 99$ per year, you collect that money and then buy the $499 license when it’s on sale for $399.
4 Likes
You can think of Xojo just like a magazine subscription: you subscribe for a time, and as long as you’re subscribed, you get magazines (Xojo updates). And just like an issue of a magazine, you can use your Xojo license forever even after your subscription lapses. However, you won’t receive any more updates to Xojo until you reactivate your subscription.
Agreed
There is just no way to predict the future especially when it comes to Tech.
Might be ok for 2 years, might be ok for 10, anything can change.
Now if you are coding for yourself or work and can maintain your environment then you should be ok
I agree with @Christian_Schmitz and start saving now so you can renew in time.
For the time being, the compiled app should work for a while unless there is a major change in the operating system. Windows should be more future proof and the mac may come out with new requirements or may drop old support.
If it is for personal use and you are targetting either windows or mac, you could still get the latest Xojo, compile and run your app off the IDE . Getting it to run standalone is where you need the license.
All
I really appreciate your thoughts and comments. We’ll see what happens when my current license expires.
Christian Schmitz - I really like your approach of paying for 1 yr and then riding it out for 4 years or until sometime type of upgrade requires me to re-purchase. In the end I’m still at ~100 year which I can live with. Genius!!
Well, I’d hope that you can spare a few $ more per year and maybe buy every 3rd or 2nd year.
Every 3rd year is good!
Good analogy, except not many magazine subscriptions suddenly increase by 500%
5 Likes
Can you still buy individual Lite licences. I thought they were discontinued.
No. Christian’s idea is for you to save $99 dls each of 4 years, and then buy Xojo License for $499 - 20% sale discount (around $400 with the money you saved for 4 years).
You obviously haven’t been paying attention, Emile.
There is no longer any license available under $499
That’s like saying, buy an electric car - but you can only drive it as far as the length of your extension cord.
4 Likes
All,
Thanks for the comments. I like the discussion.
I do build an app for my use and two of my friends. So I always want to be able to build the app. So only running in the IDE is not an acceptable solution.
Except that, in this comparison, the electric car would stay free of charge.
While still limiting, get a long cord and you can already do interesting things, almost free (possibly have to buy another cord).
1 Like
Well, there’s free (as in beer) and there’s free (as in speech), but either way you still have to install 5.4GB+ of Xojo to run a 30MB app. So you’re definitely paying for space and slower speeds (debug mode).
The analogy still holds.