Directory Opus new licensing model -- subscription

Mark Phelps · Feb 4, 2024

Just got notified that DirOpus, a file manager that I have been using for a LONG time, has now joined the subscription license bunch. The fee is only a little more than $25 (AU) for a license, but my PC has three OSs on it and they want a separate license for each. Since I run two PCs with multiple OSs, that puts the upgrade fee up to $175 (USD) -- a lot more than I can afford right now.

So, I am looking into using MultiCommander as an option -- not as many options, but not costly, either.

allan · Feb 4, 2024

hmm. I just upgraded from ver 12 to ver 13 for a one time $38 USD. Guess I got in under the wire.

Mark Phelps · Feb 4, 2024

allan said:
hmm. I just upgraded from ver 12 to ver 13 for a one time $38 USD. Guess I got in under the wire.

The new pricing model does not have permanent prices anymore; it is only subscription.

Check the license on your Upgraded -- as mine upgraded to v13.1 without issue and it was only after checking the license manager that I found out it is only a trial version.

Bree · Feb 4, 2024

Mark Phelps said:
The new pricing model does not have permanent prices anymore; it is only subscription.

Are you sure you've understood the licencing correctly? It appears that the licence is perpetual, but after a year you need to subscribe to get another year of updates.

Buy Directory Opus

A standard Directory Opus licence entitles you to use the program forever,
and comes with one year of free updates and unlimited technical support via our support forum.

https://www.gpsoft.com.au/#buynow

LesFerch · Feb 4, 2024

Maybe consider XYPlorer. I paid $45 for a lifetime license with lifetime updates back in 2009. The price is now $70 for the same deal, but that's still a lot less than Directory Opus. I actually primarily use Explorer, but I keep XYPlorer around for its search interface.

Of course, there are many good free options as well. I love the portability of Explorer++ but it doesn't have the search options of XYPlorer and doesn't support long paths. There will be no end of recommendations. Everyone has their favorite(s).

allan · Feb 5, 2024

Bree said:
Are you sure you've understood the licencing correctly? It appears that the licence is perpetual, but after a year you need to subscribe to get another year of updates.

https://www.gpsoft.com.au/#buynow

Correct - it's the upgrade subscription that renews. Mine is good for two years (expires Jan 2026)

Mark Phelps · Feb 5, 2024

Actually folks it is a LOT worse than I thought -- and I confirmed this with an email to Sales...

If I upgrade ANY of the licenses, ALL of the licenses I do not upgrade get disabled. That's right -- they will disable my right to continue to use the old licenses simply because I can not afford to upgrade ALL of them. I read this in their FAQ, did not believe it, sent an email to Sales, and they CONFIRMED it.

So, since I can not afford to upgrade all six licenses and certainly don't want to lose the use of licenses I already paid for, then I will not be upgrading ANY of them -- and will look into using something else.

allan · Feb 5, 2024

Mark - can you please post a link to the FAQ to which you are referring? Not that I doubt you, but that just doesn't sound right.

Mark Phelps · Feb 5, 2024

allan said:
Mark - can you please post a link to the FAQ to which you are referring? Not that I doubt you, but that just doesn't sound right.

Yeah -- I understand as I would not believe it either ...

But here is the wording from the FAQ:

Code:

I have five Opus 11 licences, can I just upgrade one of them to Opus 12?

Not really, no. As above, when you redeem your old Opus licence for a discounted upgrade the old licence is cancelled. So in this case, if you upgraded to a single Opus 12 licence you would actually lose your additional four install licences altogether. Of course, if you decide you don't need five licences any more this may be acceptable - the choice is yours.

Here is the link to the FAQ:

Common purchasing, upgrading and licensing questions

BTW, I sent an email to Sales and they CONFIRMED that I will LOSE any licenses I do not upgrade. I asked them about buying only three licenses, since I can not afford all six. This is their response:

Yes you can downgrade to a three install licence if you wish. Licences used for an upgrade are revoked after the upgrade so you will lose the extra licences.

I understand that if I upgrade three of six licenses, I can not continue to use those three older licenses; but, if I only upgrade three of the six licenses, I should still be able to use the other three I did not upgrade.

Again, IMHO, this is just plain WRONG. I paid for ALL of these licenses, I should be allowed to upgrade any and all of them without losing the usage of the ones I do not upgrade.

allan · Feb 5, 2024

Okay, as I read it they're talking about a 5 license package. If you purchased a 5 license package originally, you need to upgrade all 5 - I get that. But if you purchased 5 individual licenses, you can upgrade (or not) however many you like.

Mark Phelps · Feb 5, 2024

allan said:
Okay, as I read it they're talking about a 5 license package. If you purchased a 5 license package originally, you need to upgrade all 5 - I get that. But if you purchased 5 individual licenses, you can upgrade (or not) however many you like.

Yeah, I understand -- but I purchased the pack because I needed several licenses - -not knowing I could not upgrade individually later on.

You may disagree, but I still find it basically wrong to disable the licenses NOT being upgraded.

Bree · Feb 5, 2024

Mark Phelps said:
I purchased the pack because I needed several licenses - -not knowing I could not upgrade individually later on

Nothing new there, Macrium Reflect's package deals have always worked that way. I bought a 4-pack of v7 licences. When v8 came out the discounted upgrade deal was for the whole 4-pack, no option to upgrade just 1 out of 4.

allan · Feb 5, 2024

I'm sorry you didn't understand and are now stuck, but they aren't doing anything wrong and your posts did not indicate you purchased a 5 license package. Respectfully, while I get that you don't like it, they are in the right. Why don't you reach out to Leo and see if the two of you can work out something?

And perhaps you might reconsider how you present such complaints on a forum such as this - intentionally or otherwise, you took a really harsh (and as it turns out, uncalled for) shot at the dopus development team without providing accurate context and complete background.

allan · Feb 5, 2024

BTW - I don't know if this helps you at all, but each license is good for two legitimate installations. So if you don't need 5 but one isn't enough, you need either 2, 3, or 4 installations. If only two, then one upgrade is all you need. If 3 or 4, I guess one upgrade and one new license. Just throwing this out there in case it works for you.

Mark Phelps · Feb 6, 2024

allan said:
BTW - I don't know if this helps you at all, but each license is good for two legitimate installations. So if you don't need 5 but one isn't enough, you need either 2, 3, or 4 installations. If only two, then one upgrade is all you need. If 3 or 4, I guess one upgrade and one new license. Just throwing this out there in case it works for you.

I have purchased a single DirOpus v13 license -- as I want to retain usage of all the existing v12.33 licenses.

And while I understand it is the developer's right to set the licensing terms they seem fit, I still think it not right to disable licenses from a pack because I can't afford additional upgrades. So, my comments stand -- and I passed them along to DirOpus Sales.

jimbo45 · Feb 6, 2024

Again - always the problem where originally good 3rd party apps go to the subscription model.

I'd suggest look around for real free open source packages that work approximately the same where you don't get suckered into this nasty pernicious model that costs you more and more where you own even less and less.

More is not always better these days as anybody who has navigated the sheer dilution of content in TV / Film streaming services where you need about 11 subscriptions and 8 times the price to pay for what you had before under the guise of " free competition".

A lot of big companies buy out small entrepreneurs -- which is only another name for "Buy to exploit".

Well some "peasants here are revolting".

1381 The peasants revolt !!! --The initial "Poll tax rebels " in Essex in the UK -- not far from Colchester where queen Boudicca burned it to the ground against her treatment by the Roman occupiers of "Britannia" - John Bampton" !!

Maybe you Brits should do this again now you have an upcoming General Election with not much to distinguish or choose between the main two political parties. !!! Same in USA between Trump and Biden.

Peasants' Revolt - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Cheers
jimbo

Mark Phelps · Feb 6, 2024

jimbo45 said:
...

I'd suggest look around for real free open source packages that work approximately the same where you don't get suckered into this nasty pernicious model that costs you more and more where you own even less and less.

Cheers
jimbo

I've been doing that and have stumbled upon MultiCommander -- which is free and provides MANY of the features of the "old" version of DirOpus.

It's not Open Source (AFAIK) but it is free.

For what I use a File Manager for on most of my PCs and laptops, this alternative will suffice.