When we started with Avastar in 2011, we promised to give free infinite support. But this turned out to become a huge burden, because the increasing number of customers also increases our support activities.
We can no longer keep up with this free forever model. But we also do not want to break our word, so we decided for a compromise: Since November-2014 we split up our product into 2 distributions with different licensing models.
Avastar-1 (Infinite support)
If you purchased Avastar before 14-nov-2014 then you have an Avastar-1 distribution. You’ve been with us for a long time. We always promised that you never have to pay anything for bug fixes and adjustments necessary because of changes in Blender.
Avastar-2 (Annual renewal)
If you purchased Avastar on or after 14-nov-2014 then you have an Avastar-2 distribution. You will receive all product updates and bug fixes until one year after purchase. You can renew your license on a yearly base.
Since Avastar-1.7 this Tool is no longer developped, but it is still maintained. So no new features will be added. From now on we only do bug fix releases and we take care to keep Avastar-1 running on future Blender versions as long as this is feasible.
Avastar-2 has been started as a copy of Avastar-1. But since Avastar-1 has gone to maintenance mode, now Avastar-2 is developed separately and it has already started to diverge from the Avastar-1 distribution.
Although Avastar-1 will not get new features, you will always keep a working and up to date Addon without need to pay a single penny extra for future maintenance and bug fixes.
Avastar-2 is in active delopment and it gets all new developed features. But this comes with the price of annual license renewal. We believe this is a fair way to help us keeping up with future development.
Product comparison
Product
Avastar-1
Avastar-2
Maintain compatibility with future blender releases.
Bug fix releases whenever we are able to fix a known issue.
New functionality (*)
Feature improvements (*)
Free Updates
Forever
One Year
(*): In some cases we continue to add feature improvements also to the Avastar-1 distribution.
Upgrade from Avastar-1 to Avastar-2
You might want to honor our continuous efforts to keep Avastar up to date and improving over time. We offer to upgrade from your Avastar-1 distribution to the Avastar-2 Distribution. This ensures that you get all new features as they become available:
Upgrade in Second Life
- Visit the JASS Shop and click on the Product Vendor for this product.
- Purchase a one year license update (50% discount).
- You can purchase from the Normal Product Vendor.
Upgrade with Paypal
- Buy the Update by pressing the Paypal Button below.
- Purchase a one year license update (50% discount).
- The additional support time is automatically appended to your product
Aloha Gaia,
Will this A-2 serve for new Linden’s VW? (Project Sansar)
Auch wenn ich diesen Schritt verstehe und der Update Preis wirklich in Ordnung ist, kann ich mir den Spruch nicht verkneifen lol … —–> Wilkommen in den Reihen der Betriebswirte <——–
und lass uns mal hören … lesen was uns dazu bewegen soll das Update zu kaufen ^^
No offence but this is a total not so good thing to happen. For the people like me that bought avastar and some other features from your SL inworld store, u told us forever free updates… Even if the work is hard or no matter what it was the deal to buy your products. Now you inform us you will freeze to a version and we will never get updates of the new features… Not so great idea. I suggest instead of doing this just make add ons for avastar that people would willing to pay for them cause not all creators has the same needs. Again i respect and i admire your work and i am thankful that you made all these for us so our SL lives can be eassier but deal is a deal and breaking a deal is not a good thing to happen.
We are not breaking a deal. The document says (for avastar-1):
You mention that we should create new addons for new features. Again read the document:
If you bought Avastar-1 before november-2014 you get free updates forever. You did not buy avastar-2 so no update fees. If you want new features, then buy avastar-2.
Where exactly do we break the deal?
Ok now i get it, sorry i missunderstood the situation. This subscription will be for sparkles too orits an other subscription for sparkles?
After struggling to get my head around this, basically if you want the new features you have to pay an annual fee. If you were one of the original people that purchased the original , (with updates for life), you may randlomly get an update if we think its justified .
So why not just say that in Plain English.
I assume the goal is to push everyone to the standard, so that everyone must pay an annual fee, and that the legacy becomes a legacy. So however I look at it the” update for life” wasn’t sustainable.
I guess for the people that make loads of $$$$ using avastar this is no problem, but for those of us where its just a hobby to learn and play, we will be left behind.
I would have thought a more rational approach would be to say , everyone that bought Avastar to date will be migrated to our latest and greatest. Anyone new buying Avastar, will have to buy it on the new terms and conditions ( ie yearly licencing). The way you have chosen to move forward will have a negative and positive impact for you, the negative is generating more work keeping two products alive and updated at different intervals. Where is the positive will generate a short term rise in turnover and profit.
Still you have a good product for sure , but this seems to be making it more complex, leading to more , work , and then the need to cover costs. Any efficiency manager will tell you , STREAM LINE STREAM LINE STREAM LINE ……(WINDOWS 10 ) !!
hi;
thanks for your feedback. Actually i had a lengthy discussion in the Second Life Avastar Chat group which gave me some ideas how to make this easier to understand.
For now just a quick note ( I will add this to the document above later today):
1.) We will freeze Avastar in its version 1.6 This version is then the “final” legacy version which in itself is fully functional and self contained with only few wishes for improving. This version will be under constant maintenance, but will not get new features.
2.) When we release Avastar-1.6 we will start with Avastar-2 (which will start of as a copy of Avastar-1.6) All users who have an active license that was bought after 13-november-2014 will automatically be migrated to Avastar-2
3.) Legacy users (users who have purchased Avastar before 14-nov-2014) get the opportunity to switch over to Avastar-2 at any time they wish.
cheers,
Gaia
good thinking!
and looks like a good deal… already on my way to PayPal.
and last but of course not least, good luck 🙂