Topic: Subscription...Product or Service?

[Bob Wahr]

and why?

[Jeff H]

Product.

We only have 2 licences but if we had more my feelings might change.

Part of me thinks it is easy to see that Autodesk is pushing subscription so just go ahead and add $3.47 an hour to overhead for each drafter(Using 2080 hours a year and $600 for subscription).

[Dinosaur]

I was going to shamelessly abuse my awesome Moderator powers and add " ABOMINATION SPAWNED BY EVIL INCARNATE " to your choices just for my old instructor, but I decided not to risk skewing your poll should it gain traction with others.

[sinc]

Service.  Because if it's a software product, you have to depreciate it over three years, and that makes no sense for ongoing maintenance costs that have to be paid every year.

[Bob Wahr]

but I decided not to risk skewing your poll should it gain traction with others.

Doesn't look like this poll gaining traction is going to be an issue.  Disappointing but not unexpected.  I see it as being a service for pretty much the same reasons that Sinc listed.  Was curious how others felt on it.  It's time to renew some subscription.  Last year, my reseller, who besides "reminding" me about subscription renewals gives me no benefit at all, tried throwing this big guilt trip on me for not supporting local businesses because I renewed online.  I can see his point, to an extent.  I wouldn't mind them getting a chunk o' cash for the renewal, but it's about a $70 difference per seat in sales tax.  In my mind, it's a service and shouldn't have tax charged anyway.  Looks like 2/3 of the not me votes disagree with me.

[mjfarrell]

I was going to shamelessly abuse my awesome Moderator powers and add " ABOMINATION SPAWNED BY EVIL INCARNATE " to your choices just for my old instructor, but I decided not to risk skewing your poll should it gain traction with others.

10000 Votes

[mjfarrell]

I don't care how the taxman breaks it down.

It's a product that autodesk tries to poison your minds into believing it's a service.
It is not a service to be charged for a product; that at best guarantees you might see one or two 'extensions' for your particular product prior to the next version being spawned. the subscription is a product that autodesk uses various forms of coercion and price tactics tobully convince you that having this subscription product is a good thing.

The absolute only person(s) that the subscription product is good for is the corporate spawn of autodesk, inc.

Here's my definition of a service:
After one has a training session from me; I give you all the support can need at no charge.
That is a service.

Autodesk charges for this thing,it involves your downloading and installing, therefore it is product.

[Birdy]

I refuse to answer until I see conclusive incontrovertible proof that the service does in fact exist, or that the product is alive and well.
 
Said proof must contain at least 5 impartial
sources that meet my as yet undisclosed
criteria which is certainly subject to change
as soon as said sources are identified.

[Bob Wahr]

I refuse to answer until I see conclusive incontrovertible proof that the service does in fact exist, or that the product is alive and well.
 
Said proof must contain at least 5 impartial
sources that meet my as yet undisclosed
criteria which is certainly subject to change
as soon as said sources are identified.

You might want to go back and read again, trying for comprehension this time.  My criteria never changed and in fact while he was still going for the "not my job to back up my words" approach, I refuted one of the examples that he ended up googling for.

[Birdy]

Sorry Bob.
That wasn't directed at you. My apologies if you felt it was.

[Bob Wahr]

No problem.  Have trouble seeing how it was directed at anyone else though.  Wasn't offended, figured you were just giving me crap.  I'm cool with that.

[dgorsman]

Service, as in "they provide assistance when I need it".  They can't always solve the problem but they can at least narrow it down and answer questions.  Also service, as in "they provide the installation downloads".  I don't see them providing product, as in "they create software to work with".  That would be AutoDesk proper, through the reseller.

[Krushert]

No problem.  Have trouble seeing how it was directed at anyone else though.  Wasn't offended, figured you were just giving me crap.  I'm cool with that.

Obvious that you are really cool with crap and so are we all; since we sign on to this subscription thing. 


I say both.  It is a product and Service.  Depends on my mood with no real substance to explain why.

[BlackBox]

I work for a company with 10,000+ employees, where I *believe* 60% are CAD users.

No matter the number of licenses obtained a 'Subscription' is a service... said service provides access to a product (eg., Software, Support, etc.).

eg., Both personally, and corporately, water and electricity services are utilized... which result in a product.

[hermanm]

Does Autodesk charge sales tax on subscription to California customers?

If yes, then Adesk regards subscription as a product.

If no, then Adesk regards subscription as a service.

California law imposes sales tax on products, but not services.

@ Sinc:

a) small tools can be expensed

b) since software licenses are generally non-transferrable, it makes no sense to me to regard them as capital goods, which must be depreciated...

but then, who said tax law has to make sense?