The subscription model has me less than thrilled. I try to keep my expenses pretty tight, and the constant ballooning of subscription models everywhere is giving me pause and really making me consider where my money is going. Not only is it a recurring expense, but it also effectively locks me into a vendor and all the consequences there-in.
With recurring expenses, especially for tools I rely on or expect to rely on, knowing what their road map looks like and what they're like as a company is hugely important to me. For instance, Google's infamous killing of apps every few years, or Adobe's constant push to squeeze more money out of artists while delivering features that provide little value to many working professionals.
I probably would have received the news better if the change came with a road map. From what I can tell, there isn't a clear product road map or vision. Judging from chatter on the forums (unfairly) the road map looks to be "what do you want, customer?" - and the few customers who do participate are all over the map in feature requests.
I don't envy the position you're in, and certainly believe this was a difficult conclusion to arrive at. However, this customer will be spending the next several months looking for solutions that don't require yet another subscription model even if that means giving up features.
