well .. i'm not very happy with this changes and i think it's a move in the wrong direction for a software which seems to need a lot of bugfixes.
What bugfixes ? We work very hard to fix all bugs as soon as possible, even sometimes releasing a maintenance patch in less than 48 hours when a critical bug has been reported. At this moment, i don't remember any critical issue pending, but if you have some problem with the software, please write us.
I also never expected an subscription system when i bought FP, but i expected sometimes a 4.0 update and now i have a software with bugs but without support. ...so, if you really want to change your license system then start the subscription period with the date of its introduction and not with the individual purchase date.
In the past, we have released commercial upgrades of our software every two years roughly, for a price of 100 Eur. Now, with the new subscription system, you should pay 50 Eur by year, so the cost is the same. Besides this, we have improved the volume discounts both for new licenses and renewals (as 25% for two licenses), and we have reduced the base price from 200 Eur to 180 Eur.
The main difference is that now we can deliver new features instantly, without waiting for an upgrade for two years or more. I think has not sense to save a full set of new features for Forest 4, if you can enjoy it as soon as they are developed.
About starting the subscription period with its introduction, i'm sorry but that is not realistic. We cannot apply the same policy upgrade to the licenses purchased three years ago, that those acquired the last week.