Erikletterror
Sep 22, 2026, 10:33 AMIs there any other software than fonts where people expect free updates after decades?
Replies
Florian PircherflorianSep 22, 2026, 10:43 AM@letterror Is there any software where that is not the case?
Chaoschaosthief@mastoart.socialSep 22, 2026, 10:44 AM@letterror Blender addons :p
John ArmstrongjlarmstrongivSep 22, 2026, 10:46 AM@letterror video games, ebooks, digital assets, video courses, computer hardware and peripherals, etc. are what jump to my mind
- ErikletterrorSep 22, 2026, 10:52 AM
@jlarmstrongiv I hear you but 33 year old video courses?
- John ArmstrongjlarmstrongivSep 22, 2026, 10:53 AM
@letterror learning how to paint never goes out of date (thanks, Bob Ross!). People love their old movies, music, etc. too
- ErikletterrorSep 22, 2026, 11:24 AM
@jlarmstrongiv Can you get a free new version of a 30 year old LP?
- John ArmstrongjlarmstrongivSep 22, 2026, 12:05 PM
@letterror does 20 years count? Music that I bought on iTunes for my iPod in the early 2000’s two decades ago, I can go and download it in a newer and higher quality file format.
I’m sure we can talk all day about these topics:
- the right to repair (or convert and keep old media from movies to music to fonts)
- the right to own, not temporarily license, what I’ve bought (companies removing games, music, tv, and movies that I paid for from my account)
- subscriptions (everything is a subscription these days, fonts included)Last time I walked into a Barnes and Nobles Bookstore, they had vinyl records ranging from the Beatles to Taylor Swift. I still have CDs that I want to rip again in higher quality and newer formats.
Do you think fonts should be a subscription?
- ErikletterrorSep 22, 2026, 1:56 PM
@jlarmstrongiv I think licenses should be perpetual, the thing you license should be available. Some font subscriptions are obvious scams, especially when a font choice gets locked into a “brand”. However, when a font gets extended, rebuilt, and is now sold by a company 2 generations newer, I think my responsibility for the original sale runs low. Happy to give a discount, but it will not be free.
Right to repair, absolutely. Right to keep old media files, yes, though I wonder if that is a different from repairing but sure. You forgot open formats, in favor, I have receipts. But I don’t expect to download movies by showing the DVD box to the friendly machine.
Also. Whatever large corporations decide to do or not, I, personally, can spend every hour only once. - John ArmstrongjlarmstrongivSep 22, 2026, 4:06 PM
@letterror Sure, if a font is extended and rebuilt, it’s usually sold as a separate product with a suffix like Neue, Nova, Next, Pro, etc. or divided up into separate fonts by language support. A foundry may prefix their version too. It’s just like major version upgrades in apps.
But subscriptions for webfonts that have had no or minimal changes? Or having to pay to go from woff to woff2 because the license prevents modifications? Eh, can’t say I’m buying those.
You’re right, open formats are just as important, too.
And that’s perk of running your own foundry, you can pick and choose what you charge for and how you spend your time.
I agree with your DVD analogy. Customers responsible for backing up their fonts. Though, having a permalink is nice.
- ErikletterrorSep 22, 2026, 7:44 PM
@jlarmstrongiv Maybe you’re projecting one or two things that I did not mention?
- John ArmstrongjlarmstrongivSep 23, 2026, 5:53 AM
@letterror Not you, no.
I’ve been burned by an experience with MyFonts switching to subscriptions for many of their web font options. I’ve also had license restrictions preventing format upgrades for PostScript Type 1 fonts and woff.
Throw in some subscription fatigue, too. I see that it’s the way apps, music, and more are going, and find it disappointing.
I just think fonts and many other software and media have historically had a long shelf life with perpetual licensing. And, I think it’s a good thing.
ARS TypearstypeSep 23, 2026, 8:24 AM@letterror @jlarmstrongiv I actually believe in perpetual licenses for typefaces that include continuous support and free updates, regardless of upgrades and extended versions over the years. Old formats are basically dead, and generating new, workable formats is easy. I think this kind of support even heightens the value of a typeface—much like a car receiving over-the-air software updates.
If the price of the typeface family grows over time alongside its extended versions, that’s fine, but offering an upgrade path for the price difference seems only fair, I agree.
- ErikletterrorSep 23, 2026, 11:09 AM
@arstype @jlarmstrongiv That is a noble position. Always is a long time. Continuous is not feasible for a small company.
- ARS TypearstypeSep 23, 2026, 3:20 PM
@letterror @jlarmstrongiv Maybe it depends on what that "support" means. For example, the way the backend of my foundry's website works makes it easy for me to update the downloadable files for each license, and it's equally easy for the customer to download the latest version of their purchase per license type.
At the same time, they're always able to upgrade their license and/or upgrade to larger packages. It's all automatic that way.
But it was my choice to invest in this kind of support for the future. It's not for everyone, of course. Or if it even makes any difference for the general customer.
- ErikletterrorSep 23, 2026, 3:55 PM
@arstype @jlarmstrongiv These are great services. My pondering started after an inquiry about a font bought before there was a web from a company that no longer exists.
- ARS TypearstypeSep 23, 2026, 4:20 PM
@letterror @jlarmstrongiv Just tell it to them straight, Erik. The sweet brutality treatment.. ;)
Kris SowersbyklimSep 22, 2026, 5:53 PM@letterror How about a font swap after 13 years because “I didn’t use it on the project I got it for”?
- Kris SowersbyklimSep 22, 2026, 5:57 PM
@letterror on the other hand, Quake got a new DLC after 30 years 🤯
https://slayersclub.bethesda.net/en-US/news/quake-dawn-of-the-machine-available-now