Questions About Invincea Acquiring Sandboxie?

[Valencia]

@ alan@invincea
I don't have much hope for it, but will there be a new Lifetime license model for Sandboxie Pro again ?

[alan@invincea]

@ alan@invincea
I don't have much hope for it, but will there be a new Lifetime license model for Sandboxie Pro again ?

We are not planning to at this time.

[windwakr]

Are the activation servers used for the DRM in 3.76 going to stay online in the future? Or will I have to resort to a cracked version eventually?

I'm definitely not installing 4.x or any version touched by you idiots.

[Peter2150]

Are the activation servers used for the DRM in 3.76 going to stay online in the future? Or will I have to resort to a cracked version eventually?

I'm definitely not installing 4.x or any version touched by you idiots.

windwakr, I wonder if you have any idea how badly this reflects on you.

[Scoox]

Hi, I have some questions:

1) WIll my existing lifetime license still be valid?
2) Does the new licensing model mean that Sandboxie Pro becomes Sandboxie Free after one year unless a new license is purchased, or rather that after one year users can still use Sandboxie Pro but the license needs to be renewed in order to continue to get updates?

The second question may seem a little silly, but Office 2003 has all my needs covered and I have no desire to upgrade to any of the later incarnations because I can continue to use the 2003 edition...

Thank you

[Nix]

Hi, I have some questions:

1) WIll my existing lifetime license still be valid?
2) Does the new licensing model mean that Sandboxie Pro becomes Sandboxie Free after one year unless a new license is purchased, or rather that after one year users can still use Sandboxie Pro but the license needs to be renewed in order to continue to get updates?

Lifetime License are valid!
You don't have to renew to get updates but of course that means you'll only be able to use the free edition...

[Scoox]

Lifetime License are valid!
You don't have to renew to get updates but of course that means you'll only be able to use the free edition...

Well the first bit is very good news!

However, let's pretend it's the year 2020 and Sandboxie is completely bug-free and nothing can possibly be added to it because it's already perfect. At that point, what's the development team going to do? Sit around counting the money? I am sure it's all legal, but it does not seem very ethical to charge for zero added value, and it's likely to annoy quite a few customers.

The current €15 annual "subscription" is not expensive, but only because there is still a steady supply of updates, so we are getting something for our money, and yet none of the many other software products I have purchased are priced that way, charging only for major version number upgrades. Furthermore, we users despise time limits. We don't want to have to worry about the software suddenly not working. We want to own our copy. The software should work indefinitely as long as external factors (such as an OS update) do not prevent it. If I choose to use Windows 7 until the year 2030 (which is fine under MIcrosoft's licensing model) I expect to be able to continue to run any software that runs fine today, including Sandboxie v4.08, free of charge.

Because of this I can no longer recommend Sandboxie as confidently as I used to, so there's something for you guys to think about.

Otherwise I think you guys are doing a good job, the product is still fantastic, and forum support is great with most enquiries answered promptly. It's just the licensing that does not feel right.

[Nix]

However, let's pretend it's the year 2020 and Sandboxie is completely bug-free and nothing can possibly be added to it because it's already perfect. At that point, what's the development team going to do? Sit around counting the money? I am sure it's all legal, but it does not seem very ethical to charge for zero added value, and it's likely to annoy a quite a few customers.

The current €15 annual "subscription" is not expensive, but only because there is still a steady supply of updates, so we are getting something for our money, and yet none of the many other software products I have purchased are priced that way, charging only for major version number upgrades. Furthermore, we users despise time limits. We don't want to have to worry about the software suddenly not working. We want to own our copy. The software should work indefinitely as long as external factors (such as an OS update) do not prevent it. If I choose to use Windows 7 until the year 2030 (which is fine under MIcrosoft's licensing model) I expect to be able to continue to run any software that runs fine today, including Sandboxie v4.08, free of charge.

This is better answered by an admin...

[Saint Satin Stain]

Yesterday, Invincea announced acquisition of Sandboxie.

In about six weeks, I will depart from Sandboxie. By that time, Invincea will introduce itself to this community, and will be able to maintain continuity with Sandboxie. There may be some changes, but please rest assured that there is little cause for concern.

Some of you have asked about the life-time licenses. As stated in the October 9th announcement about changes to licensing, Invincea respects the old licensing terms for old licenses, and this explicitly applies to the life-time licenses. The new October 9th licensing terms apply to licenses issued starting on October 9th, 2013.

I was concerned about the lifetime license, but your word worth more than that corporation. I remember years ago I had problem, you answered me personally. You can't get that kind of support from a corp. I know it took time from your work and your life to answer and solve my problem. I dont believe that all corporate behavior is always bad. I dont know Invincea but I will ; I will research them to their bone marrow, see what's in their history. I will see how they behave toward us.

I was a long time PrevX used began when they were toddlers. I was suspicious of Webroot, became a beta tester to see what what happens. Webroot didn't destroy the core, PrevX, they added elements to complement and enhance. I bought a multi year licence for me and two relatives - Webroot SecureAnywhere Complete which protects 3 desktops (Vist, 2 7s) and 3 Android phones and one Android tablet. Webroot behaved unlike most corporations. It behaved properly.

But Invincea still ain't You Mr Ronen Tzur. You are a mensch. I toast you. I will resist a bit my feelings, to ask , well I guess you're gone. Come by once in a while for a visit. Enjoy life, have fun and long life.

INVINCEA, I'm watching you.

[Peter2150]

INVINCEA, I'm watching you.

Oh my gosh, that must be keeping them up at night.

[Saint Satin Stain]

Naaaw, it's keeping me up all night.

If Invincea messes up, I find something. I wish I had bought a second lifetime license before. O well.

[Scoox]

If Invincea messes up, I find something. I wish I had bought a second lifetime license before. O well.

I should have bought 4 licenses, in case I get married and have kids. Now I am condemned to a life of terminal monogamy

[Shambler]

Sandboxie has been an excellent and indispensable program, which I have recommended widely, but I am not impressed with the license changes which have now turned this into a rental program, where actual usage of the program (even versions which become out of date) requires buying a new license every year.

A more ethical licensing program, should involve providing 1 year of support (where users can benefit from program updates for a year), after which users will not be able to install updates put out after their license expires (yet can keep on using versions within their license period).

I will no longer be recommending this program to people (I will in fact recommend they avoid this program), unless the licensing is changed so that the company that owns Sandboxie, is no longer engaging in this kind of unethical rent-seeking activity.


Tzuk has done a great job with this program, and deciding to sell it on is only the logical thing to do, as he has truly earned these well-deserved rewards - but, with the change of licensing terms to a rent-seeking model, he has ensured future customers are mistreated, and has sold them out (even if he has honoured existing customers lifetime license) - that deserves a lot of criticism, he should have handled the terms of the sale better so new customers would not be mistreated with an unethical licensing model like that.

[Jarmo S]

This just keeps going and going I guess?

To me the only sustainable solution to any software that is not developed for a one time market place happening like a game, is the periodic repeating pay model.

You will have the free Sandboxie and you don't need to pay any. Be as cheap as you want if you feel not needing the payed features.

[Shambler]

Except for the whole lifetime of Sandboxie, a non-rent-based payment model has been perfectly sustainable - it's not just been sustainable, it's been so successful that a corporation shelled out a ton of money to buy the rights to the program.

The business model at play here, is to take a perfectly good piece of software that could be bought and owned, and to turn it into a piece of software that can only be rented, and where if you don't "renew your rent" yearly, you lose access to it (even the versions you previously could use without issue) - that is rent-seeking activity, which is a very bad deal for new customers, compared to how licensing previously worked (it's also guaranteed to lower the potential userbase).

Sandboxie has a lot of of positive 'brand' image/reputation/credibility, due to Tzuk's work on it, and under the current license that image will be tarnished and will erode over time.

The best of all worlds here, would be a licensing scheme (similar to Visual Assist) where you get a years license, and retain the ability to use all versions released during the period of that license - and then lose access to updates once your license expires.