Tom W. said,among other things: "You're right, they cannot sell the design, just as we can't reverse engineer the source code for Archicad. This is more like saying "It's our design and you bought it, so you can never sell the building." "

Isn't it still more like saying, 'you _licensed_ our design, so you can live in it until your demise, but you cannot pass it on to your heirs without paying an additional fee.' We apparently need to stop using the word "buy" in connection with software since it has the connotation of "to have and to hold," etc. etc., rather than 'temporary right to use,' which is much more akin to "rent."

Naturally this changes the value of the dongle, the status of leasing to purchase, fair market value, (s/w is no longer the same kind of asset as leasing companies once thought it to be, and valued it to be), and so on. Those "having" s/WY whose license does not contain the time-honored provision that the terms of the agreement can be changed unilaterally for reason, or no reason, without notice, should be on fairly good ground. Those who have s/WY licenses saying otherwise likely are in a different position.

A gradual migration away from ArchiCAD, (as was referred to), is simply a gradual migration from the frying pan into the fire. The key factor there, though, may be the frog in the pot of water effect whereby it's gradual enough so that people moan while they nevertheless embrace Revit.