You can buy my work for this month and pay me once. If you would like my newer, additional work, you’ll have to pay me again. Incidentally, because I’m nice I’ll let you keep the work I already did for you without charging you again for it.

I think in this case it depends on perspective to describe whether or not something is a scam.

This is why you are not a billionaire. I say quid pro quo. Normal people can pay for your work - but billionaires have to buy repeating subscriptions.

I feel as you do, except about all durable goods.

It's absurdly unfair that I get to buy a door, a handgun, wire shelving, plumbing fixtures, etc, etc, for a 1 time payment.

It's wild to see all this churn in the markets as players bloom, ship product, and die within the year. It's so sad that they're evergreen (never before having released a product) and are leaving money on the table, dooming themselves to failure.

When will they learn that recurring revenue is the only way they'll stay in business? I'd like _someone_ to stick around long enough to honor my three, five, and ten-year warranties!

it says a lot about the state of society when I actually cannot tell if you're being sarcastic or not. I think it's sarcasm, I'm almost convinced it is, but at the same time it's an argument that I'd expect Big Tech companies to make.

Unauthorized Bread by Cory Doctorow is a relevant read here.

Sure, pay me $10m upfront and I'm all yours for the 40 years I expect to work. I invest some of that and it turns into $20-$30m or more. Huge win tonget upfront payment if you're fine speculating a bit with the money.

>But seriously, calling subscription a "scam" is very delusional.

I think converting a one payment package to a reoccurring payment is a scam.