If they are "on plan" with Sage (meaning: perpetual current on maintenance, or active subscription) they are entitled to upgrades / updates / hotfixes.

For anyone who does not have a current license, we only apply patches / updates / hot-fixes that were released while they had an active license.

Otherwise, we do "best effort" at keeping a customer running, with a caveat that we can't guarantee anything on unsupported versions.  New script or custom report in an ancient version (perpetual, off plan), no problem.  Help with an error message... sure.

(I can't comment on Master Developer type licensing considerations at all).

So there is Sage support without being on subscription? 

Does Sage frown on partners that support customers that are running non-supported versions?

AFAIK: Sage does not provide support to customers not on an active support plan.

We're always encouraged to get customers to upgrade / stay on plan, which we try to do, but the final decision on such things is up to the client.  We even have a few customers who are current, but running older versions... because upgrades come with cost and risk (balanced against the risk of running older software, and missing out on new features).

Kevin,

I guess my question is if a customer has already paid for the software, invested heavily in customization and happy with the support by their partner, does Sage still love them?

The problem I see is if the customer signs up for the 'plan' and then reverts back to their partner for support,  Sage can disable their software to be read only.

If the customer purchased under perpetual licenses, they can continue to use that software for as long as it functions.  Perpetual will not "turn off".  They can't get updates and can't use new software technology with older version; but can hobble along on an old version they purchased via perpetual, after they stop paying annual maintenance.  And a Channel Partner can continue to assist them as needed without installing new updates or any hot fixes available after they stopped paying maintenance.

If the customer purchased under subscription licenses, they can continue to use the software as long as they are current and paying their subscription; like any other vendor offering a subscription.  You stop paying and you stop getting the goods. 

If the customer purchased under perpetual licenses, they can continue to use that software for as long as it functions.  Perpetual will not "turn off".  They can't get updates and can't use new software technology with older version; but can hobble along on an old version they purchased via perpetual, after they stop paying annual maintenance.  And a Channel Partner can continue to assist them as needed without installing new updates or any hot fixes available after they stopped paying maintenance.

If the customer purchased under subscription licenses, they can continue to use the software as long as they are current and paying their subscription; like any other vendor offering a subscription.  You stop paying and you stop getting the goods. 

Will the customer or partner be 'punished ' if Sage isn't seeing continued revenue from software that has already been paid for?

If anyone violates any licensing agreements, yes.  Otherwise, I can't see why / how.

Should you not be aware, the subscription is enforced by a "dial home" service... it's not an honor system.

If you bought a car and it's paid for, should you be required to sign a lease to get it serviced?

In my opinion Sage should have offered their subscription program to new users of the software and give incentives to existing loyal users to upgrade. 

Acumatica and Netsuite are benefiting from how Sage treats slow to upgrade customers.

Software is not a physical object like a car, and it is never "bought"... it is licensed under a EULA.

I have found that customers slow to upgrade don't have the money to upgrade so going to Acumatica or Netsuite is not an option for them. I do know one company on MAS90 Level 2.0 and another one on MAS90 v4.3.  

i had one client on the unix version until about 2 years ago

Every customer had a choice to stay on perpetual maintenance plans, or move to subscription.  Sage pushed subscription with incentives.  It was still their choice.  If they bought perpetual and wanted to stay at perpetual, that was their choice.  We do still have a few clients on perpetual licenses, but not many.  New purchases at one point were offered only subscription.  

This really has nothing to do with a customer being slow to upgrade.  We have lots of "on subscription" converts from perpetual, that are on older licenses for one reason or another.  Unrelated to license type. 

For those customers that can't afford being on subscription and their 100 / MAS90 is getting fragile, the Open Sage native cloud open source project written in PHP is an option.

To-upgrade or not-to-upgrade is indeed separate from licensing considerations.

The way Sage handled Perpetual customers was backwards (IMHO).  Perpetual customers have paid Sage much, much, much more than new subscriptions, yet they have fewer features unless they effectively give up their perpetual rights.  At the time, the Sage 100 product owner tried to sell a line that the perpetual rights don't go away, they are just locked in at the old version level... which is ridiculous.  Everyone knows you can't downgrade a system, so as soon as they upgrade their initial Perpetual investment goes *poof* and disappears... with some of our Perpetual clients really having a very strong negative impression of Sage for such a massive display of disrespect to their oldest customers.

Perpetual customers should have been given a one-time grandfathered "go off plan", after converting to subscription (locking in at the then-current version)... as a recognition of their having paid for perpetual licenses initially.  (Instead of the constant slaps-in-the-face to perpetual customers with "subscription only" features still being a part of the product).  This is not an incentive to upgrade, it's more like a punishment for not changing, after being a long-term customer who paid a higher up front cost with the older license type. 

Sad that the decision makers at Sage ever thought this was a good way to treat their customer base.  Recurring revenue is good... we all agree... but there are right and wrong ways to transition.  Sage could have done much better.

Sage claims customer loyalty is job one. Sadly they have taken crippling software as a tool to achieve their goals.

I feel the Master Developer program has taken the biggest hit moving to subscription and the adaptation of BOI.

Kevin,

Your comments hit the bullseye on how a company should  transition to a subscription program.

I'm surprised that the reseller-> partner base didn't have more input in the decision.