The question being debated here isn't about the value of the product, his work, or whether we should support Fabs. I think we're all agreed in those areas. Rather, the discussion is regarding what business model he might choose to use. It is entirely his choice. That he's considering the input of his customers in his decision speaks well of him.
I'm not the only one who is beginning to struggle with what I'll call Subscription Saturation. That said, sometimes it's the correct model to implement. The MSP model is an appropriate example. MSP's offer a service. We use products & services in providing that service, and our cost for those products & services we provide are included in what we charge for our service. Something similar might be the person who takes care of your yard. He too provides a service which he may pay for products & services to be able to offer his service. Usually, the service provided is continuous and on-going. Occasionally, either example might do project work for a fee, but generally the subscription model is appropriate.
An area where the subscription model might be used and not be a "best fit" is marketing content. Companies or individuals who write marketing or advertising content sometimes use the subscription model. More often, there's a campaign of some sort which has limited duration, and therefore the subscription model may not be the best fit for the intended use. ABC company has $xx.xx in their advertising budget, but XYZ company requires a subscription to gain access. ABC company can afford to pay for piece work, but is put off by the subscription requirement and either goes elsewhere or chooses not to advertise in that way.
While those scenarios may not be the best examples, the point is that a subscription business model isn't always the best fit. In this case, Fabs has several options open to him.
- Monthly subscription
- Fee per use
- Update/bug fix yearly subscription
- Version upgrade fee
- Some hybrid
Whatever he decides, he has our support.
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