It is important to note that if you upgrade from the perpetual license product that we have all been accustomed to in the past (in my case, since version 4.x) to the term-based "Pro" product, this upgrade path will kill the licenses from your prior versions. That is, if you accept their offer for the free year, that kills your 11.x license. Of course, you must go read the EULA to find this important bit out, which has been conspicuous in the failure to mention this...
From their EULA:
If you purchase an upgrade (a new version of the Software) from a perpetual license to a newer version of the perpetual license, then your license keys to the prior perpetual license will continue to operate. However, if you purchase an upgrade from a perpetual license to a term-based license, then the license keys to the perpetual license will terminate upon activation of the term-based license.
Thus the offer of the subscription-based product really isn't an offer at all.
It locks you in to the subscription-based product, and kills the keys to the products that you already licensed and paid for.
Wow! Just wow! In seeing this, do we need to wonder about the ethical mindset of Parallels management? What a bunch of scumbags. I have been in Tech for over 30 years, and I would be absolutely ASHAMED to have my name and reputation associated with "Parallels" management. THIS is the type of management which absolutely KILLS good companies, products, and ideas. I really believe they are going to get sued in Class Action.
The whole thing makes me nauseous.
Don't want to move the discussion too much to the following point, as the REAL problem is the business decision in general. But, just some food for thought if we DO go down the path to engage with Parallels in the irrelevant debate: "How were the "standard" versus "Pro" versions determined?
With that question, I would submit the following:
1.) Quad-Core i7 has been around since at least 2010 in CONSUMER class Apple Macs
My iMac from 2010 and my MBP from 2011 BOTH have Quad-Core i7. As also does my 2012 MacMini.
2.) 16GB RAM has been CONSUMER option also for many years
My iMac is 32GB, MBP is 16GB, and MacMini is 16 GB
Point is, 16GB has been Consumer "common" for many years.
So by limiting the PDM to 4 CPU/8GB, you are NOT just hitting the "PRO" market, you are hitting the consumer market. Additionally, in 2016 and beyond, Quad-Core i7 and 16GB RAM will ONLY be more proliferous. Soon, 32GB RAM will be common.
I would submit that Parallels' metrics for "Standard" versus "Pro" distinction are obsolete in November 2016, and will only quickly become MORE obsolete in 2017.
In fact, I would submit that Parallels' metrics for "Standard" versus "Pro" have been obsolete since at least 2013.
Also, given an even playing field, back in the day...if Parallels only offered a timed subscription for what I need, I would HAVE NEVER selected them over VM Ware.
PDM IS a great product, but the baggage being created by Parallels' Management decisions caused me to switch. VM Ware Fusion works just as well for me on my MBP 2011 and iMac 2010, and I see no reason to put up with Parallels BS any longer.