I have no doubt in developers & am well aware of economy, commercial liquidity. Even tho i didn't use it for profit, but for independent academic & comparative studies, testing purposes, giving back with my findings, would even buy it.
Yet i can't, for i stand firm in my belief.
As an open source & open community "believer", i have no problem paying for & using commercial products which i get to own.
I find the fundamental principle, inability to use the tool w/o monetary subscription to service me, a deception. Following is an example of what i'm referring to, why i'm not being serviced, but merely being a user of the program, the tool.
"I wear, use clothes. Am i being serviced by a tailor at the time of usage? No!
Next, i read a book, making mental image within, by myself. After, I am at liberty to freely render an explication. Am i being serviced by the writer or even god?!? No, none is servicing me at the time of usage & experience. It is myself.
Another one. I listen to music using my own apparatus, thus i'm not being served by others (except local infrastructure - electricity), again with free will to mimic, reinterpret melody, sounds, lyrics, ... when published or performed, giving proper credits.
But i do rent a car (to drive by myself) and occasionally use public transport or taxi service without a need of being able to drive the bus. Render farm is providing me a service."
Thus i consider "subscription to service" an oxymoron (in programming tools, apps...) - diminishing the meaning, the synergy of what service really is. Not to mention being damaging to sharing knowledge, experience (as is the case here).
To my nose it smells like "intellectual neo-fascism", modern slavery & tyranny - worst farts & far reaching stench from feudalism, colonialism, capitalism, socialism & communism combined. ;)
Also, as stated previously, would gladly use watermarked demo, but i only get to have one chance to experience certain version per OS license or machine's lifetime... and i'm waiting for the Caustic opportunity :D
Anyways, effort given on a topic not for this thread.
Enjoy your games!
While you can ;)