Autodesk clarifies position on bug fixes for perpetual users who have lapsed maintenance plans

A spokesperson for Autodesk has clarified the company’s position on updates that fix bugs for users who own perpetual licenses, but who have discontinued their maintenance plans. For clarity the full text of the statement is included below:

‘As of August 1, 2016, product “updates” are available only to active maintenance plan customers and subscribers. However, critical “hot fixes” and “security fixes” are available to all users, regardless of subscription status. Further, our nomenclature of these types of releases reflect this change:

• Update – This term applies to releases available to subscribers and maintenance plan customers. These releases can include new functionality, bug fixes, or both.
• Hot Fix – critical defect fixes released to all users.
• Security Fix – critical fixes that are purely security related and are released to all users.

And then to directly [the] question “Will some bug and security fixes (the ones inside SPs) be withheld from some of your customers” :

• No, not for security related fixes, these will be released to all customers, they will not be withheld.
• Yes, for general bug fixes (i.e. those deemed non-critical by Autodesk), these will only be available to customers on an active maintenance plan and to subscribers.’

The policy is causing heated reactions from users, who are calling it “grossly unfair”, a way to “punish those who have the audacity to drop back onto their perpetual licences” and “withholding bug fixes from some customers”. You can find more comments on the issue on the CAD Nauseam blog and the thread titled “What am I left with once my Maintenance has expired” on Autodesk’s Forum.