It doesn't take a conspiracy. Humans follow their incentives.
Customers are incentivized to keep ponying up for a subscription, because the alternative is a costly transition to other tools.
JetBrains, like any other business, is incentivized to maximize profits and minimize costs.
Customers assign value to avoiding costly disruption. That means that JetBrains is incentivized to lower costs by reducing the amount of value they otherwise provide to customers.
This is the very definition of "rent-seeking" behavior, and it's scummy.
"Fortunately, there's a little thing called competition that prevents raising rates at will without facing the consequences, and JetBrains is no exception: we're no monopoly."
Should add this to the press release. Would make me feel lucky to be a customer...
Fortunately, there's a little thing called competition that prevents raising rates at will without facing the consequences, and JetBrains is no exception: we're no monopoly.
I'm sure different product teams here at JetBrains will adapt to the new model in a different way. My hope is that the change will contribute to a focus switch from a race to provide new features to ensuring better stability, performance and UX.