Understandable and logical take. You’re just being honest about what you’re seeing. That seems to me an explanation that matches what has actually been happening. I have a license for PL and FP from years ago that will no longer install on recent OSs, and the experience is the same. It wasn’t a smooth experience then, and it isn’t now. I have noticed no improvement, other than the option to have denoise able to be previewed as you edit (a very welcome and, more than I think many admitted, quite important usability improvement).
If this observation and explanation is correct, and I think it is likely spot-on, then someone needs a wakeup call. DxO is shooting itself in the foot if they think performance and experience needn’t be a VERY high priority. Potential new user “conversion” or sale rates will definitely improve.
What’s very interesting is this: DxO could really benefit from the general feeling of people that corporations and companies are only after profits and don’t care about their customers. Market a “We’re taking a step back and focusing on a smooth and improved user experience. Our users love our tools and create amazing work with them, but we feel they can enjoy making that work even more by refining the tools and speeding them up even more…” campaign. It admits nothing. All positive. And this would actually gain attention on social media. Then, drop a much smoother experience in the next release and watch people sing DxO praises.
But I know the thinking would be… “Why would people pay for an upgrade? They would just complain that we are fixing the thing they already bought and paid for.” And they’d certainly have a point.
They’d have to rely on new users coming over and make something like this a point release, then let the community sing their praises and focus on the next iteration. Something like that.
Anyway, DxO, please realize that usability is a “feature” too.