[the_snooze]

But you see, the problem with offline use is the manufacturer can't claw back value in the future. How will you keep shareholders happy if you can't arbitrarily push ads, hobble existing functionality, or impose a new subscription service?

[ethan_smith]

Exactly - that's the flaw in trying to extract infinite growth from finite products. We've turned durable goods into rental services without consent, all to please quarterly earnings reports.

The tragedy is that "respecting customer ownership" is now seen as leaving money on the table rather than building lasting brand loyalty through quality.