Paragon NTFS software license invalidation: Difference between revisions

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-==Paragon NTFS License Invalidation==
+{{IncidentCargo
+|Company=Paragon Software
+|StartDate=2022
+|EndDate=
+|Status=Active
+|ProductLine=
+|Product=NTFS for Mac
+|ArticleType=Product
+|Type=Broken Promise, Forced Migration, Rent-seeking
+|Description=The perpetual licenses for NTFS for Mac are no longer being honored, and users are directed to purchase newer versions.
+}}
 Paragon Software's NTFS for Mac product is a program that provides read/write access to NTFS-formatted drives on macOS. Paragon Software effectively invalidated customer's licenses purchased prior to September 2022 while implementing a new licensing system without migrating existing customers.
-===Background===
+==Background==
 NTFS for Mac is a commercial solution that allows Mac users to write files to Windows-formatted drives. Unlike free alternatives, the software was marketed as a reliable, high-performance program with official support. Customers bought perpetual licenses as evidenced by purchase confirmations that did not mention any time limitations or a subscription model.
-[[File:Email back & forth with paragon customer support.jpg|alt=email reply from paragon support suggesting they re-purchase the software with a 30% discount|thumb|email reply from paragon support suggesting they re-purchase the software with a 30% discount]]
+[[File:Paragon email back & forth with customer support.jpg|thumb|alt=E-mail reply from Paragon support suggesting they re-purchase the software with a 30% discount.|E-mail reply from Paragon support suggesting they re-purchase the software with a 30% discount.]]
 ===Licensing system change===
 In 2022, Paragon Software implemented a new licensing system (Paragon Licensing Center) for their products. Customers who had purchased perpetual licenses before September 2022 discovered that:
-*Customers' accounts from the previous system were not migrated & no longer existed in the new licensing system.<ref name="wherearemylicenses">{{cite web |date=2025-03-05 |title=Paragon Customer Portals: Where Are My Licenses? |url=https://kb.paragon-software.com/article/8878 |access-date=2025-03-05 |publisher=Paragon Software}}</ref>
+*Customers' accounts from the previous system were not migrated & no longer existed in the new licensing system.<ref name="wherearemylicenses">{{cite web |date=2025-03-05 |title=Paragon Customer Portals: Where Are My Licenses? |url=https://kb.paragon-software.com/article/8878 |access-date=2025-03-05 |publisher=Paragon Software |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251107031146/https://kb.paragon-software.com/article/8878 |archive-date=7 Nov 2025}}</ref>
 *Their previously purchased licenses were not recognized by newer software versions.
 *Older software versions that recognized these previously purchased licenses were incompatible with current macOS versions.
-*Instead of honoring existing licenses, Paragon required affected customers to repurchase the software at a 30% discount.<ref name="migration">{{cite web |date=2025-03-05 |title=License migration to the new Licensing Center |url=https://paragon-software.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/29128301313553-License-migration-to-the-new-Licensing-Center |access-date=2025-03-05 |publisher=Paragon Software}}</ref>
+*Instead of honoring existing licenses, Paragon required affected customers to repurchase the software at a 30% discount.<ref name="migration">{{cite web |date=2025-03-05 |title=License migration to the new Licensing Center |url=https://paragon-software.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/29128301313553-License-migration-to-the-new-Licensing-Center |access-date=2025-03-05 |publisher=Paragon Software |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250328112039/https://paragon-software.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/29128301313553-License-migration-to-the-new-Licensing-Center |archive-date=28 Mar 2025}}</ref>
 ===Lack of Prior Disclosure===
@@ Line 82: / Line 92: @@
 ===Customer Reactions===
-Following the licensing system change, many users affected expressed frustration on forums & social media platforms, including Reddit. A thread on the r/macapps subreddit detailed multiple cases of users losing access to their software due to the licensing update.<ref name="reddit">{{cite web |date=2025-03-05 |title=Paragon Software - NTFS for Mac - Gone' Downhill |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/17ohx3e/paragon_software_ntfs_for_mac_gone_downhill/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |publisher=Reddit}}</ref> Common complaints included:
+Following the licensing system change, many users affected expressed frustration on forums & social media platforms, including Reddit. A thread on the r/macapps subreddit detailed multiple cases of users losing access to their software due to the licensing update.<ref name="reddit">{{cite web |date=2025-03-05 |title=Paragon Software - NTFS for Mac - Gone' Downhill |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/17ohx3e/paragon_software_ntfs_for_mac_gone_downhill/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |publisher=Reddit |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250131171110/https://old.reddit.com/r/macapps/comments/17ohx3e/paragon_software_ntfs_for_mac_gone_downhill/ |archive-date=31 Jan 2025}}</ref> Common complaints included:
 *Previously valid licenses failed to activate after the update.