Not trying to be critical, but just trying to understand what you are saying and put it into real world perspective...
It doesn't. However, it should also not remove my access to everything released PRIOR to the expiration of the support agreement. They gain nothing from this. What is stopping me from archiving every old file before my SS runs out?
Absolutely nothing. Apparently you failed to do so. I, on the other hand, did not; hence I have the updated drivers I needed for eCS for the machines I run it on, and a CD burned with OOo.
As for it not removing access to things released prior:
(1) To do so on FTP or HTTP requires a rather large user access list - which will slow down the server quite noticeably... but let's skip that and go on to real world examples
(2) When people purchased IBM's Software Choice, IBM disabled all access to it when their subscriptions ran out - because, like your purchase with Serenity, your access is granted for the period you purchased, and access is ended when that period ends.
(2a) When people purchase Norton, and refuse to let it do automatic updating, when their subscription runs out, they do not retain access to the older files... like IBM's and Serenity's software subscriptions, access is entirely cut off.
(2b through 2 innumerable) When people purchase ______ and their subscription runs out, chances are, like the ones I referenced above, they also lose all access to the files that they purchased access to
for a time.
This is nothing new. This is nothing out of the ordinary. This is standard, accepted, business practice by some of the largest corporations out there - and spelled out in the package that you bought.
Wanna hear something radical? I bet you that if you emailed Mensys or Serenity and said "Gee guys, I forgot to make an archive of OOo (or whatever) before my subscription ran out. Could you guys provide me access to it one more time so I can burn it to CD or something in the event I need to reinstall it?" that they'd probably say yes (providing you could prove you had purchased such).
Really, we can all keep rehashing how "Gee, I forgot to make copies to my local system of the stuff I needed before my online subscription ran out - but I want to blame Serenity because I forgot or didnt understand what I bought"
OR
We could return to the topic at hand, which is discussing the release of OOo 3.1.1 GA.Best,
Rob