Alert Announcement: Amendment to Silhouette Legacy Subscription Renewal Procedures
In a recent announcement, Silhouette, a leading software company in the visual effects industry, has outlined changes to their upgrade and support policies. Here's a breakdown of the key points:
New Features in Silhouette v2020
Launched in November 2019, Silhouette v2020 includes several new features such as Detail Separation in Paint, Magnetic Freehand shapes, shape edge-snapping, and enhanced Group and Part Tracking through the Planar Tracker. Additionally, the Mocha tracking option is now included at no additional charge.
Upgrade Policy
Starting from the Silhouette 2021 (v9) release, upgrade pricing will only apply to the last 2 major release versions (v7 and v8). This means that users running Silhouette v6 and older versions who do not upgrade their software licenses by March 31, 2021, will have to purchase new licenses at full price or choose affordably-priced subscription options.
Support Policy
Official support is focused on current and recent versions. Beta versions are offered for testing new features but are explicitly stated as not supported. After the release of Silhouette 2021 (v9), users on much older versions like v6 are not supported with updates or upgrades directly applicable to those older versions. They need to upgrade to newer versions to continue receiving support and software improvements.
Legacy Versions
Legacy versions (v6 and older) will be considered "end of life" but will continue to function as usual, as long as the hardware to which they are licensed is operational and a qualified operating system is being used. However, manual transfers, replacements, or support inquiries for legacy versions will require a current upgrade and support contract.
Upgrading and Compatibility
Users who upgrade to new versions but face OS compatibility issues are advised either to upgrade their operating system or downgrade software to a legacy version that matches their OS support. However, older versions like v6 are effectively legacy and no longer supported for ongoing updates or technical assistance.
Silhouette v2020.5.7 and Beyond
The current version of Silhouette can be downloaded as Silhouette v2020.5.7. Users who upgrade to Silhouette v2020 are entitled to 1 year of free upgrades and support. Floating license upgrade options can be obtained by contacting Boris FX Sales, while node-locked licenses can be upgraded in the Boris FX Store.
This policy aligns with standard software lifecycle management, where older versions gradually lose official support as newer releases become standard. Users on Silhouette v6 or older versions after March 31, 2021, should upgrade to the latest available versions for continued support and software stability or remain aware that their version will no longer receive updates, fixes, or official assistance.
[1] This information is based on the official Silhouette announcement and should be verified on their official website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
Technology advancements in the visual effects industry are evident with the launch of Silhouette v2020, featuring new tools like Detail Separation in Paint, Magnetic Freehand shapes, and enhanced Group and Part Tracking.
Starting from Silhouette 2021 (v9), users running older versions, such as v6, must upgrade their software licenses or choose subscription options to continue receiving support and software improvements, as the focus of official support is on current and recent versions.
