Sublime Forum

Where can I get back sublime text 3?

#1

Good evening! My first post here :slight_smile:

I’m an happy user of Sublime Text since 2014.

Some weeks ago, sublime text proposed me to update the installation to v.4.

Everything is cool, but the message didn’t clarify (at least in a decent and clear way) that my license didn’t cover the update to 4.

So now I’m using sublime text 4, unlicensed. Not so happy with this. It is a matter of principle.

I’m looking to download the old 3 version. Where can I get it? From the homepage I can reach only v. 4.

Happy coding everyone!
Sebastiano

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#2

The download page has a link on the right to Sublime Text 3; you can find the older downloads there.

If you’re on mobile or have a narrow browser window, you’ll need to scroll to the bottom of the page to see the links.

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#3

Yeah, me too - just wanted to post the same question, so will end up with a statement only.

I think that this is very disappointing practice. I’ve been using my personal license on a work computer as well. I performed an upgrade, which did not give me any warning, that it would invalidate my license. Now I’m with an invalid license on a work computer, which is obviously against the policy.

Please update your updater to state, that this is a major version upgrade and that a new license is required for that.

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#4

Thank you, found it.

But now, every time I open Sublime Text 3, I get the same message, about the available upgrade.

That’s annoying, and slows me down.

This isn’t a good way to keep your older customers, it seems that you want to force the paid license upgrade.

I may have thinked about purchasing the upgrade in the next future.

I’m sorry, but now I’m just uninstalling the program.

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#5

no, it doesn’t.

no you wouldn’t

why go nuclear? you can disable the update prompt easily if you have a valid ST3 license. If not, block it with your firewall.

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#6

For reference for other people that don’t want to use ST4 for any reason (or you want to remain on an older version instead of getting updates), add this to your user preferences to turn off update checks:

"update_check": false,
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#7

Thank you. I also don’t want to update to the new version.

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#8

TextMate, now SublimeText: a bit sentimental to remove it just yet.
I hope you realise that pushing a paid upgrade through a standard update is not very respectful. And with a significant increase for a license, from US$30 in 2017 to US$80 for ST4. It adds up.
I genuinely wish you all the best though.

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#9

It probably bears pointing out that the upgrade mechanism for Sublime Text and how it tells you there’s a new build available has been in place for approximately 10 years.

For example, if you were using a beta version of Sublime Text 3 with an older Sublime Text 2 license at the point where ST3 was officially released, the exact same thing would have happened to you.

However, at that point there was no public outcry so it’s perhaps understandable why SublimeHQ, in their excitement to finally get the new release out, didn’t realize it would be received so poorly.

An apology has already been made and work is currently underway to alter the update dialog appropriately, so steps are being taken.

I’m not an employee of SublimeHQ, but I would also like to point out that the cost for Sublime Text license in 2017 was $80 USD, so a price of $30 USD would reflect the price of an upgrade at the time, not a full license price.

$30 spread over 4 years comes out to a price of roughly $7 a year for using Sublime, and that price will continue to go down because your existing license will work with ST3 builds forever.

It’s up to each individual to gauge the value a tool brings to their workflow with overall costs; no one tool is the right fit for everyone.

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#10

ST3 was great, and I have no doubt ST4 is even better. And it’s not because the mechanism to upgrade has been in place for a decade that it is right.

If you value your customers, you consider their perspective. Obviously few like me don’t check forums and social channels announcing upgrade about their favourite text editor: we simply use it.

But upgrade pricing is not the same (I just re-checked): previous was US$30 (full was US$80), latest one is US$80 (full is US$99).

This increase and the way it was forced on existing users, naturally is forcing few to revisit their commitment. This process reflects SublimeHQ’s values (even if unintended). So it’s less about “no one tool is the right fit for everyone” but caring about values or not. I obviously do.

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