In the world of software, a perpetual license means that users can run the program for as long as they wish. Software has traditionally been sold with a perpetual license. However, subscription-based software is increasingly being promoted, which means at the end of the period, it has to be renewed. People prefer perpetual licenses, but software developers know that their application can last for many years, and in some cases, decades. In order to remain profitable, they may switch to subscriptions. See
EULA.