I mean, it can feel steep to have to pay the whole year at once I agree, but it amounts to a subscription inferior to $10/month, so I doubt the classic "man with a fulltime job" can't afford it.
This is different for students and unemployed users, but that's another question.
And this system actually makes C3 more sustainable than before, not less. A constant revenue flux allows them to plan better and have a small team (that can probably be resized even in a catastrophic scenario) working on the soft instead of just Ashley doing it all by himself.
I did not say that i could not afford it , i said i wont because of given reasons. (im not talking about the money fact im talking about the philosophy or say the felling behind this)
Also they failed to get CC "done". They also did not finish C2 . And now they started C3 which is a bugfest too. (from what i see at the changelog , discord etc).
Well i get your last point, really. But then it would be a rent to own thing but you never own it.
It feels not really good to give money and dont have smth at your hands, it can be all gone by tomorow.
CC is open source. You could even improve it.