And, just to make my position clear, if HLO supports M&M and/or the Authoring Kit, I probably will buy it. It's affordable enough for me, I have network connectivity most places, and it would be nice to be able to do work from the web when I'm not at home.

I feel a need to show that there are some of us that are really looking forward to HLO and what it will (hopefully) become.

Yes, I've dropped $400-$500 into HLC over the years and I've maxed out how many licenses I can get across the different computers that I use for game preparation, games at my house, games at other locations, etc. I'd love to be able to use it on a tablet or even look at stuff on my phone. HLO hits all those buttons and more. It doesn't have all the functionality (yet!), but I'm guardedly hopeful that that will change over time. AND I can utilize it on non-windows systems. Woo-Hoo!

Yes, there are places without internet access - in fact I'm heading to one this weekend (four days with no net access - *shudder*). I wouldn't consider that a barrier to using HL of either form. We'll use the software to create printed copies of characters in case we choose to play.

You can shake your fist at another company that's choosing to move to a SaS model, but this is the modern world and that's the way it is. I choose to see the benefits it produces rather than negatives. And the subscription price is nowhere near what some businesses charge. Heck, it's less that what I would pay for a single gallon of gas per month.

And before I'm accused of being some kid rolling their eyes at the 'old-folks', my first game of AD&D (back in my teens with a spanking-new Player's Handbook) was played before the first Dungeon Master's Guide was published.

My only grumble is that I'd like to see Realm Works move to a similar model so I can access it on any machine I choose (including Linux systems).

The reason stated to go to an Online model was to put forth some features that HLC can not do.

Thus far, this has not happened, and the product is not even up to the HLC standard. Though my belief is that HLO will get some of the features in at some point, the transisiton to the (eventual) replacement for HLC is poorly done. PF1, M&M, Shadowrun and others should have been available from the beginning. Starfinder became an HLO exclusive because of Starship Combat not being able to be done in HLC, but HLO is no closer to it now.

I hope things can be straightened out, but without a way to use this offline for character play, and the ability to load/look at a character from a file, HLO is a difficult sale.

Hmm, you can use HLC on your phone or android tablet now?

Yes, alongside your primary license we provide you with a secondary license so you can use it on your tablet, or another device.

HLC only if the tablet is running Microsoft Windows, and therefore definitely not on phones.

HLO is on any browser anywhere.

Running it on any "device" is a major reason for the change, but it is a question of being worth having to find internet to use it. I hope that some sort of POR file system is being devised for offline use (to view as a character sheet) or some sort of offline use that has the characters in memory for the browser.

Thus far, it does not seem possible, though it is something on the docket.

or iOS, Apple iPads have a Herolab version, but it doesn't work on the iPhones(which is sad considering the software is the same.)

HLO can generate a PDF that looks exactly like a HLC character sheet.

HLC has ran on iPads for years.