I actually wish that I had a second pc that I could use to test-run 4.9.
That said - I will
not buy any Connect-only product. If there is no manual install option, they lose the sale from me. Simple as that. I do not use DIM, and I won't use Connect.
I'd like to take a look at 4.9, sure. But I won't risk it with my computer, period. Doesn't matter how many flashy new bells and whistles they've added to the software. I have a vehemently strong dislike for a lot of what Daz has been doing with their software, and I have my 4.8 install files backed up in at least three different locations, believe you me. LOL
If I had a second system, I would install 4.9 just to test it out. I only have my laptop, though, so that's not going to happen. And I won't update to it, either.
I'm going to wait out all the Connect stuff. I'll pick up the stuff in my wishlist that continues to have manual install options. But I haven't really been purchasing a lot from them anyway. Not since Genesis 1. Mostly what I pick up over there are utilities that allow for conversion of stuff between figures... other than that, it's shaders and architectural/environmental props and the like.
Won't be any skin off my back to sit by and hold onto my wallet. The moment a company - ANY company - tries to regulate what, where, when, and in what software I use paid for content, they've overstepped their bounds. There is protecting copyrighted material, and then there is screwing their customer base. Right now, Daz is doing the second, while trying to do the first, and yanno what? That's them, let them have at it.
I doubt they'll see much of a drop in sales. I suspect it will mostly be people like me who have personally customized library organizations and have been at this for many years that stop buying. There are too many newer users that have been cultivated by Daz to expect everything to be point-and-click-done, and many of them will most likely just keep buying and move up to the latest/newest versions and file delivery without questions.
That said... I'll be sticking to 4.8, 3Delight, and I won't buy ANY product that does not also have a manual install available. And these days I spend more on Hivewire stuff than I do Daz stuff anyway, so it's no skin off my back!