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I think you've misinterpreted the author. I didn't take that quote to mean "This is what Microsoft is doing so you have no choice but to suck it up and accept it because Microsoft are the only game in town". My reading of the comment is that the cloud and subscription based licensing are fast becoming the norm and that the old way of buying and thinking about software is slowly going to become the exception rather than the norm.

I for one completely agree with the author on this. To answer the authors questions - do I like the subscription-based model? My gut reaction is no. But I don't have a good reason for feeling that way. I do like having a CD with the software on it and knowing that if I want still run that software in 15 years time I can because I own it. Is that a practical view? Hell no. I think I'll be one of the people that are in the "prefer traditional licensing" camp now, but will be in the "prefer subscription licensing" camp in a couple of years time.