Disclaimer: I think Dev has all rights to do anything with his project. Even things that he was promised not to do (it's not this case, it's just I'm saying about rights).
I wonder, though, why not roll model back if it failed (never seen anyone say that new model is good)? As he was written early, new model cost MORE to run, so he can both save money and keep those who liked old model happy (and I'm not only about complainers. Silent people who agree about Dev's rights, who liked previous model, will be happy too.). And secondly, it would be even better to give option to switch between models. So if someone like old model, that cost less, use less resources of the Dev.
Maybe I don't understand something, maybe I'm stupid (lmao. Stupidity is in my nick), but I see this as win-win.
Also he can use more ads and start accepting donations. And with more satisfied users, it will be more profitable/less expensive, to run the service.
Well, I got your point. To know whether much of users like old model better then new or not, a vote can be made.
@Randomize@lemmy.world previously, those topics was getting more upvotes than downvotes. Maybe unsatisfied people just left?
And about using. Well, maybe Dev don't want to take donations and put more ads. But for some other reason it looks like Dev is interested in more users rather than less. (The less users is very simply achievable. Just use what you did for yourself.)
Also about space... It may be a reason, if he has single video card. Then, frequently loading different models on card would consume time. That's will be costly in time. Or have constantly loaded in GPU RAM. Then it's costly.
But if he is running an array of GPU's anyway... well, I still think that by providing less consuming model's one can save resources.
If you are saying that sas hdd is costly. So costly that another, how much, 16 gigs, is really much for it, then actually I disagree.