I've been using private trackers since demonoid. Maybe I'm just a different generation, but I enjoy sharing stuff from my local library on private trackers. Torrents rarely fully die on private trackers. People will generally reseed if they have the ability. I can quality shop, and get things that are generally harder to find/request things that I can't find anywhere.

Don't shoot Wayne Gale!

One ring to find them

I bought the lifetime pass when it went on sale a few years ago. I have used the hell out of it and loved plexamp before that feature was available to non Plex pass users. If I had to buy it now, I might just go with an open source alternative like jellyfin.