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Solidworks - latest offer

dammerel

Senior Member
All, out of interest have you seen the latest offer from Solidworks, $16.48 AUD per month for full version

3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS for Makers
- Collaborative Industry Innovator
- 3D Sculptor
- Collaborative Business Innovator
- 3D Creator
- NC Shop Floor Programmer
- 3DEXPERIENCE SOLIDWORKS Professional

Interesting offer, I have subscripted for a 1 month to try out

Andrew
 
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jroy

Member
Hi Andrew,

it sounds pretty tempting but as I'm aging and tried all kinds of CADs, I got tired of all the drug dealer's tactics that they call marketing
to create addicts of their products, killing competing products then removing features over time to steer you to a full subscription plan at a high cost I might had.

Why don't you go one up with FUSION 360 for hobbyist (still free)? You will have access to 2-3 Axis CAM and even PCB creation and more.
But in the beginning it was great with lots of features that as I mentionned above became less and less available for free, and I'm sure the
same thing will come to Solidworks.

I like Alibre and I believe they deserve our attention. Do I want more out of their software? Of course I do but nothing is really free
on our little planet, especially men hours. I'm sure they like to be paid for their work as much as I do. At least they are not as greedy
as the big guy's.

In my mind they (Alibre) struck a balance in their offering, you own your licence forever and you choose to encourage their work by paying
maintenance fees yearly, or not, like you did since I see you have AD 2017.1.2.

Anyway, enough with the rant, I'll pass to the next guy...

Have a great day,
 

Ken226

Alibre Super User
Is it cloud based, like Fusion360? Does it let you save your files locally on your own hard drive?

I skipped Fusion for that reason.
 
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HaroldL

Alibre Super User
Is it cloud based, like Fusion360? Does it let you save your files locally on your own hard drive?

I skipped Fusion for that reason.

I checked their web site and found that your files are stored in the cloud (it's really on the server they control) and I didn't see any option for local storage, as in on your computer.
 

dammerel

Senior Member
These files are saved locally (no difference to Alibre) or you can save them in the cloud (which I don't like)
The price works out to about $150 per year. I agree I stayed away from Fusion 360 for the reason that the files are kept in the cloud
At least with SolidWorks, you can save locally without issues like Alibre.
Andrew
 
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ematty

New Member
Remember what happened when the fusion authentication server went down for a couple days?
Even the users who stored their files locally could not access them since the software would not start up
without authorization from the server. Not a viable option for many shops.
 

Abhijit

Member
Remember what happened when the fusion authentication server went down for a couple days?
Even the users who stored their files locally could not access them since the software would not start up
without authorization from the server. Not a viable option for many shops.
I've been using Fusion since 2017, it was the first CAD software I started paying and doing commercial work with, we were taught SW and NX in Uni.
Helped the community a lot and was awarded Autodesk Expert Elite for Fusion 360.
Despite that, being Cloud Based, the tokens, the instability were the main reasons why I left Fusion for Alibre.
Fusion actually costs $9600/year with all the extensions.
That time when I saved files for Offline use but Fusion would not start on the Cafe wifi, was a very embarrassing situation in front of a client. Many incidents like this.
The forced updates and the bugs, it wasn't fit for production use imo, even though it is a nice deal specially for the in-built CAM.

And then I was really disappointed by Autodesk and their big corp behaviour towards their community and customers, very shallow.
Selling the tool for cheap but increase the regional pricing by 40% the very next year, tactics like these.
The stories of how Fusion is still the same buggy mess I still read every week on the Autodesk EE Slack group.
I never felt at peace with the Subscription model as well.
Can't understand why I would put my CAD data/IP hostage to a companies terms and keep agreeing and paying to access my IP.

It was then I decided I needed to move on to another MCAD solution with a long-term perspective.
I didn't feel comfortable with Dassaults VARs and their upgrade model.
SolidEdge was a contender but the VAR told me even Siemens is pushing them to move customers to subscription and very soon it would be a Sub only thing like Autodesk, PTC etc.
I liked Kompas 3d by Ascon from Russia based on C3D, but no VARs in my country, the geo-politics and overpriced addon modules costing at par with SW Premium+Sim was a no.
ZW3D while having good surfacing tools was not an option because of geo-politics from a long-term perspective.

Struggled with Freecad a little but soon figured it wasn't there yet.
It was then I saw Joko Engineerings video and Mr. Freeman, read about the history of Alibre, company philosophy, the ease of getting the software and maintaining it and it was a no brainer decision for me.
For a young independent contractor it was well within my budget as well.
I have MOI3d already, Alibre coupled with Rhino would be everything I would ever need for core MCAD imo.
The only thing that would stop me from putting out great work would be my skills and creativity and not another MCAD software which is why I really feel at peace now to have discovered and got access to Alibre (forever grateful to Mr. Jonathan Pace) and I am absolutely loving this software.
 
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BlackBird28

Member
Remember what happened when the fusion authentication server went down for a couple days?
Even the users who stored their files locally could not access them since the software would not start up
without authorization from the server. Not a viable option for many shops.
The same thing can happen to your alibre license… if you do not have a permanent offline license. What if alibre goes bankrupt? Or what if some country’s block US servers?
 

Mibe

Alibre Super User
The same thing can happen to your alibre license… if you do not have a permanent offline license. What if alibre goes bankrupt? Or what if some country’s block US servers?
Not really since Alibre Design will work for 30 days without access to the net. If the drop out will be longer than this I guess Alibre will send offline licenses to all users.

Bankruptcy is always a problem, not just with software.
 

ematty

New Member
The same thing can happen to your alibre license… if you do not have a permanent offline license. What if alibre goes bankrupt? Or what if some country’s block US servers?
Not a problem for me. I use Alibre just for parametric modeling, I own and use GibbsCam to make my money. Gibbs has very powerful 3D capabilities, but lacks parametrics.
Gibbs is standalone and uses a hardware key (dongle) and does not require a subscription.
I know everyone is different, and I don't believe there is any one tool that does everything.
 

Mika

Senior Member
Solidworks for Makers cloud app use a completely different file type than full desktop app. If you plan to someday purchase a full license of Solidworks, then those makers files are completely useless in Solidworks desktop app. I asked this thing from Dassault forums when they launched that makers app.
 

Garrit

Member
I have Solidworks for Makers and Alibre Design Expert . You have access to the full SolidWorks app, but you have to be online. You can store all your files locally or in the cloud, but if your subscriptions lapse you will no longer be able to access them. You cannot use it commercially. I personally only use Solidworks for makers for the Toolbox (gears, bolt, nuts, etc) weldments, and surfacing. I think the only things Alibre truly lacks at this point is Surfacing, Weldments, and Toolbox. I will keep paying my maintenance fees in the hopes they add those features one day. I say feel free to dable in Solidworks for Makers. Its only $99/year or you can do monthly. You will soon find out its kind of a toy meant exactly for the target audience...makers. I think Alibre is actually better in my opinion. Keep up the good work Alibre and please give us surfacing already

*Edit* If you're looking for something thats just as good as Solidworks for makers but you can use offline and never have to worry about the cloud.
Solid Edge Community Edition
 
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dammerel

Senior Member
Solidworks for Makers cloud app use a completely different file type than full desktop app. If you plan to someday purchase a full license of Solidworks, then those makers files are completely useless in Solidworks desktop app. I asked this thing from Dassault forums when they launched that makers app.
That's interesting Mika, where did you read that? I guess the same can be said about CAD software, all different file formats
I always try to save finished projects as format neutral, like STEP, and even finished 2d drawings as DWG
 

Mika

Senior Member
Like I said, I asked it from Dassault forums. When you talk about step files you are mixing the things. I think many peoples are hyped to get ”Solidworks” in a low price, but it is not true…it is whole different application and it need to be understood that those Solidworks for Makers files cannot be used in real Solidworks.
 

Mika

Senior Member
Autodesk is giving Fusion360 for free for Hobbyists, Dassault wants money. Or did someone mention about Alibre Atom? Couple of hundred and you own your hobbyist software and your files forever.
 
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HaroldL

Alibre Super User
it is whole different application and it need to be understood that those Solidworks for Makers files cannot be used in real Solidworks.
That's so Dassault can keep the professional and hobbyist/makers separate and you won't be able to use SW for Makers for professional work along side SW Pro.
 

dammerel

Senior Member
I have Solidworks for Makers and Alibre Design Expert . You have access to the full SolidWorks app, but you have to be online. You can store all your files locally or in the cloud, but if your subscriptions lapse you will no longer be able to access them. You cannot use it commercially. I personally only use Solidworks for makers for the Toolbox (gears, bolt, nuts, etc) weldments, and surfacing. I think the only things Alibre truly lacks at this point is Surfacing, Weldments, and Toolbox. I will keep paying my maintenance fees in the hopes they add those features one day. I say feel free to dable in Solidworks for Makers. Its only $99/year or you can do monthly. You will soon find out its kind of a toy meant exactly for the target audience...makers. I think Alibre is actually better in my opinion. Keep up the good work Alibre and please give us surfacing already

*Edit* If you're looking for something thats just as good as Solidworks for makers but you can use offline and never have to worry about the cloud.
Solid Edge Community Edition
Garrit, Thanks for the tip with Solid Edge CE. Great product, has all needed components e.g. 2d drawings (with sections, details, broken lines, export to dwg), assembly, simulation, sheet metal
Just spending the afternoon going thru the included videos and tutorials. I like the nice and neat UI. Out of interest how would you rate Solid Edge CE vs alibre Atom
Andrew
 
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