Geomagic Design vs The World

[Palinvan]

Sorry about that Seb I did miss that third post of yours. I guess I just haven't run into that problem or I have and don't remember it.

That is insane about Creo 3.0. There really is no excuse for it. Pro/E in the past at least compressed the backup files so they were only a few KB compared to the newest model.

Assuming you store all the files on a server have you considered using task scheduler to run purge.bat every few hours during the day on the folders you want cleaned up?

 

[bigseb]

Assuming you store all the files on a server have you considered using task scheduler to run purge.bat every few hours during the day on the folders you want cleaned up?

We purge manually every day.

 

[mxbch2003]

"One area I'd like to see them reexamine is the home hobbyist, one of the markets that the original Alibre Design targeted and marketed to."

Bob,
I agree with you. As a home hobbyist, I wish they would more affordable maintenance fees. I really like the software, but because I have a 3 seat license from the time
of Alibre, I can't see myself dishing out $400.00 for one seat, and then having to pay exra for the other seats.
I didn't have this issue before. I used to pay $299 and I would be covered for all my seats.
So I guess I am stuck with GD until I find a more affordable software for hobbyists. This may not be the right place to ask but if anyone has a suggestion, I would appreciate it.

 

[bigseb]

"One area I'd like to see them reexamine is the home hobbyist, one of the markets that the original Alibre Design targeted and marketed to."

Bob,
I agree with you. As a home hobbyist, I wish they would more affordable maintenance fees. I really like the software, but because I have a 3 seat license from the time
of Alibre, I can't see myself dishing out $400.00 for one seat, and then having to pay exra for the other seats.
I didn't have this issue before. I used to pay $299 and I would be covered for all my seats.
So I guess I am stuck with GD until I find a more affordable software for hobbyists. This may not be the right place to ask but if anyone has a suggestion, I would appreciate it.

You should check with sale/reseller as you may be due the two concurrent licenses that the rest of us got when the new licensing system was adopted

 

[Fx.CAD]

You should check with sale/reseller as you may be due the two concurrent licenses that the rest of us got when the new licensing system was adopted

I got a second seat with the new licensing system. Unfortunately, one year later the reseller said that if I want to keep it updated, I have to pay maint. twice :|

 

[MikeHenry]

The recent GMD upgrade notice seemed to indicate that lapsed users would have to pay $400 per license to get current with maintenance per the quote below. IS 3DS now going to start charging maintenance on each install for one license or was Fx.CAD's reseller just badly misinformed?

"* Offer rules:
• Applicable to customers who bought Alibre Personal, Alibre Professional, Alibre Design Expert and Geomagic Design Elements, and who are not on current maintenance
• Offer applies only to each seat of purchased software. Multiple installed seats on one license will be charged separately
• This is a 1-time maintenance fee which will allow you to upgrade to the most current version of Geomagic Design
• Lapsed maintenance fees will be waived until December 31, 2015
• Dongle and network fees may apply
• Does not apply to AlibreCAM, Mfiles/Vault or Dynamics add-on"

 

[HaroldL]

Notice how there is no one from 3DS to comment here? Used to be a Pace or a Ryan would pop in here and calm the nerves with a little wit from corporate.

Just sayin'. :wink:

 

[JST]

I would have assumed that maintenance was "per seat", that's usual.

If some entity has 20 seats and pays same total amount as you with one, that would not seem fair to either you OR to 3DS.

 

[bigseb]

I would have assumed that maintenance was "per seat", that's usual.

If some entity has 20 seats and pays same total amount as you with one, that would not seem fair to either you OR to 3DS.

Those with 20 seats technically should now have 40 available to use concurrently, according to what was said here when the new system was introduced.

I believe the offer was applicable to those that already had Alibre X and new customers have to pay for each separate license. If FX.CAD is now being told differently then I believe that the reseller got it wrong. Now's the time to get it straight from the source...

 

[MikeHenry]

I would have assumed that maintenance was "per seat", that's usual.

If some entity has 20 seats and pays same total amount as you with one, that would not seem fair to either you OR to 3DS.

That's what I'd have thought, but the statement in the emailed could be understood to say something else. As Harold said, it would be nice if someone from corporate could clarify.

 

[Michael Moore]

As a home hobbyist, I wish they would more affordable maintenance fees. . . . . So I guess I am stuck with GD until I find a more affordable software for hobbyists. This may not be the right place to ask but if anyone has a suggestion, I would appreciate it.

After 10 years I dropped maintenance last month. $400/year for hobby use is just too high for my budget.

I pulled up my receipt from when I purchased the Rhino v4 ->v5 upgrade 3 years ago and it was $360. Plus, that upgrade price includes perpetual maintenance. A new Rhino version comes out every 3-4 years when McNeel feels they have enough improvements to justify the new version, and they issue service releases as needed.

If Rhino can essentially charge $90-120/year to stay on maintenance/upgrades, why does 3DS need 4X that amount?

 

[bigseb]

If Rhino can essentially charge $90-120/year to stay on maintenance/upgrades, why does 3DS need 4X that amount?

Because Geomagic Design is a far more complex bit of software. Sheet metal, assemblies, BOM's and technical drawings. All parametric. Rhino doesn't do any of that.

 

[Lew_Merrick]

Because Geomagic Design is a far more complex bit of software. Sheet metal, assemblies, BOM's and technical drawings. All parametric. Rhino doesn't do any of that.

I realize that I am a bit more than merely anal retentive on this subject, but parametric relationships (by formal definition) require tertiary and external information. What we have is merely (incomplete) rules based operands!

 

[Michael Moore]

Sebastian, Rhino seems to be much more powerful for surfacing and organic shapes than GM, which seems like it would equal some of those GM features you mentioned for programming complexity.

Rhino does generate 2D drawings from 3D models and there are some things that I find are much more convenient to do in Rhino, though with some tasks GM gets the nod instead.

I like using GM but BOM and sheetmetal (for my usage) didn't justify 3-4X the yearly maintenance fees. Clearly they provide a good ROI for many other people so as long as 3DS can keep those people happy I guess they won't miss my money.

cheers,
Michael

 

[bigseb]

You get my point though, right? :wink:

 

[albie0803]

Is there anyone who also uses inventor who could comment on how it compares to GM? Our contract engineer uses Inventor and the boss is making noises about moving across to it for ease of filesharing.

 

[Lew_Merrick]

Albie -- I have two clients who try to get by with Inventor. (1) They spend about 5X as long generating (already designed) parts and assemblies as I do creating them. (2) The materials properties database would have to work up to be merely sucking. And, (3) the V2015 (and on, so the statements have been made) require that you store your work in the (Autodesk) cloud. I know of several companies that sent their people to a 3-week Inventor Camp -- and I can see no improvement in their work as a result. I am quite unimpressed (though I admit to liking their screw/thread constraint and ratio revolution constraint).

 

[bigseb]

Right... new country, new job, new software. This time its Powershape from Delcam. Early days ( today is my fourth) but enjoying it. From what I've done so far its certainly not as user friendly as GD. Appears to be missing several features and basic ease-of-use tools that one becomes accustomed to when using GD. However its surface editing featres are ace and in some respects put Catia to shame...

More info once I have more.

 

[kev h]

Well done Seb hope all is going well .... apart from the UK weather of course

Cheers Kev 8)

 

[jhiker]

Welcome to the UK, Seb.
Wishing you and yours all the best..