Business users are not a "niche market".
And, if a package has a lot of business users, the credibility of it for other users is improved. It's like getting sports endorsers for shoes that most folks will only use to walk around in.
That's the problem though, isn't it? Larger companies that require an in-depth file management system for their CAD are already using 'Big CAD'. ...............I get we might have different needs here but ultimately I reckon Alibre will cater to whatever sells more seats.
The thing is, one does not have to eliminate the other.
And a company does not have to be very big to have/need at least "credible" file management. Lots of "Alibre sized" companies need something which does not automatically "spray files all over the disk", the way Alibre does.
Think for a moment about what it would take.... A project file? Just default all saves/fetches to the current directory, INSTEAD OF the last place that particular type of save went. Allow them from elsewhere, but default back. The user can always set to a different place if there are many to do, AND IT WOULD ALWAYS BE KNOWN WHERE THEY WERE GOING. That last bit is a BIG DEAL. I am getting SO tired of having to search for lost files.
Let the user select that mode, or stay with the present mess if they prefer.
A Library? Just ALLOW the user to set up a directory that will NOT be automatically saved back to, and which requires an added action to gain access to for editing. No obligation or force used to require that for all users.
These seem so simple in concept, and not that hard in practice to program. Most of it is just setting defaults, some is file system programming, not the hardest stuff to do. And it would be SO much nicer to use, even for the hobby user. I totally fail to understand the "armored wall of resistance" to these ideas.
Remember, I (and many others) can get Solidworks for $40 per year. Solidworks is not a hobby-oriented program.
We can keep Alibre for access to old files, but we do NOT NEED to keep up maintenance to do that. Something for the folks at Alibre to remember.