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What Support with Annual Maintenance?

C

cybertrot

Member
Hi everyone. Ever so rare I pop in here to ask a simple technical question. I think I must have listed 2 or 3 threads where I've found help here. And thanks to the contributors here for helping out every time.

This thread I'd like to ask about the annual maintenance. For what I do with a design software Alibre professional is probably more capable than I am but this has been really much based on need for my metalwork and 3D printing projects. It is a great software for me but I don't use it as much as I'd like to, perhaps putting a project through every other month or so.

The thing now is that I've paid for maintenance for the last year and looking back I've not required any support. And when I asked the support provider what benefits there were for support, a generic reply along the tunes of "upgrades and support".

Now its time to renew the maintenance contract again and I realized I'd not benefited from the support service for even a single ticket. Therefore before I commit another half thousand dollars to the maintenance I'd like to know what specific cases of support users have enjoyed in the past while on the annual maintenance.

Any input and all other comments welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Seb
 
simonb65

simonb65

Alibre Super User
Only thing I've got from a support perspective is upgrades in that year. I have raised tickets, which have been closed by support but which have gone to the developers (never understood how it can be closed without the customer seeing a resolution ... but hey, its the system they are using ... right or wrongly), but I haven't seen any fixes for any of them.

I'm now out of maintenance as my local reseller didn't send me the usual reminders this year and the renewal date crept by!

I must say that I'm aware of all the structural/ownership changes in Alibre, and the work they are doing to catch up on the few years of neglect by 3DSystems is obviously a battle, but for every other application I own and have maintenance contracts with (some at less than $100/£60 per year) , they all give fixes and or patches within 2-3 days of raising and issue or release monthly or quarterly minor releases. This is the only part of Alibre and the 'maintenance' model that disgruntles me. It also makes me think a few times before reluctantly renewing the maintenance.

This year I have not renewed as the next major release was going to remove yet more features (meshes?), so until they find a long term solution to replace that, I have absolutely ZERO incentive to pay for what is in essence a downgrade.
 
M

MilesH

Alibre Super User
I've always been in favour of a split between support and the upgrades to stay up-to-date with software. Alibre have sort of adopted this model with Atom. I don't see why it can't be organised as, at least, a revenue neutral scheme for them. I would happily pay, say, 60% of the current maintenance cost and 'manage' without support.... I'm sure this would mean many more users would be on the latest version of Alibre. Bug reporting is a kind of grey area... Who's supporting whom?
 
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JST

JST

Alibre Super User
The "support" I have used has essentially been reporting problems. The problem may of course end up being with the user, in which case "support has been used" when that is reported back.

If you report a problem, and the issue is with you or your model, and you are on "upgrades" maintenance, what do support do? Any action on their part constitutes "support", which you have not paid for. Even telling you that the problem is at your end.

But simply ignoring the report, not replying at all, then will waste more time if/when the user follows up on the report and reports again. So that uses "support resources".

The issue is not all that clean-cut between updates and support plus updates.

The only solution is to make the "updates only" folks UNABLE TO REPORT ISSUES, which seems counter productive. Perhaps the use of the "program problems" area here would be the solution as to how those folks would report, with the knowledge that the only "support" would be from other users.
 
M

MilesH

Alibre Super User
I do see your point and, as you say, that's where the forum can be really useful. Even when I was on support, I used to post a problem here first.

People who aren't on support can post a suspected bug here. Once it's been verified, either Alibre can take it up from the forum or, someone on support can post it....

Alternatively, if you weren't on support, you could be allowed to file a bug report which would be logged but you wouldn't expect any feeback.

All the above applies to Atom users as well.
 
JST

JST

Alibre Super User
Currently,even when issues are reported here, the usual response is "have you opened a ticket on this with Alibre?". Because it is not "official" until that is done.

And, when issues seem as if they are "legitimate problems", support often has specific questions for the user doing the reporting, or even replacement files to use, as I have experienced. None of that followup will happen cleanly through the forum.

One clean way to deal with it is simply to disallow reporting, and let the reports come from full-ride maintenance folks if and when they see the issue. And that is just pretty limiting as far as what gets fed back to Alibre.

or to allow reports, and deal with the "incidental support" that may get provided. You would still avoid the "how do I do this" questions. But those seem to come here.

Or, of course, to say "it's full ride maintenance or nothing".
 
C

cybertrot

Member
Thanks Simon, Miles and JST.

From what I gather so far there's a fair bit wanting in the current state of support anyway. I suppose support may be seen as something on the side for Alibre as most hands remain on deck to run a clear course for the business and market position and I understand its hard work (Personally I think Alibre should do much more on awareness perhaps even pushing the platform into as many schools as possible since 3D printing is taking up the space from where we had metal and woodwork way back when). Gotta start them young for things like these.

Otherwise regarding my renewing maintenance this round I have decided to dilute the cost of support by renewing maintenance perhaps every 5 years. Where I'm at the renewal for maintenance costs USD400 per year but if I let it slip past due an additional USD100 is levied against me to make it that half a thousand. So every 5 years support would cost a more affordable USD100 per year after the punitive rejoining fee, not that I'd feel entirely justified in paying for it still at my current utilisation rate for support.

That being said I suspect however that I may end up continuing holding off until something else seismic takes place again or some new feature makes the design process that much more efficient without losing detail or integrity.

Perhaps Alibre could implement different levels of support subscriptions to include a more pay-per-use option as in the case of one of the database packages I'd come across recently. As an example a basic annual of say USD39.90 for up to 3 tickets a year, USD19.90 for subsequent 2 ticket lots. Add USD199-499 for major updates with significant improvements. I feel though that bug fixes should be free as a product purchased is expected to be bug free anyway.

Since I'm on suggestions it would be nice to have authorised support contractors who are perhaps (and presumably) qualified for more than their technical skills. I was recently referred to try the Atom 3D which is "more suitable for beginners" when I enquired regarding a $300 annual maintenance rate (https://www.alibreforum.com/forum/index.php?threads/atom-3d-vs-professional.20501/#post-130552) versus the $400 rate presented to me. I felt he either presumed me to be a beginner and/or suggested that I couldn't afford it. That reinforced the logical conclusion since it's apparent I'd paid him a year earlier only so that he could hurl me one this year. Forgiven on my part but once bitten still.

I do remain hopeful though that the Alibre's team catches on quickly enough to focus on what it wants to make of support with a view of retaining the different audiences that it's attracted from pre-Geomagic days till now.
 
DavidJ

DavidJ

Administrator
Staff member
Some users will never need support, a few will use it a lot - either because they need assistance understanding how to use features, or because they have issues relating to their computer/installation, internet connection, corporate network, etc. I suspect the majority of users only contact support once in a while.

There is also the question of how urgent is your need - if using the software in a hobby context, maybe you can wait a few days for a solution (or even work around a problem), if you're using the software professionally you may be under more pressure to deliver and will need a guaranteed timely response. Not all issues can be resolved immediately - but a good many are fixed within minutes or hours.

In addition to obvious support (i.e. assistance from a support tech), and to development of new features, enhancements, bug-fixes; things like the routine update of file import tools to cope with newer versions of 3rd party files can be valuable if you interact with people using other CAD systems. This may not be important if you work solely with your own files.
 
JST

JST

Alibre Super User
I have had no issues with support. But I have never actually USED "support" for anything that did not arise out of a real or apparent/perceived program problem. I do use the program in business.

For those support needs, DavidJ is in fact one of the support responders, and has been very helpful. I cannot see exactly how the "support" I have used could be improved.

Perhaps the most valuable aspect of "maintenance and support" is the new versions. I agree about bug fixes, and I believe many software companies DO provide bug fixes free for some period after purchase. New versions, unless they are a bug fix, are only for those on maintenance.

Normally "maintenance" is free for a year after purchase, then it is a purchased service. The bug fix service may co-terminate with free maintenance.

This is getting blurred now that some vendors have gone to a "program rental" model, where access exists as long as you pay the monthly or annual rent, and terminates when you stop paying. I particularly dislike that model, as your access to your own data stops with the rental.
 
Ydl

Ydl

Member
Bit of a sore point for me.

I can generally figure things out on my own, and any persistent issues I have tend to be bugs. Paying to find bugs in software at this price point, AND losing functionality with updates is not my idea of good value and isn't something I'll be continuing. I respect the transition that Alibre is going through, but imo the software is too buggy to warrant "support" costs.

My 2c.
 
JST

JST

Alibre Super User
The big thing you get is updates, which generally provide new functions and better performance.

The "loss of function" you allude to is probably the mesh import issue related to the sale of the program by 3DSystems. Those functions did not work well enough for it to be an issue for me, not due to bugs, just generally what they did or COULD do given some of the source data.

Alibre does have some things I would like to see changed or improved/added. Not "bug fixes", in general. But I would NOT describe it as "too buggy to warrant support costs".

I find that description extremely odd, even if there WERE more bugs.

BTW, I have used Solidworks, and the version I used (which I do not recall) had a host of annoying oddities that one might call "bugs". Most CAD systems do, just because they are so complex.
 
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