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Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

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Re: Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

#91
post #73

FreeCAD is getting nearly $500/week from Liberapay. Let’s see if we can get this up to $1000 to support an OS alternative. https://liberapay.com/FreeCAD I’m going to contribute.

Same, I just canceled my Fusion subscription for different reasons (they were spamming launchdarkely 2 MILLION + times because I had little snitch blocking it), shifting some of that 60USD per month seems worth it.

Re: Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

#93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I don't understand how these firms (especially Adobe) are so completely oblivious to what actually made them successful. One of the main reasons Photoshop and Illustrator became widely used, is that every eleven-year-old with an interest in design or photo editing would torrent these products and learn the workflows inside out. Autodesk seems to have somewhat figured this out, with Fusion360 having a free hobby…

They're not oblivious, at all. The switch to subscriptions has been a giant success for Adobe. Their stock went from hovering around 30$ for a decade from 2000 to 2011-2012, to skyrocketing every year since they introduced the subscription model (in 2011-2012), now being at roughly 450$. Anyone who doesn't think that's a giant success is living in an alternate reality.

As usual, it’s success at the cost of increased user hostility. The company doesn’t care, because increasing the stock price is the only thing that matters to them, their board, and their shareholders. But it does make the lives of users worse. Companies get locked into licensing fees, students are put under ever increasing financial pressure.

It’s just another example of “only stock price matters, we don’t care if users like us.” It’s a wild success if you own Adobe stock, and feels exploitative if you don’t.

Re: Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

#94
post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Autodesk or simply get acquired/assimilated This is not even a question, there is no room to wonder. Autodesk WILL buy and KILL whatever software that threatens its own. Even in 2008, they just bought and killed one of their competitor in VFX, Softimage. Assuring everyone they wont kill it. This was a big deal. And ofc they killed it, basically telling their customers to go learn Max or Maya.

What happens if an open source alternative starts to exist? You can't buy open source.

You can buy the core contributors.

Re: Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

#95
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can't, Autodesk owns the software patents and massive amounts of IP. You impliment their features, you're sued to non existence. Remove software patents, we will have competition again.

Remove software patents and we'll have megacorps absorbing smaller businesses for free through theft of IP instead of acquisitions, and all the antitrust protection (as limited as it may be) instantly evaporates.

It is extremely naive to think that ServiceNow would be able to steal a feature from e.g. the PM part of GitLab. The reason why their products are even more obnoxious than paper bureaucracy is definitely not that noone ever told them what they are doing wrong. Same applies for MSFT, Oracle and as of recently Google and Facebook too.

Re: Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

#96

One potential source of disruption here (though I’m sure many folks will likewise feel it is frustrating to be locked into a SaaS model), is we are starting to see several intriguing startups building browser-based CAD software that are serious contenders for “the Figma of Architecture/BIM” crown, with the likes of: Arcol ( http://arcol.io ), Infurnia ( https://www.infurnia.com/ ), Qonic ( https://www.qonic.com/ ), a…

> Better yet if several of them take a “freemium” approach and students/hobbyists/freelancers are able to use a polished, user-friendly packaging of this incredible CAD technology for free (as in beer).

This was pretty much Fusion 360’s approach. These unsustainable businesses models inevitably lead to a bait and switch.

The software you link to is nice but BIM is not CAD/CAM.

Re: Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

#97
I can’t read this article, but I tried to get one of our students onto Fusion 360. For 9 months they futzed about, blaming our network, blaming the student, blaming the third party company who verified student age…

After month 9, I managed to find the email of the EA to the CEO and politely asked if she could help with a 9 month support issue.

Fixed in 48 hours.

Autodesk is slack.

Re: Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

#98

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not unusual. MS used to do the same thing. Not excusing either party, just pointing out it's not that uncommon in high-end corporate software. You're not buying a thing in a box, you're buying a license with associated terms. Which may include prohibiting resale. If the US had credible anti-trust laws this kind of thing would be taken apart in court. But it doesn't, so here we are.

Like if you don't even open it? Isn't the license shit only in the software when you start it up? Or do they ask for your social and link it to the box? The for sure want to.

That became an issue in Australia. There is an extensive article here:

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/PrecedentAULA/2009/97....

Re: Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

#99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, I don't understand how these firms (especially Adobe) are so completely oblivious to what actually made them successful. One of the main reasons Photoshop and Illustrator became widely used, is that every eleven-year-old with an interest in design or photo editing would torrent these products and learn the workflows inside out. Autodesk seems to have somewhat figured this out, with Fusion360 having a free hobby…

They're not oblivious, at all. The switch to subscriptions has been a giant success for Adobe. Their stock went from hovering around 30$ for a decade from 2000 to 2011-2012, to skyrocketing every year since they introduced the subscription model (in 2011-2012), now being at roughly 450$. Anyone who doesn't think that's a giant success is living in an alternate reality.

Microsoft did the same, but they totally stopped caring about the product since Windows 8. When the M1 Macbook Pro came out, I bought it instantly, and I couldn't go back to Windows' inconsistency, even though I miss the consistency of Windows keybindings from older Windows versions a lot.

Re: Autodesk criticised by 35 named architects (2020)

#100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're not oblivious, at all. The switch to subscriptions has been a giant success for Adobe. Their stock went from hovering around 30$ for a decade from 2000 to 2011-2012, to skyrocketing every year since they introduced the subscription model (in 2011-2012), now being at roughly 450$. Anyone who doesn't think that's a giant success is living in an alternate reality.

As usual, it’s success at the cost of increased user hostility. The company doesn’t care, because increasing the stock price is the only thing that matters to them, their board, and their shareholders. But it does make the lives of users worse. Companies get locked into licensing fees, students are put under ever increasing financial pressure. It’s just another example of “only stock price matters, we don’t care if u…

You realize the stock price is a reflection of people... paying for Adobe's services?

It's a free market - go and use competing products that 'care'. Or if none of them 'care', maybe the problem is human nature, at which point, feel free to shake your fist at the sky and converse with whatever God figures you think are in charge :)

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