Ahhh, can you feel it? Spring is in the air! The lawn is freshly mown, work is void of stress… and that smile you have as the sun hits your face has just removed by the blunt end of a 2×4 falling out of the sky. Don’t ya just feel ALIVE?
Yes, you upgraded to SolidWorks 2010 a couple months ago, but you just dropped your subscription service to save some cash or maybe, you just didn’t think you needed it. As of SolidWorks 2010 SP3.0, you will be required to have an ‘entitled’ version of SolidWorks to get any service packs at all.
A Service Pack (SP) include bug fixes, enhancements, or fixes to performance issues. You don’t get them. This has always been the policy if you don’t have a current SolidWorks subscription ($1500/year). This “significant change” enforces it programatically if you attempt an SP upgrade. Angry yet? Prepare to be livid. Here’s the notice (sent to Resellers) that explains it…
Dear SolidWorks Reseller,
Please be aware that we are making a significant change to the SolidWorks service pack installation, which will be introduced to all customers worldwide in 2010 SP3.0. This message will provide an overview of the change and the timeframe.
Introduction – Service Pack Entitlement Checking
With very few exceptions, Customers not on subscription are not entitled to update to newer service packs. Starting with SolidWorks 2010 SP3.0, due for release in mid-April 2010, there will be a change to the service pack installation to ensure customers are entitled to update to the latest service pack.
SolidWorks 2010 SP3.0 Customer Experience
For customers with current subscription this change should be transparent and they should experience no difference in behavior when installing a new service pack on an entitled version of SolidWorks. If a customer without a current subscription service contract has obtained 2010 SP3.0 or later installation files, they will be clearly warned that they are not entitled to the service pack, but will still be able to apply SP3.0.
Customers reporting this warning in 2010 SP3.0
Customers reporting this message with SolidWorks 2010 SP3.0 or higher should be referred to their SolidWorks reseller to purchase or renew their subscription service contract.
If a customer with a current valid subscription service contract receives this warning message in error they should report this to their reseller to forward to SolidWorks Customer Center as a Service Request to ensure immediate resolution.
2010 SP4.0 and beyond
The release of SolidWorks 2010 SP4.0 and later will block the service pack installation if the customer is not on subscription at the time they attempt to apply the service pack.
What do you think of that? For whatever version you are on…
Loading ...THIS… makes me furious. Not cool at all. How can a company that releases, what many consider, beta software expect to force customers to purchase a subscription for the updates!? If your maintenance is current into a major release, you should be able to get all service packs in the release. period. period. period. speak up if you agree… or disagree.
SolidSmack is a very small behemoth of an online community about 3D CAD, technology, design, robots, and ninjas… Ok, maybe not ninjas so much, but those guys are COOL so there just might be something about some dang ninjas.
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Josh – CAD software will not drop in price. If anything it will go up. No mainstream software has ever reduced its list price (I know of). What happens is they introduce new features to “add value” that increases subs.
I guess Alibre stands out here, but I actually agree with you… generally, and in light of technology used for mid/high-end CAD, software price won't go down, but when you see mobile and tablet apps coming out that are a fraction of the price of their mother app (granted with less functionality for some), it' stands to reason that there could be another price shift in the market akin to what happen with CAD software in the mid-90's. I'd be of the mind that prices would drop enough that the CAD companies could still increase their margins by lowers some costs on things like service packs and bug fixes. we will see won't we?
What typically happens when companies apply restrictions to the software itself, it tends to bite the honest users. It happens with DRM (digital rights management) in the video and audio world and for those who really want the product will get it. There is always a way around it but the potential to inconvenience your honest customers is usually not worth the risk of hard-coding some restriction technology.
If you are going to use the auto industry analogy then this is how it should be applied: If you buy a 2009 model, you have a 36,000 mile warranty of any breakage not related to normal wear and tear. Customers that buy a package and the maintenance stops into that release, the customer is asking to get patches for that major release up till the next major release. Resellers have extended this on a case by case basis for years in order to make the product they are entitled to work again. That would not be possible if this policy is in place.
this is hilarious, its obviously a ploy to stop piracy and rake in extra cash. sadly like all anti piracy drm's all it does is stop legitimate users from accessing what they should rightfully have easily. i give the crackers 2 weeks before there's a more convenient and elegant install that doesn't buzz your computer every 2 seconds for authentic verification. with an attitude to customers like this i can see why some people might choose to pirate.
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Totally disagree…. If you pay for subs.. .you get bug fixes… if you don't then you get the software at the stage you bought it. Almost all of the software companies do that and they do it for a reason..
Service packs should be free, no question!
Users paid a loto of money for the licence and deserve a bug free product.
Have you ever paid for Office, Windows, any other software … updates? Imagine what will happen if Microsoft wuold decide to ask money for windows updates?
Best practice is not not roll to SW until SP2 or greater anyway.
As long as I can still get all service packs for past versions I don't see a problem. Sure, you don't get the very latest. But you aren't paying for it, are you?
It's expensive to stay on subscription. But you get a lot of bang for that buck and that includes software updates. For us it's always been worth it.
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Thanks for best news!
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