SolidWorks To Customers: You Are Not Entitled to Service Packs

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…

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.