Summary of the Solidworks seminar

I watched it on rerun today and was pretty disappointed. Some good, some bad, some ugly. I don't claim accuracy, but this is my take:

The good
3D experience is included and is basically your standard Solidworks modeling, drafting and sheet metal, etc. It's downloaded locally and only needs a logon and password, no more code number. Files can be stored locally or on their cloud. They claim high security for their cloud and you can assign access.

The cloud-based apps for modeling and free form geometry have potential but are total babies today. They do not replace 3D Experience, but it seems clear that they want it to. Hence providing both local and cloud-based apps today. Their interfaces are interesting but it's a new learning curve and a different way of thinking. I've got over 20 years in on S/W and like it that way, despite its shortcomings. (Fillets, good grief.)

The bad
File transfer between 3D Experience and the cloud apps is a one-way street. Once you import into the cloud versions you can't go back. So, keep a copy of the originals for reference.
There is no drafting in the cloud apps.
There is no electrical in 3D Experience anymore
There is no analysis at all in 3D Experience. They have a long list of FEA, CFD, CAM etc that they want to add REAL SOON NOW using 3rd party apps. Heh. No mention of additional cost. So, it's vaporware for now.
They kept pushing collaboration on the net and shared stuff as a major feature. That's fine for showing off a lampshade, but I work alone, and my work is private.

The ugly
If Solidworks goes the cloud route completely, trying to emulate their competition, it's going to be a dark day for all of us. I worked for a large oil service company that had over 2 million files made with Solidworks. How on earth would they be able to convert? So today it's just for makers, but the EAA crowd are VERY sophisticated makers, and clearly the cloud apps fall way short of our needs. It was clear from the questions asked at the end of the seminar that the two presenters did not have answers for many of the questions, and it is clear that this whole maker plan has not been thought through very well by their management. It might be fine for designing toy aeroplanes out of foam, like they showed, but a real plane is way too complex for their capabilities.

The student edition was fine. This new stuff is not.

bp

Thanks for the summery

Love this
"That's fine for showing off a lampshade, but I work alone, and my work is private."

So what are our options?
This is the same crap that Fusion 360 pulled. "Yes, it will ALWAYS be free because we love you makers". As time marched on... "OK, we have introduced this cool cloud thing, you guys should check it out." Later... "So, we are going to move everything to the cloud and you will have to choose what 10 active drawings you would like to work on because that is all we are giving you". And more... "Ok guys, we are going to make it really hard for you to find the free version AND we are going to hobble some of the CAM stuff so you maggots can't use it to make commercial products with it".

Good grief. I REALLY hate this cloud crap. If I pay for it, I want it to be mine. Heck, even if I don't pay for it I want it to be on my computer, not floating around in some server.

I'm with you. Enough of our lives are on web servers everywhere, and now they want our thoughts. I miss the days when we owned things. Now, everything is licensed to us.