Sunday, October 6, 2013

Which Direction is Autodesk Headed?



Which Direction is Autodesk Headed?

Just a question sort of….”Which direction is Autodesk headed?” What I really mean is “What is the best way to work or use Autodesk products?” I’m sure this discussion has come up before and maybe I just missed it. The big thing lately has been to use BIM related products…I think. Maybe I I’m wrong, I don’t know and that is why I’m asking. I know with AutoCAD things have changed quite a bit and again, “What is the best way to use AutoCAD”?  


With reading some of the questions posted on LinkedIn, or going through other bloggers post and Autodesk discussion Groups, BIM seems to best way to go however, you get the sense that AutoCAD is not going away anytime soon. Since we will all have to use AutoCAD at some point in our careers do you invest time in really learning the program or do you learn enough just to get by? It seems as if Autodesk has made the program a little easier to use, especially if you are a “Newbie” but what about the rest of us that have been using AutoCAD for over a decade?
In some ways the program has become more cumbersome to use. Yes there are a lot of nice features to use however, for us older users it seems as if even the simplest commands have changed. By the way before anyone makes any assumptions or jumps to conclusions:

"I am not out to bash any of the Autodesk Products”,
I am however looking for some clarity.

Since I use AutoCAD to make simple diagrams I am now torn between upgrading my skills just to use the “newer, or replacement commands” verses the “old school pull-downs and command alias” which still work quite well if you load the proper lisp routine.


Again, with BIM becoming more and more a significant way to work, is it even worth the time and effort to upgrade our skills? Once I get a Revit file converted to AutoCAD for a customer to use, do we really have to do anything with the file?  That is why I’ve ask this simple and yet complex question of which direction is Autodesk headed?

7 comments:

  1. Carl Bass's current trends are mobile, social and global. Autodesk is positioning itself to take money directly from the customer - instead of dealing with pesky VARS and those awkward engineers ;)

    So - how does this effect how you use AutoCAD? not at all!

    AutoCAD is a 'perpetual license' product. Once you've bought it you can use it forever. Could you do more with Revit? Maybe - but you don't have to give up the tools you are familiar with until you're ready.

    Organise - optimize - automate. And use the best tools you can afford (without chasing the latest trend).

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for you comment Paul.
      Regards,

      Milt (a.k.a: Drafter1981)

      Delete
  2. Hi Milt,

    I worked this up into a blog post in response:
    Which Direction is Autodesk Headed? http://cadso.co/1ipKUKo

    Good luck!

    Paul

    ReplyDelete
  3. Milt, This question really got me thinking. I worked up my answer into a blog post.

    Check it out here:
    http://cadsetterout.com/personal-posts/where-is-autodesk-headed/

    Let me know what you think?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks again Paul
    I appreciate your blog about this also.
    With your permission I will "re-tweet" or post both blogs.
    Also, will you be at Autodesk University this year? Just asking...
    Take care...

    Milt

    ReplyDelete
  5. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BzNULcrCIAA7tpY.jpg:large

    Seems as if we are getting our answer from our discussion from last year:(http://fitz-digital-cad-service.blogspot.com/2013/10/which-direction-is-autodesk-headed.html …)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Here is the link / update (Screen View) from another discussion group:
    http://fitz-digital-cad-service.blogspot.com/2014/10/which-direction-is-autodesk-headed.html

    ReplyDelete