The Unbearable Burden of Having AutoCAD Users as Customers
Autodesk announced last week that "it has passed the one million mark for users of its 3D model-based design solutions." This includes Inventor, the Civil 3D line, the Revit line, and the various media and entertainment solutions. Those of us who have been around this industry longer than we care to admit know that many of those users acquired their 3D products as bundleware, when they purchased a 2D solution (primarily Autodesk Mechanical Desktop and Autodesk Architectural Desktop, but also Autodesk's civil solutions).
There are countless copies of Autodesk 3D products that have moved from bundleware to shelfware without ever having become productive software. The reason these products were never able to bust out of their shrinkwrap has nothing to do with the quality of the software (Steve Wolfe's famous reviews of Inventor notwithstanding ). It has everything to do with the customer. Of all the leading CAD vendors, Autodesk has the good news/bad news distinction of having the most 2D users. They number in the millions and they are in no great hurry to convert to 3D. (It is the official editorial policy of this esteemed online journal that such reluctance makes these users Certifiable, if you know what we mean. But we digress.) The good news is that, eventually, most of them will either die or convert to 3D. The bad news is that until they do, they want their 2D CAD to continue to be served fresh every year. Thus, AutoCAD developers mine the AUGI wish list desperate for ideas. Thus, Carl Bass cries himself to sleep at night over 3D upgrade revenues that won't occur this year.
Wondering about the substance behind the report of 1 million 3D CAD users, we asked an Autodesk press wrangler (i.e, media specialist):
The official reply:
There are countless copies of Autodesk 3D products that have moved from bundleware to shelfware without ever having become productive software. The reason these products were never able to bust out of their shrinkwrap has nothing to do with the quality of the software (Steve Wolfe's famous reviews of Inventor notwithstanding ). It has everything to do with the customer. Of all the leading CAD vendors, Autodesk has the good news/bad news distinction of having the most 2D users. They number in the millions and they are in no great hurry to convert to 3D. (It is the official editorial policy of this esteemed online journal that such reluctance makes these users Certifiable, if you know what we mean. But we digress.) The good news is that, eventually, most of them will either die or convert to 3D. The bad news is that until they do, they want their 2D CAD to continue to be served fresh every year. Thus, AutoCAD developers mine the AUGI wish list desperate for ideas. Thus, Carl Bass cries himself to sleep at night over 3D upgrade revenues that won't occur this year.
Wondering about the substance behind the report of 1 million 3D CAD users, we asked an Autodesk press wrangler (i.e, media specialist):
How many of those specifically purchased the 3D product, and how many of them received the 3D product either because of a bundle with a 2D product or through some soft of grant (edu., etc.) program?
The official reply:
In regards to your question, at this time, Autodesk has not broke out this number in its reporting. If and when this number becomes available, I will be sure to let you know.
We are not holding our breath.
Autodesk somehow managed to trudge along, despite the weight of its 2D user base.
