Autodesk Revit Architecture

[#1]

Just curious, which are the other BIM softwares other than Revit and Archicad that can be used for architectural work (design, production, etc?).

[#2]

The only BIM programs I know of are listed below.  I believe ArchiCAD was the first to support BIM technology.  Revit is the only BIM software I’ve actually used.  In my opinion BIM technology is still a relatively new technology in an industry that adapts to new technology relatively slow when compared to other industries.  In other words there are a great many users out there that don’t use any kind of BIM technology at all.  Despite what Autodesk would have you believe, backwards compatibility is a big hurdle for content (family) creators.  Content creators that use Revit have little incentive to upgrade.  Content creators, who don’t use Revit or BIM at all, will hesitate to go to Revit because of the backwards compatibility issue.  I want Revit and BIM technology to be the standard, and believe it’s a better solution for architectural design than non-BIM software like AutoCAD and others.

BIM Software:
ArchiCAD
Bentley Systems
Revit
VectorWorks

[#3]

I like to be up to date to the minute with my software, however, coordinating an upgrade on a large project, with large consultant firms, results in that project staying in the version it was created in. There is no way to have an entire team and the teams of all the consultants upgrading at the exact same time. Some of the reasoning in this article doesn't pan out. Someone said to coordinate with consultants the life cycle and version of revit the project will be in. We don't know who the consultants are going to be until far into the design of the project. Recently we passed our 2012 model along to the architect working on the TI for our building and neither them or their structural engineer are on 2012 yet. This forces them to use CAD to start while they figure out the politics of upgrading at a large firm, resulting in finishing their work in CAD. I understand making Revit not downgradable, but it seems unreasonable not to do so for at least a single release as you wait for consults, coworkers, and anyone else involved on the project to upgrade.

[#4]

If you don't know who you're going to be working with, then perhaps you should consider starting in a release prior to the most current release.  You (or they) can always upgrade the model to the latest release if necessary.

This point has been brought up before, but I'll mention it again.  A vast majority of firms that use Revit are on subscription.  It just doesn't make any kind of financial sense for a firm to not be on subscription.  If you're on subscription, you are entitled to use up the 3 versions back from the current version.  Whether or not you choose to install the newest version is up to you, but it's there.  The only cases I've seen where someone wasn't on subscription were for firms that were sole-practitioners, although even most sole practitioners recognize the benefit of being on subscription.

You're not going to be able to save down a version, ever.  And you're not going to convince Autodesk to make that feature a priority, ever.  People who think they need to downgrade a file represent a miniscule, but vocal (especially in April-May when the new release comes out), minority of Revit users.  So I'm afraid you're out of luck.

[#5]

Yeah I know. Nonetheless it is an inconvenience, as with many things with Revit. For the money we pay, the improvements and new features are slow to come, from my perspective I see this issue, and many others as Autodesk's laziness.

[#6]

octavio2 there is no such thing as BIM software BIM is a PROCESS not software, you can use any software you like to create the information you require. Im from the UK & the largest problem Im having is people thinking Revit is BIM and its just not true, hats off to Autodesk sales team though they have sponsored just about all seminars about it so people believe them!!

[#7]

Revit is BIM, but exactly that "Building" information modeling. Revit does not include Civil, Landscape, Geotechnical, or Surveyors in the process. Revit is by no means a complete start to finish solution. However, Revit is the best solution on the market, I would argue that Archicad and others are not BIM. Most others are a CAD program trying to be a BIM program. Revit is BIM from the start, it is just terribly difficult to sqeesze some information out of it or schedule information such as framing schedules. As I said before, Revit is lacking features and we do not see the number of improvements and mew features we should expect for the money we pay.

[#8]

I agree with the need for backward compatibility with content and detailing of the very least. The fact that subscription readily provides the software is not enough reason to prevent users from the option of saving information back at least the 3- releases allowed on a workstation with subscription. As a Structural consultant we do not have control over what an Architectural client may chose to use for the version of REVIT on a given project. We can beg and plead (communicate) all we want but generally this does not prevent the use of older versions of REVIT. I like staying current personally but I know that each release takes company overhead to get ready for use thus one of many reasons why not everyone stays current (especially in a down economy). I have standard details and content that are updated and created on an ongoing basis and generally I work in the latest release thus the majority of our new content is in the latest release. However when confronted with a project that will be in an older release I now have no ability to take our latest standard details for use in that project. In my opinion it is not an option for Autodesk to limit a user's flexibility in working with multiple releases. We need the ability to save down details and content for the last 3- current releases of REVIT. This is just a fact for consultants that work with a lot of Architects across the country.

I encourage Autodesk to please respond to this request.

[#9]

It also doesn't make sense to be instructed to always start a project in an older version of Revit. Why should anyone be limited by the progress of others?

[#10]

I agree that the backward compatability issue is rediculous.  I do not believe all of the end users are looking at it from a business standpoint.  It is extremely difcult ot justify some of these annual hardware and software costs associated with upgrades.  There is not only CAD software (AutoCAD, Revit, Solidworks) but business application software (Microsoft Office), Server software, Antivirus software, Accounting software, etc.  Know factor in the cost of upgrading hardware Servers, Work stations, monitors, Printer, plotters, etc.  No multiply that by 15-50 work stations, 2-5 servers and the cost to manage it, it takes a good portion of the annual revenue to keep up.  Times are tough an the money does not flow in that easy.  And then on top of it the end users are looking for wage increse as well.  End users need to log at the big picture.