Have many just bought into the hype?
Not the hype of BIM (as in the mysterious database of stuff) ... but better coordination and accuracy than autocad. Also, the drawings look better.
Having used the software for 6 months, I have found the software to quite simply be incomplete, poorly designed and overly complex.
You haven't used it long enough to make that kind of a statement. I've encountered many "errors" in programming in REVIT and have to work around it. REVIT is far from perfect and needs serious competition to kick autodesk's rear end into making a better product. We don't want the software to be more dumbed down or more restrictive to the more advanced users that can use it (in favor of new users).
they have had to pull the plug due to cost/time consideratons?
Yes, it's more cost + time spent on the model/drawings for better coordination. That's the trade off. You can also impress your clients with pretty renderings. The drawings themselves come out better and clearer in REVIT if you intend on using the section and 3D views that are easily created (but you must put in the effort of getting your stuff to look right / the way you want it to).
but come on Autodesk, if you are gong to put out a piece of BIM software, directed at the MEP market, supply content for the MEP market, but this is obviously too much to ask.
Do you want autodesk to create every single item that's in or not in existence that might go into your project? They have the basic content including stuff you can't edit like ducts or pipes (at least easily). You make your own families or find them online. Did you want all your autocad blocks to be provided by autodesk as well?
The majority of tasks when using this software cause you to hit a brick wall, problem after problem, there should be a learning curve to a piece of software, but due to this software being the opposite of user friendly, it has no learning curve, just a vertical line.
This underlined portion is wrong. There's a learning curve but it's not rocket science. It's only a brick wall to those that are unwilling or impatient to try to solve whatever they have to ... to get REVIT to do what they want it to do. If something does not work, try something else. Consider it an interesting challenge and when you found the solution, consider it another victory. It's not the most user friendliest software that I've ever used, but it's not horrible.
I personally know a large number of extremely talented and intelligent CAD colleagues and do not know why every one of them has struggled (and is continuing to struggle) with this software, to get a good implementation up and running, could this because they are not able, I think not, the problems are directly related to this poorly designed piece of software. Poorly designed, not a poor piece of software, as it does have potential.
REVIT has problems, but we have work-arounds or figure out ways of dealing with those problems. Your talented and intelligent CAD colleagues should understand that it's normal to struggle with a more complicated piece of software than what they're used to. They're not drawings lines in 2 dimensions anymore. There's less "diagramaticism" and more realism than they're probably used to.
1. How many experienced CAD people have struggled with this software more than any other that they have learnt?
I struggled a bit in the beginning, but the client loved the first REVIT project we worked on, the contractors were also very happy that our stuff was coordinated. This was back in 2008, I was very inexperienced then, and I didn't know what I was doing.
2. How many have stopped using it, due to various reasons as listed above?
I didn't and know noone personally that did.
3. What does Autodesk think of the huge amount of negative information from users on the forums etc?
What negative information? Some people ask for help and other people give advice. There's not much advice I can give you other than stop complaining and try harder.
