Installing the client to a USB stick

[LibertyMachine]

So here is the reasoning behind this: Some of us are students with access to computer labs, others work for employers who have access to computers. Some of us visit customers. One thing that may become common among all of us is the restriction of installing software. However, it's not often the case where you can't plug in a USB stick. If it were possible to install the client  and run it directly from a USB stick, it would make it more portable. It would also permit those, like myself, to play around with it on their lunch break or whatnot. I work for a large machine shop and I've got a computer at my workstation. I am not allowed to install anything on it, which I understand. However, I have internet access and pluggin in a USB stick is totally permitted. 

It used to be a concern because the storage was limited on USB sticks. Now, $50 gets you a 128GB stick. That's nuts......

[schneik-adsk]

Another way to solve this is to offer a zero client.  A pure browser client has been part of our plan and I wonder if it might be a better answer?

One way we could accelerate this is to release the browser client with a smaller feature set at first? Is there a subset of Fusion 360 that would be most usefull?

[LibertyMachine]

Far be it from me to offer commentary on the pros and cons of different client install setups/methods, but I would think the more desirable route for Autodesk would be to put as much computing responsibility on the user. Wouldn't a zero client put everything on your end? Of course, if this was a "lite" version, it may just be feasible. But, lag can be a huge turnoff for a lot of people.....

To me, in the end, a USB stick is the ultimate in portability. Everything I need with me at all times, it's on my key chain. I'm at a colleague's house, I can pop this right in his computer and show him what I am working on. I'm at college, my laptop is dead or stolen, I've still got the software and backup files needed, again, on my key chain.

I'd be worried that having a zero client option would basically castrate the software that is building up so much potential.....

[roambotics_scott]

Lag and latency seems like a killer to me too. That'd be like taking the worst / weakest part of F360, throwing everything else away, and making that a product.

[colin.mcdonald]

I teach a post-secondary digital prototyping class, and while our IT group is willing, they are unable to load Fusion into our lab computers (for various valid reasons). This stops me from teaching Fusion to our students (not that Inventor and Co. is bad at all!).

  Both the USB and browser options appeal to me here right now: the USB sounds good, but is a bit backward-looking perhaps.

  It seems the industry is moving to pure browser clients and mobile apps -- which is fair enough . . .

For a pure browser client: given the choice, I would go for the freeform & modeling tools along with basic visualization/presentation functions.

Cheers, C

[cekuhnen]

I am qustioning the web browser deicssion. I never in my life felt that web apps are good. I think they are overhyped and the bottle neck often are the browsers themselfs. Chrome started great now it has diabeties issues.

USB should really not be a problem. Thats why I love some of the apps I work with - I just push them onto the stick and work where I can on campus. I do not want to have to deal with IT and their concerns and they should not be bothered by me begging for drilling open the PCs.

[colin.mcdonald]

Hi cekuhnen:

. . . I have had the same experience as you -- I have always found that the browser apps are too dependant on the always changing motivations of the software designers. Once said though, I've also had serious headaches with USB apps over the years -- I feel that they end up alienating beginner users.

  Perhaps there is a third path -- add a yearly-updated browser wrapper to always-updating Fusion.

  (Kind of a dedicated Autodesk browser-of-the-CAD-cloud.)

Cheers, C

[Anonymous]

It would be nice to have fusion on usb. Carrying a laptop can be so annoying. I think that it is a bit early to talk about a browser app.

[Anonymous]

Fusion on a USB would solve some big problems for me.

Is it possible to make a bootable USB drive and run off of that?

[Anonymous]

Any update on this? I know about Project Leapord, but still would like a portable version without internet access.

[promm]

@LibertyMachine,

Thank you for submitting this idea and for the description of how this could be used.  As Kevin mentioned earlier, we have a zero client in the works and we believe it will address the workflows from this idea.  I would also like to mention that we have progressed to two week updates allowing us to get new features in the hands of our customers at a rapid pace.  Because of the update frequency the USB would be quickly out of date.

Regards,

Mike Prom