Pick and mix product suite

[Anonymous]

Hi Autodesk,

I'm currently preparing and researching to begin a professional shift to full time freelance work. As such, a decision has to be made about software acquisition. I'm still in many minds about my options and what will best suit my needs.

I'd like to give some feedback: I wish (and hope that in the future there may be) a pick'n'mix option for your products. I don't really fit into any one industry. So while I can, to some degree, understand the grouping of products in your range of product suites, it makes it very difficult for me to decide where I as the consumer fit in.

To be honest at the end of the day I want ACAD vanilla, Revit, 3ds and Inventor. Perhaps Showcase would be beneficial. To get this combo in a suite I would have to aim for your Building Design Suite Ultimate which includes Robot Structural Analysis and Navisworks which I will never have a use for, plus MEP and Arch ACAD which I am unlikely to use.

The cost is also incredibly high for someone trying to budget to start a new career as a free-lancer/sole-trader. The thought of paying over $6000 (australian dollars) every year for this suite is terrifying, especially as I don't yet have a solid client base or any guarantee of how much employment I will be able to attain in the first few years of this venture. And knowing that some of that cost is going towards software I don't need or want means I am inclined to steer away from the Suite, but am left trying to decide how else to configure the key products I want included. Do I forego Revit or Inventor and potentially not have access to them if work does arrive within the year? Do I go for Product Design suite and miss out on Revit, or aim for Building Design Suite Premium and miss out on Inventor...?

Having seen some of the negative feedback to your recent move toward Desktop Subscriptions, I know some people will think I'm nuts for even thinking about getting on the Subscription path. But I'm a fan of Autodesk, extensively trained in your software and can see some of the positives in this move away from perpetual licensing.

Yours sincerely,

Len

[Anonymous]

If you feel you are paying too high of a price for a suite where some 

of the programs in that suite are of no value to you, just consider those

programs free. 

Microsoft can sell Windows cheap because everyone on the block

buys one, but everyone on the block does not buy Revit or Inventor.

It costs Microsoft BILLIONS to produce a new version of Windows,

it also costs a lot of money to produce a new version of an Autodesk

program. That money has to come from somewhere, or we would

not have these great programs we get from Autodesk. And that's

why someone at Autodesk came up with this great idea for an option

to RENT the programs, or "pay-as-you-go." They want everyone to

be able to use the programs.

[DonBoresky]

The Desktop Subscription model seems like a great fit for your situation.  It allows you to get just the software you need, when you need it, for just the time that you need it for.   You are then better able to allocate the cost of the software to the specific job to know if you are profitable or not.  As you grow, don't buy software that you "mgiht" need at some point.  Get the specific software that you need once you've secured the business to pay for it.  Hope that makes sense ...  

[Anonymous]

Hi guys,
Thanks for the responses.
I completely agree with the concept that the money goes toward a great package and long-term value. And yes, I think the desktop subscription is probably good for where I'm at.
But, from my reading, I cannot get Revit or Inventor as solo programs, only as part of a suite (is this correct? as this is what I have been led to believe by both the website and my reseller).
So my current predicament is; I've been quoted on design suite premium to cover my most used software (acad and 3ds) which I will get on a yearly subscription. Then, say, I need Revit for a project half way through the year. If I can't get just Revit on its own, I'm forced to get the Revit LT suite. The suite comes with acad LT, which I'll already have in my full design suite, so why would I want to pay for that?
If I want full Revit, not the LT version, then I need to go to building design suite. But I already have a design suite, so now I'm doubling up, just to get one extra piece of software, and at the expense of a complete new design suite which more than doubles the investment of the design suite I initially subscribed to.
And it is not allowed for us to upgrade from one subscription suite to another. So how do I get Revit on its own, as an addition to the design suite I've already subscribed to? Or inventor for that matter?

If I'm wrong in my interpretation at all I would love some clarity.

[Anonymous]

you can still buy Revit and Inventor without a suite after feb 1, 2016 it will be available as a desktop subscription only

[Anonymous]

Thanks Ryan713,

I have considered getting a perpetual licence while I still can, but have decided not to for a few reasons; a) high initial cost, b) lack of flexibility if I find I am not using it to generate an income, c) not willing to support a product (ie perpetual licence) that is obviously being phased out in the long term.

After more discussion and quotes from my reseller I'm more torn than ever.

Autodesk, you say that desktop licensing is beneficial as it gives you flexibility to chop & change as contracts come and go. And yet, if I purchase a one year subscription of Design Suite Premium (DSP) to cover the majority of my work over the course of a year, I cannot access Revit or Inventor as single add-on subscriptions for shorter terms throughout that year if I suddenly have the need arise. I am forced into getting a whole new suite to access them. This is not flexible, it is not cheap. Why are these two products specifically only available as larger suites? Why can I not get some sort of deal to purchase a separate quarterly subscription of either Revit or Inventor as solo products to add to my existing yearly subscription of DSP?

I thought I could go quarterly with my base suite to give me more flexibility during the year, but over the course of a year that means I will pay almost twice as much for four quarters as I would for one full year subscription! This is ridiculous!!!

[felice.s · Accepted solution]

Hi ls_baku2015,

Regarding this question "I cannot access Revit or Inventor as single add-on subscriptions for shorter terms throughout that year if I suddenly have the need arise. I am forced into getting a whole new suite to access them."...

I took a look at our FAQ, which was updated on June 1.  I see that although not available today, we plan to introduce Desktop Subscription offerings for these Revit products during this transitional year: Autodesk® Revit® Architecture, Autodesk® Revit MEP, Autodesk® Revit® Structure.  So you would not have to purchase a Suite as they will be available individually as a Desktop Subscription in the future. 

Additionally, Autodesk® Inventor® and Autodesk® Inventor LT™ are already available as an individual Desktop Subscription offerings. Again, no need to purchase a Suite for Inventor either. 

I hope this provides a better, more flexible option for you.

Regards,
Felice

[CatsChaiTea · Accepted solution]

Hi Is_Baku2015,

Felice is correct, and I can add to her comment.  We expect Desktop Subscription for Revit Architecture, Revit MEP and Revit Structure to be available after Aug 6th. So, if you need full Revit, your option will be here soon.  Revit LT (not the suite) is already available as Desktop Subscription. 

Your strategy seems sound to me.  Purchase a Desktop Subscription to Product Design Suite (for ACAD and 3DS).  Augment this as needed with shorter term Desktop Subscriptions for Revit and Inventor.  Something else may benefit you.  We offer a monthly version of Desktop Subscription on the Autodesk Store.

Catherine

[Anonymous]

Hi Felice,

Thanks for getting back to me. This is excellent news! This is definitely the sort of flexibility I was hoping for.

I will get in touch with my reseller to find out why he informed me that Inventor was only available as part of a suite. 

Kind regards,

Len

[Anonymous]

HI Catherine,

Thanks for your reply too. This is excellent news, and I'm in the process of proceeding with my Autodesk purchases.

Thanks again,

Len