Well done Alastair.
I think you have managed to sum up a lot of the collective thoughts of many users very well.
I would like to back you up and say that some of the best work we saw on the Softimage reels over many years
(prior to Autodesk) was from Glassworks. And it wasn't one or two jobs, there was a consistent stream of great work
and my congratulations to you and the team.
It is without doubt that this decision and announcement has brought on a flood of unrest from the user
base. To many users, their chosen software is like a religion to them. It's like deciding to let us all know
that catholicism will end in 2016 and you should look to turn towards islam, budhism or any of our other religions
and there will be a fee. And letters like Alastairs' and replies like mine are the mondern day equivalent of the
peasants marching upon the castle with flames aloft.
The decision highlights the monolithic untouchable nature of Autodesk. Forums or users speaking
to each other which is what 'support' has been for many years. (Although, in the end it is far better)
no lines of communication other than the occasional junket trip from an executive who nods
and smiles and looks for ways to get you to buy something.
It is without doubt a difficult task to maintain all the packages and the dev teams for the software Autodesk has acquired
on their rampage across the landscape. Of course they will need to shed a few along the way. What is baffling
is how Autodesk can expect to maintain any customer loyalty by the manner in which this has been done.
And why you would shed the product that needs the least work ?
Of course long term Softimage customers will not be happy. I'm one. But the blurb about moving to the other
Autodesk products is quite simply hilarious. An unrealistic expectation by a suit that has been part of the decision
and has to justify it internally to his colleagues has become part of the spiel. I for one don't think I will be listening.
It's something I learnt from you guys after all.
Flame owners will know the pain of the pathway upwards with new hardware and the dropping of support
for the old. 'Old' being 18 months. It seems that many companies have their profits removed because they
are slugged with unexpected upgrades and costs by the manner in which Autodesk operates.
Prices on the software have dropped over the years. My first XSI license was the equivalent of US$25K.
As customers, we want it cheaper, Autodesk want a profit and dev teams are 'let go' and the race to the bottom
is upon us.
Maybe there's an option to keep Softimage alive. If not, then many companies will simply use a crack of the
2015 version and use it for many years. No matter what, Autodesk have just cut off a stream of income.
I will be moving towards Cinema4D. I've got an Adobe subscription, I will learn the hell out of C4D, and will
never have to deal with any of the Autodesk shenanigans again.
I hear that many users are simply deciding between Houdini and C4D. A decision that is all about avoiding the
company that has strangled the golden goose. I love the term Alastair used of 'Racehorse'. It's so very appropriate.
When you look at Autodesk buying Alias for US$195M and Softimage for US$35M (are these figures correct ?)
you would think that there needs to be a few sales to cover that kind of money. It couldn't simply be about
killing off a competitor could it ?
Lots of development has gone into iPad apps like 123DCatch and other 123D series products to capture the
6-15 year olds and to make creation tools better for the novice in the days leading up to the 3D printing
explosion which has meant that the focus of Autodesk is elsewhere.
Goodbye Autodesk. We will all find a way to never be involved with you ever again.
To all the Mayans reading this..... you're next.
Scotty Wilcox
Sydney Australia
Softimage|3D since 1990
XSI since 2001
C4D since 2014
