I wanted to bring this to the top, because many people here probably have not heard about this change that is coming down the pipeline.
Perpetual License Info from Autodesk
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Sounds to me like this MAY just be a huge leverage tool.
In other words, as long as you don't let the maintenance lapse, you can continue to pay the reduced subscription fees. The consequence of not keeping the subscription active would be having to pay triple the price forever. This MAY also encourage people that have not already done so, to begin paying subscription fees on their perpetual licenses. It also MAY encourage people with older perpetual licenses to upgrade one last time and get a subscription maintenance plan, while they still can...
I knew there was something dirty about the way they were pushing the Infrastructure Design Suite on everybody. It was part of a larger plan.
If you are on subscription maintenance and only accepted the upgrade because it was free and have not been utilizing the additional features, I would advise looking into downgrading, while you still can. I suspect that once they switch over to not offering perpetual licenses, downgrading will also not be an option and you will be stuck paying the higher subscription fees.
My Question to Autodesk:
Please clarify,
1.) Existing customers on perpetual license subscription will be able to continue to renew that subscription and recieve upgraded perpetual licenses in the future at similiar prices as currently charged. Yes - No?
2.) What options will existing customers have, when they allow their perpetual license subscription to lapse?
3.) What options will existing perpetual license customers have in regards to downgrading or cross grading after perpetual licenses are no longer offered?
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Autodesk Response:
Hi imaudigger,
Very happy to provide clarification.
1.) Existing customers on perpetual license subscription will be able to continue to renew that subscription and recieve upgraded perpetual licenses in the future at similiar prices as currently charged
1-A) Yes, customers with perpetual licenses that maintain active maintenance subscription will receive future upgrades and service packs. But we cannot offer any blanket guaratees about future pricing. If you are concerned about price increases, we encourage you to lock in a price with a multi-year maintenance subscription. We offer 2 year and 3 year terms.
2.) What options will existing customers have, when they allow their perpetual license subscription to lapse?
2-A) Customers with expired Maintenance Subscriptions can continue to use their perpetual license. However, they will lose Subscription benefits such as updates, technical product support, flexible license rights and cloud services. To get the latest features and functionality after a Maintenance Subscription expires, customers will need to purchase a Desktop Subscription.
3.) What options will existing perpetual license customers have in regards to downgrading or cross grading after perpetual licenses are no longer offered?
3-A) After we discontinue sales of new perpetual licenses for a given product, customers with a license for the current version of that product can still purchase crossgrades to products that continue to offer new perpetual licenses for sale. That is a complex statement, so let me offer an example.
A customer has a perpetual license for AutoCAD 2016 on Feb 1, 2016. The license can be covered by a Maintenance Subscription or not. In this case it doesn't matter. On Feb 1, 2016 the customer could still purchase a crossgrade to AutoCAD Design Suite Ultimate 2016, because perpetual licenses for that product will still be for sale on Feb 1, 2016. However the customer could not purchase a crossgrade to AutoCAD Electrical 2016, because perpetual licenses for that product will no longer be for sale on Feb 1, 2016. If this customer has current Maintenance Subscription for their AutoCAD 2016 perpetual asset, they can reassign the Subscription to their new AutoCAD Design Suite Ultimate 2016 perpetual license when they crossgrade.
Hope this helps clarify. Good questions.
I'm way, way behind here.
I'm using AutoCAD 2006 with Carlson 2008. It does everything I need.
This is my question. If I wanted to upgrade, do I understand that I will have to pay a monthly fee forever?
I believe if you wait until after Jan 2016 to upgrade, you will have to rent the software.
So if you want to upgrade at some point and be able to use the software indefinitely, you had better look into this now.
If you want to upgrade more than once and still have the option to use the software indefinitely, you should look into the perpetual license subscription because the rental subscription is 3x as much.
The last option is to migrate to a different product that is less expensive but meets your needs. I think the last option, will be a popular one the way things are going.
Give your nearest dealer a call and see what they have to say.
You can also log in here and let Autodesk know how you feel about the new business tactics model.
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/perpetual-license-changes/bd-p/2015
I get that business is business, but WOW
It's what they do...
Does this affect ownership of AutoCad 2000?
> Does this affect ownership of AutoCad 2000?
Nope - you are free to utilize your existing license as long as you can continue to get authorization codes from Autodesk for installations on new computers.
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For new customers or anyone wanting to upgrade, you will essentially be paying the equivalent of a new seat every 28 to 30 months. This additional cost is supposed to be recovered via.
"seamless productivity across devices from any location"
"infinite cloud computing capability"
and
"connected collaboration across the design process no matter who is collaborating or where they are"
You are instructed to
"stick with us through the transition"
and
"hold your nose through the rough bits"
It would be one thing if they were constantly improving the Survey software like Carlson, but aside from the Surface Modeling and client side requirements, Civil 3D has done little for the Surveyor since the initial changeover from LDD. The field to finish using the survey database is absolutely horrible and they cant even handle point clouds or 3D mesh very well. We are basically paying to subsidize Engineering development.
Well, for those of us who don't need the features and bugs the new Autocad has to offer, we will be perfectly willing and able to mossy right along to another package that costs less, has no subscription, and has the functions we want and need to perform our jobs.
[USER=7286]@imaudigger[/USER]
You should have let Autodesk know that their most recent financial decisions have caused the "Pirate torrents" to run wild! 😉
GregPendleton, post: 417779, member: 168 wrote: .... aside from the Surface Modeling and client side requirements, Civil 3D has done little for the Surveyor since the initial changeover from LDD. The field to finish using the survey database is absolutely horrible ....
The field to finish was significantly upgraded with the 2011 release and is now very good, IMO.
GregPendleton, post: 417779, member: 168 wrote: Civil 3D has done little for the Surveyor since the initial changeover from LDD
Thanks, good to know... I am still using one of the last LDD versions and "upgrade" is not in the cards for me.
I did used Civil 3D at one time but it was not mine to keep.
BTW: if you put your hard drive (with LDD installed) you can put it in another computer and it works fine.
(I clone my drives with hard to replace stuff onto a New drive every year or so)
I dumped my AutoCAD C3D subscription in 2015. I now have the 2016 version on my shelf but continue to use my 2012 version with 2017 Carlson. I have also installed on my laptop the 2017 Intellicad version of Carlson that works pretty decent for my (solo) needs. I simile ever December when I traditionally renewed my AutoCAD subscription, nice to not have that bill. I must say that I feel good about getting away from Autodesk and Carlson will do everything I need. I do know others ( large organizations) may need all of the "stuff" that C3D includes but I never found much need for it.
T.W.
P.S. - I also dumped cable TV and feel pretty good about that too, maybe I am just getting old and don't like others controlling me.
Tom Wilson, post: 417810, member: 247 wrote: P.S. - I also dumped cable TV and feel pretty good about that too, maybe I am just getting old and don't like others controlling me.
did your Samsung TV hear that? 🙂
Peter Ehlert, post: 417830, member: 60 wrote: did your Samsung TV hear that? 🙂
His TV is now whispering at night while everybody is asleep "bring back cable"
Max Headroom ... blipverts
dangerous!
Peter Ehlert, post: 417833, member: 60 wrote: Max Headroom ... blipverts
dangerous!
Loved that show when it was on, but been so long I have forgotten most things about it. Perhaps time for a second watch!
Some shows are ahead of their time and don't last because people don't "get" it.
Edit: just looked up Max on the wonderful internet. Can not believe the show premiered 30 years ago!
The original Star Trek came up in conversation with my brother (ok, so I brought it up in response to something) and I mentioned "Star Trek teleported 50 years ago and no progress has been in making that happen and making travel easier!" My brother started to rebuff my statement, then said "oh, it was 50 years ago!"
YouTube search, all of Max Headroom is there... one of my favorites.