Autodesk going all rental?

[luceric]

The company you work for is correct, the important thing is to get the job done. But at the same time, if they are at the hands of a company, let's see how they would react if say, Autodesk decides to increase the price of the software by 40% when everybody is on rental mode. Let's say it happens on the middle of a project, then what?

well, first if you have a longer project you'd rent per quarters or 1 year, and then your price is locked for the duration of the contract. Secondly, even if the price doubled it would be rather insignificant compared to the rest of the expenses

[luceric]

Even worse than the obvious price increases is the way Autodesk will be effectively be able to hijack your assets. Once you stop paying, you can kiss the notion of using your assets ever again goodbye, I'm afraid. And this would not just affect smaller shops, but also the bigger ones working on multi-year projects, I guess.

medium term, this might come to pass. the new business models at whatever company, whatever they are (ex: cloud apps like office 360) work better in domains where the domain relies on standard formats, but animation is behind the times here. However, with alembic, fbx, opensubdiv, OSD and more, there is a sense that standardization is around the corner. And so you'd be choosing your authoring environment, but 95% the data your produce is not actually application-specific. this is already the case in some studios and some markets. In those scenario the maya scene file, for example, is meta data that you could do away with.

[McNistor]

well, first if you have a longer project you'd rent per quarters or 1 year, and then your price is locked for the duration of the contract. Secondly, even if the price doubled it would be rather insignificant compared to the rest of the expenses

Yeah, this is easy as pie for a company. Who the fvck cares about the employee or freelancer who's supposed to know how to work with all apps out there, definitely not Autodesk.
When it comes to the small guy, it's clear as the daylight by now that Autodesk's giveafuckometer is still oscillating around zero.

[Bullit]

medium term, this might come to pass. the new business models at whatever company, whatever they are (ex: cloud apps like office 360) work better in domains where the domain relies on standard formats, but animation is behind the times here. However, with alembic, fbx, opensubdiv, OSD and more, there is a sense that standardization is around the corner. And so you'd be choosing your authoring environment, but 95% the data your produce is not actually application-specific. this is already the case in some studios and some markets. In those scenario the maya scene file, for example, is meta data that you could do away with.

There are often cases where a scene might be adapted for a new version, a tweak in particles, a change here or there. So if an user can't edit do another version that is a big problem.
There are some clients that have the strategy of an new idea every 2 years. The second year is always a version of first year work, a different color a different effect but inside same general idea.

[iamVFX]

with alembic, fbx, opensubdiv, OSD

USD? If it ever come out, as with Alembic the adoption process will take a few years.

[forton]

95% the data your produce is not actually application-specific

Maybe,
But I think 95% of the work is very application-specific, in my case anyway.
(although fabric-engine might change that a little bit in the future)

[Mathaeus]

Even worse than the obvious price increases is the way Autodesk will be effectively be able to hijack your assets. Once you stop paying, you can kiss the notion of using your assets ever again goodbye, I'm afraid. And this would not just affect smaller shops, but also the bigger ones working on multi-year projects, I guess.

Well, exactly in case of AD Fusion 360, in case of break, I think the user is able to take the all assets out, of course in another similar format. Price itself isn't that high, after all if I'll stop paying for electricity or phone, I'll have to live without them too.
But, there are another problems - perhaps main usage of such app for non-CAD purpose, it is converting and adapting the NURbs models, for use in animation and rendering. Upload of several step nurbs models to AD server, each having around 100mb, takes the significant time, even with so so good internet connection.
So here is MoI at the end of the day, as reliable option, instead of AD cloudy thing.
Sign of good will from AD side, could be allowing the user to choose non AD server for storing the data, Dropbox or something - but, If I'm correct, this is not possible.

[nixx]

When it comes to the small guy, it's clear as the daylight by now that Autodesk's giveafuckometer is still oscillating around zero.

100% agreed, and

giveafuckometer
giveafuckometer
giveafuckometer

seriously,

[McNistor]

[MauricioPC]

I guy at the Modo community posted this and I thought it was worth it to share it here.

http://community.thefoundry.co.uk/discu ... =4&t=91971

Basically he's happy with this new e-mail he received about the advantages for the subscription customers of AD.

Hello,

Our most successful customers take advantage of the support and resources we offer in order to achieve higher return on their Autodesk investment, shouldn't you?

Autodesk is pleased to announce a new benefit exclusively for Autodesk Subscription customers. Starting in September, as a subscriber, you will receive exclusive access to "Subscription Program News" and other helpful communications which are focused on helping you get the most out of your Subscription.

The Subscription communications will contain helpful content including:
•Announcements of product enhancements
•Tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your product and services
•Customers stories that highlight how others are taking advantage of their subscriber benefits

Share the knowledge! Be sure to forward these helpful communications to your team!

[angus_davidson]

So in other words all the things we had been asking them to do for years and years. To me speaks more to them trying to keep people from moving rather then a actually listening. Its however good news for those staying with AD

[Hirazi Blue]

If it’s merely about “Announcements”, “Tips and tricks” and “Customer stories” then this would seem to be a waste of time and energy. If, however, the friendly folk at Autodesk have finally figured out that there is quite a lot they should communicate with the customer directly, not primarily and often stubbornly relying on the reseller network to get all kinds of info out or burying it on their own website, then this could prove a worthwhile innovation. But I’m sorely tempted to doubt it…
;)

[Bellsey]

Seems like its hard to win either way. On one hand people want information, and then when it's presented they pour scorn on it.
Whilst many are quick to laugh at something like this, its about getting as much news out there as possible, especially to people on Subscription. You telling me that Autodesk are only company to send out email shots like this.

[angus_davidson]

Seems like its hard to win either way. On one hand people want information, and then when it's presented they pour scorn on it.
Whilst many are quick to laugh at something like this, its about getting as much news out there as possible, especially to people on Subscription. You telling me that Autodesk are only company to send out email shots like this.

Pretty much all of the others do. However they

a) dont discriminate against people who own their products but are not on subscription. (sorry but that was a real dick move)
b) its not major news because its something they have done from the start
c) they do it to be proactive rather then reactive.

From the last line of my previous post i did say it was good news for folks on subscription, however Autodesk have put themselves into a position where announcements like this are viewed with more suspicion then other vendors.

[Hirazi Blue]

@Bellsey - You almost sound as bitter as me...

[Bellsey]

Seems like its hard to win either way. On one hand people want information, and then when it's presented they pour scorn on it.
Whilst many are quick to laugh at something like this, its about getting as much news out there as possible, especially to people on Subscription. You telling me that Autodesk are only company to send out email shots like this.

Pretty much all of the others do. However they

a) dont discriminate against people who own their products but are not on subscription. (sorry but that was a real dick move)
b) its not major news because its something they have done from the start
c) they do it to be proactive rather then reactive.

From the last line of my previous post i did say it was good news for folks on subscription, however Autodesk have put themselves into a position where announcements like this are viewed with more suspicion then other vendors.

I think that's twisting things slightly, though perhaps not intentionally.

Autodesk Subscription has always come with extra benefits, it's one of the many reasons for being on it, so I don't see what the problem is here.
There's also always news going out to Subs customers, it's not as if its never ever happened. Whether anything gets through or not, well that's different story. In multi seat studios, news can go to the account holder/admin and not to individuals. Also, I've heard of people auto-deleting emails they get.
From the many conversations I've had with customers, its not uncommon (even now) for people to be totally unaware of the benefits they actually get and are entitled to with Autodesk Subscription.

Also, its not as if people who aren't on Subs, dont get sent anything. There's always stuff being sent out, through a variety of different means. And some would say that the good old email blast might be considered old hat these days and using Facebook and Twitter is better for hitting a larger audience. Many companies do this, not just Autodesk.

Personally to me, this could be expanding the way of communicating to Subscription customers, because now Autodesk Subscription has started to have a whole new meaning to some customers, it's not just about being current on a 3D product and perhaps getting an extension release. You can subscribe to other services and not use a product like Max or Maya. And those customers perhaps wouldn't perhaps access the Autodesk Subscription Center in the usual way that other customers have been doing for some time.

That's my take anyway.