Topic: (AutoCAD LT) Is it time to upgrade yet?

[craigr]

We are currently ussing LT2008.

08 works pretty well for what we need it to do. Plus, with Trueview on my workstation also, I can always back-rev any newer dwgs from outside sources.

I have really tried to avoid upgrading, not only because of the cost, but mainly to avoid that blasted Ribbon. It just takes up too much real estate for me. I hated and still do hate when  MS Office changed to it. - I STILL have trouble finding what I want in MS Office!!!!

But, it occured to me that perhaps the newer versions of LT MAY have other abilities that may make us more effecient in our day to day drawing.

Thanks in advance,
craigr

[ronjonp]

The Ribbon's not that bad ... plus you can hide it if you want (RIBBONCLOSE) 

FWIW ... if you wanted to get a real upgrade, dump LT and get a full seat so the beauty of lisp could help out with productivity  .

[craigr]

I just HATE that they did that!!

Can the ribbon be permantly disabled so it looks like 08 version?

I have my own custom icons / toolbars surrounding my screen, I don't want the Ribbon. Very seldom do I use any command that isn't on my toolbars. When I do, I usually just type it.

craigr

[ronjonp]

I just HATE that they did that!!

Can the ribbon be permantly disabled so it looks like 08 version?

I have my own custom icons / toolbars surrounding my screen, I don't want the Ribbon. Very seldom do I use any command that isn't on my toolbars. When I do, I usually just type it.

craigr

Yes ... there is a Workspace called "AutoCAD Classic".
If a full seat of AutoCAD is too much look into: http://www.bricsys.com/en_INTL/bricscad/index.jsp

[craigr]

I have looked into BrisCad - not for us.

We MUST Stick with Autodesk to me Specs.

[ronjonp]

I still vote for a full seat if you want to "upgrade", then get on the subscription plan. 

[craigr]

A full seat of CAD is WAYYYY out of budget.

What is this Subscription plan about?

[ronjonp]

A full seat of CAD is WAYYYY out of budget.

What is this Subscription plan about?

It breaks out the cost ... you pay $500 or so per year per seat and have access to the latest an greatest.

[craigr]

Which leads me back to my original questin....

What am I missing by saying the costs of upgrading every year from 2008 to 2012?

At $500 a year, what am I missing? - Enough productivity to warrant that much money for ONE Seat? - We currently carry 10. - That is alot of money a year. (saving the $20k over the last 4 years by not upgrading).

I don't believe in upgrading just for the sake of upgrading. - Give me some useful tools with each upgrrade that will help improve effeciancy. That being said, if we had a rev that had problems that delt us fits, I would definately upgrade to avoid those truoubles.

[ronjonp]

I would say don't upgrade until your operating system won't run your old version of CAD.    2008 was a pretty damn good release and it sounds like you're making do with it just fine.

[M-dub]

I know the horse is dead, but I'm gonna give it one more kick...

I wish Autodesk would introduce changes to their subscription and allow for an upgrade say... every other year or every third year...

Alan, I think it would make sense for you to have say... one, MAYBE two full seats of AutoCAD... network licensed, so you could install it on everyone's machine (or a select few) and just limit the number of people who can actually USE it to those who NEED it WHEN they need it.

My 2¢, anyway...

[craigr]

I would very much like for us to have at least ONE Full version of CAD to use. It wouldve saved me a couple of times.

Here a while back, I had to email a dwg to someone on this board so they could 'fix' something with their full version for me. But, it's been so long ago, I don't remember what it was.

This ONE time wouldn't really justify the difference in cost between full version and LT. Though I know there are other things the Full version would help with.

Basically, I know there is NO WAY our management would authorize the cost of the full version.

[mjfarrell]

If 08 is still doing what you need it to do, there is no reason to upgrade.
Unless you count the financial bribery of your dealer as a resaon.
I despise the subscription, as it does nothing other than force an upgrade on you every year, and as you say not for more real useful tools at that.  Mostly interface changes and a few new things that include their own new bugs to go along with them.
And autodesk gets by with this because they already have your money, and thus no market forces to make them release a better product.

[craigr]

AMEN

[dgorsman]

You're running LT, so there's nothing on top of it which requires specific ARX/DBX versions.  You may find yourself running into problems with object enablers for newer verticals, which may not be built for older versions of AutoCAD products.  You should be at least *planning* an upgrade in the future, saving/budgeting a little spare $$$ here and there so you can when needed.  There is likely another change to both DWG and ARX/DBX coming up, so you may want to dive in when that happens (after the first SP, of course) or the one after that since that is when they have hammered out most of the major issues brought about by the roll over.

No need to buy into the Grampa Simpson "EEEEeeevilllll!" moustache twirling villiany theory.  Subscription does nothing to "force" an upgrade.  You can install or not, as you need.  We're on sub for a number of products and find ourselves upgrading every two-three releases.  Sub support has also provided some valuable fixes to technical problems which have come up (beware their Seibel eCustomer interface - horrible).