Author Topic: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th  (Read 6878 times)

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CADbloke

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Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« on: March 23, 2018, 08:02:24 PM »
After 10 years of working on both of these, I have run out of excuses, the CFO says it's time to launch https://www.CADreplace.com/ & https://www.tvCAD.tv/. Because my life isn't busy enough already (2x kids, 6 & 3, a day job or 3...) I decided it's a good idea to launch both at the same time.

CAD replace may interest you, tvCAD probably won't unless you design television facilities. tvCAD-related things is my day job, things like https://www.nepgroup.com/post/first-live-to-air-uncompressed-hd-remote-production

If you're in the USA, I'll be at http://www.microconf.com/ around the end of April, 2018. It's part of "The Leap" - that's what I'm calling my late mid-life crisis. If you're in the area, ping me & we'll catch up. If you're thinking of going - GO!

If you have any questions about how the hell I am doing this, ask away. I might have some answers.

Lee Mac

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2018, 08:15:24 PM »
Wow - that CAD Replace application looks superb - congrats!  :-)

CADbloke

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2018, 05:26:06 AM »
Thanks Lee, that means a lot coming from you. I'm quite proud of it, I really should have shipped it years ago (instead of directing lots of people to your app ;) ) but the usual life things got in the way. Better late than never!

MP

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2018, 10:29:54 AM »
Seriously nice work!
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MSTG007

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2018, 11:10:16 AM »
That look pretty powerful! Great job!
Civil3D 2020

Dave M

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2018, 11:18:53 AM »
Wow! Super powerful!  What is the price point?
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Atook

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #6 on: March 26, 2018, 01:28:28 PM »
Congrats CADBloke!

Are you releasing as a one man shop?

I'd love some quick descriptions on what technologies/approaches you're using for:

  • Licensing
  • Payment
  • Website/distribution
  • Crash/Error Reporting

I'm looking forward to watching the release!

jmaeding

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #7 on: March 26, 2018, 01:47:05 PM »
What is ACNE? You can imagine that searches return a different kind of acne :)
James Maeding

WILL HATCH

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #8 on: March 26, 2018, 07:19:38 PM »
Congrats!
And it's about time, slacker.

CADbloke

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #9 on: March 26, 2018, 08:32:09 PM »
Thank you for your encouragement, it really means a lot, particularly at my delicate pre-launch jitters stage.

Congrats!
And it's about time, slacker.
So true. So, so true.

What is ACNE? You can imagine that searches return a different kind of acne :)
ACNE was tvCAD's predecessor - the Automated Cable Number Extractor, written by a mate of mine in VB6 for the Sydney Olympics TV projects in 2000. Quite a lot of Australian broadcast facilities adopted the standard. It hasn't been touched for 10 years and is long unsupported, hence my market opportunity.

Wow! Super powerful!  What is the price point?
I'm still working that out. I have never announced this - I'm thinking of starting at launch (all USD) at roughly
  • $87, $23 maintenance from year 2
  • $47 for an annual subscription
  • $15 for a monthly subscription
from there on the only way is up ("baby"), especially as I add features. If you're on my mailing list at https://www.cadreplace.com/ there's a once-only $20 off a perpetual license launch special. That will expire on June 30th but it's only for those on the list. I'm a mad fan of "grandfathering" pricing so anyone who has a license will never get a price increase on what they already pay. I'm making a list and I'm checking it twice, if you get my drift.

I would really love your thoughts on this pricing (+ or -), on everything really, message me here or email my username here at gmail.com if you don't want to make it public. You don't have to be nice, just polite.

I don't want to make it "fart app" cheap because then you end up with pathological customers

Are you releasing as a one man shop?

I'd love some quick descriptions on what technologies/approaches you're using for:

  • Licensing
  • Payment
  • Website/distribution
  • Crash/Error Reporting
  • Yup, just me.
  • Licensing is Infralution- I bought the source code and made some mods, mostly for tvCAD and floating licensing. Support from Infralution is excellent.
  • I will most likely distribute CAD replace via FastSpring & the App stores for AutoCAD & BricsCAD. tvCAD will be a manual process since it won't sell in the hundreds of copies, let alone meeeeellions. Ah, I can dream. I looked into setting up my own store website etc but that's not my gig and it's hard. More on this: http://discuss.bootstrapped.fm/t/my-vat-moss-experience-so-far/2497/68
  • Crash reporting? Me? I don't need ... ok, still deciding between Sentry, Bugsnag, Rollbar or Raygun. Logging is all by Serilog which also ties into the crash reporting & I use Tailblazer to watch the local logs roll by.

This is the email I sent out to the group a couple of days ago: https://mailchi.mp/b7232cb1d3ba/cad-replace-launches-on-may-13

 
« Last Edit: March 26, 2018, 08:36:05 PM by CADbloke »

jmaeding

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2018, 08:41:46 PM »
is your find tool able to run on dbx-docs, or "side databases"?
I didn't see it mentioned on the web page but may have missed it.
Once you have the code to do the activity, you can batch through drawings fast with side db's.

I think tools that do this are the biggest gap Autodesk has left undone.
Just the ability to set some layer's color for 20 dwg's in less than a minute is super valuable.
I actually have that in my purgeids prog you can find on adesk DG's.
Its a batcher so I made it do a few things besides purge regapps.
James Maeding

CADbloke

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2018, 08:56:45 PM »
is your find tool able to run on dbx-docs, or "side databases"?
I didn't see it mentioned on the web page but may have missed it.
You didn't miss it, I haven't implemented it yet. It's the "Files" tab in the first screenshot. The trick with CAD replace is getting the results for the user to see. I guess they are used to not seeing results but that is one of my main drivers to write it. It will generate an Excel workbook with each drawing in its own tab with the results, more or less as you see them in the UI.

The second tab I haven't featured much can load and save a list of multiple searches so you can do a stack of replacements all at once. I am so glad I had that idea before I started coding, when it can time to implement that it actually took less than an hour to get it working. I bought myself a big beer that day.

I still have plenty to add to CAD replace. Here's a pic of its Trello board (attached), as you can see - lots to do. tvCAD's Trello board is even bigger. That pic is grabbed from a 4k Monitor, btw.


MP

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #12 on: March 27, 2018, 09:08:44 AM »
Yeow! I juggle a crazy todo list of spinning plates in kanbanflow but it's dwarfed by yours! :-o
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Mark

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #13 on: March 27, 2018, 10:06:39 AM »
WOW! Seriously cool application. And it's got REGEX! I love me some regex. LOL

Best of luck with it. I'll pass it along.
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CADbloke

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Re: Launching 2x CAD apps May 13th
« Reply #14 on: March 27, 2018, 10:51:39 PM »
I love me some regex
You may be surprised how often I don't hear that. ;)

Thanks for the compliments, one and all. I am truly flattered. Truth is, I would not have got here without you, The Swamp has been an integral part of my growth and learning as a develpoer so, Thank You to all those who have contributed the wealth of their knowledge here, I put it to good use. I hope.

If there's anyone you know who may like CAD replace (or tvCAD) then I would really appreciate if you could point them at it.

If you've got any more questions, ask away.

cheers
Ewen