No Subscription = No Service Packs?

[bri011]

I went from a large company with 13 seats of SW and annual subscriptions (or maintenance contracts--whatever you call it) to a small company with one seat of SW and no subscription contract. I can't download SP1.0. Am I understanding this correctly--I don't get service packs unless I'm on subscription?

If so, that's crap. Service packs are mostly FIXES--and why shouldn't I get a fix if the software is defective?

I understand that I wouldn't get major upgrades, but I should get service packs. If this really is the case, then I'll complain to my VAR (and get nowhere, but still complain).

Thanks,

Brian

 

[emissivity]

Yes it doesn't make sense, you pay $$ for software and if it has bugs they need to fix it for free. Our company was stuck on SW2006 SP3.1 and I forgot to keep track on the subscription expiration date. We had to upgrade to SP5.0 and ended up paying for subscription and a late fee.

Unigraphics on the otherhand, I'm able to update maintanence packs after the subscription ends but not able to download the new version which is ok with me.

 

[J-C]

Contact your var...I believe you are still able to get eh service packs without maintenance. They will have to provide it though since you can't login, which is a hassle.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[rockguy]

I've been told your VAR will provide you with a SP if you are having an issue that is corrected by the SP. It's my understanding they don't provide the SP's for non subscription customers as a normal rule.

I agree, this is crap. I've complained about this issue many times directly to SW and it seems to fall on deaf ears. If I purchase software then I feel I'm entitled to all the SP's for that version of software free of charge. I really can't believe SW treats its customers this way.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group

http://www.robrodriguez.com

(updated 8/12/06)
SW 2006 SP 4.0 / SW 2007 SP 0.0

 

[J-C]

You could always tell them that Inventor patches are available for free and no hassle. That might get their attention more...might.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[Beggar]

I agree - this is a bunch of crap. SolidWorks won't do anything about it unless they think they're costing themselves money, though.

Personlly, I'm of the opinion that you should receive all SPs for whichever version you've purchased. That should be built into the price of the software. Consider it a warranty. In fact, a savvy lawyer *might* be able to argue a suit on that premise.

Support and follow-on releases should require additional money.

I'm reminded of Autodesk's old foray into the use of dongles. Their customer base was so pissed that they backtracked and decided that the potential for piracy was less costly than alienating their user base.

I'll soon be in the market for a modeler license. If it's true that Inventor or SE offer SP updates without subscription, I guess I'll have to consider those. Or, consider paying the SolidWorks extortion.

It seems like SWX should give me a little nod because I've been directly and personally responsible for their deployment into three different companies.

--------------------
How much do YOU owe?

http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

--------------------

 

[looslib]

emmissivity,
You need to check again on the UG/NX software. Once your maintenance contract has expired, you lose access to your webkey account which is what gets you into the download area. At least that is how I lost access for a while. Luckily we had other divisions with contracts so I borrowed one of their site ID's.


"Wildfires are dangerous, hard to control, and economically catastrophic."

Ben Loosli
Sr IS Technologist
L-3 Communications

 

[PDMAdmin]

Complacency and stubbornness are not words that should ever be used in the same sentence with the name of any CAD company. Didn't SolidWorks learn anything from what happened to PTC?

 

[Heckler]

Yes, they did.....try getting service from PTC being a one man license of Pro/e with a service contract.....that's a joke. I've waited days before they get back to me. SWx's service is 10 fold better then PTC. Although, I do agree that if you bought SWx 2006 with no service they should let you upgrade service packs....soly based on bug fixes.

I can tell you that software piracy is very important to AutoDesk and SWx.....plus the costs are rolled into the price of the software, right?

Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP 5.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
o
_`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience every time.

 

[RawheadRex]

Hi Folks,

I work for a VAR and my understanding is that customers are entitled to SP's regardless of subscription status if you're having an issue that is corrected by a SP. As I recall this question is actually on the tech support certification exam that I took when I first came onboard.

The way we do it generally is to burn a CD and mail it off to customers that are not on maintenance or upload the SP to our FTP server. I've also heard of cases where non-subscription service customers have been granted temporary access to the website in order to download SP's.

Maybe we're just nice guys but bascially as a rule we don't just blow off any customer who calls purely on the basis that they're not on maintenance. Treat them like dirt and there's ZERO chance of them buying maintenance but if you try and help then at least you're not leaving a negative impression. Obviously there's a threshold where you have to draw the line because you you have customers who are on maintenance calling in for support as well. Those folks clearly get priority.

Anyhow I just wanted to add maybe a little different perspective.

Regards,


Chris Gervais
Application Engineer
CSWP, CSWST

 

[bri011]

I'm okay with that--I'll work a little harder to get a service pack if I'm not paying for subscription.

My VAR is checking into it (they didn't know right off the bat).

Thanks,

Brian

 

[RawheadRex]

Hi Everyone,

I knew that I saw this in the Knowledge Base. Here's an article explaining access to SP's.

****************************************************
Solution Id:
S-00082

Question:
If a customer is not on subscription support do they have any access to service packs?

Category:
SR Originated
Keyword:
Subscription Support
Link:



Answer:
Technical Support can provide temporary access to the subscription area of the web site for customers to download service packs. This applies if a customer is having a problem with the current version they are using and it is fixed in a later service pack of the same major release. Temporary access to download a service pack would typically not be given if the customer just wants to be on the latest service pack, since part of the value of subscription service is the ability to download service packs.
****************************************************

So there it is. It works pretty much as I thought though perhaps not the way everyone would have it work.

Regards,



Chris Gervais
Application Engineer
CSWP, CSWST

 

[rockguy]

I don't agree. I should have access to SP's weather I'm having an issue or not. I should have the same rights as everyone else when it comes to SP's. I paid the same price as everyone else for software that works correctly and if SP's are being issued for the release I purchased then SolidWorks is openly admitting there are problems and they are fixing them. I should be entitled to those fixes and not have to prove they are directly effecting me.

I agree I should only have acess to SP's for the version of software I purchased. Anyhting more and I should be required to have maintenance.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group

http://www.robrodriguez.com

(updated 8/12/06)
SW 2006 SP 4.0 / SW 2007 SP 0.0

 

[fcsuper]

I concur. SW policies on this and licensing in general are beginning to look a little like ProE back when SW was eating ProE's market share for lunch.

 

[J-C]

It's like they are halfway giving you the service packs. Only if it fixes a problem you have. Wonder how long it takes to figure that out. Generally, performance is better in later service packs....so should the non sub customers be entitled to the software running the way its advertised.

I'm surprised at this stance when Autodesks offers service packs for all their products including Inventor for download on their site. No Subscription required.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[rockguy]

I think SW will find this isn't any issue that's going to go away for them. It's only going to get bigger as more users speak their mind and stand up for what's right. I know I'm going to continue bringing this up until something changes. Sooner or later they will have to listen.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group

http://www.robrodriguez.com

(updated 8/12/06)
SW 2006 SP 4.0 / SW 2007 SP 0.0

 

[handleman]

So.... I guess that's why they make you agree to the non-disclosure statement before giving you access to the subscription area. If there was public access to the list of fixed SPRs in a given SP then customers could just recreate issues that are fixed and claim that they need the fix for their use of SW?

 

[SBaugh]

IMO its like this, [red]"if its not broke don't fix it"[/red]. So if you don't see or have an issue with SP0.0, don't fix it, because all you are doing is making it possible to break something else that works. So again my policy is [red]"if its not broke don't fix it"[/red].

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[Beggar]

The problem with that, Scott, is that you may not discover the flaw until a particularly critical time with a model that far exceeds your typical demands of the software.

That flaw could end up costing enormous amounts of money through corrupted files and the delays associated with trying to wrangle an update from your VAR.

Everybody with a valid license for a particular release should be given all updates so that their software is as bug-free as it can be.

As much as many of us detest Microsoft and their buggy software, think how upset we'd be if they played this game.

If SolidWorks wants to do it this way then they should stop calling them service packs and they should just issue new releases every few months and make clear that you may be getting buggy software that you'll just have to live with.

--------------------
How much do YOU owe?

http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/

--------------------

 

[SBaugh]

You may disagree and thats fine, but it works for me and most of my customers. VAR's are required to keep the SP at their facility. Whether the others do or not, I don't know. I have requested a DVD burner just so I will have the SP, but I was denied... :-( - but I still try and keep the latest SP on a back up drive. So if a customer can prove that the problem they have is keeping them from their work or is causing corruption etc... then we send them the SP. But [red]"If its not broke don't fix it"[/red]

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376