Technology in Architectural Practice

As a professor who teaches AutoCad and REVIT don't waste your money on that kind of study.  Autodesk continues to revise the program so rapidly the publishing industry cannot keep up to date with the latest version (an example, the textbook I have been using for teaching AutoCad runs a year behind the version of the software, the release date for the 2015 text is not going to be available until November of this year).  Most of the changes made each year are seldom if ever significant enough to justify yearly updates. It is my opinion our profession would be better served with a two year cycle. It's essentially all about $ for the software industry.  It took Autodesk years before management realized that making the programs available at minimal or no cost to students was in their best interest as the students eventually become their customers once they graduate. You would think they would recognize making a study such as this one available to the professionals in practice without cost would be in the best interest of the software industry to better inform users of all the issues involved with these complex programs.

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David Epperson AIA
Signal Mountain TN
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How quickly it is forgotten, or maybe it was just never known!  In Autodesk's early releases, such as 2-12, complaints were loud and long about the amount of training required for each new release. So, Autodesk listened to the customers and commenced to release more often. This worked well, requiring the users to learn only one or two significant changes at a time.

Then, customers complained about having to purchase new versions so frequently, so Autodesk developed the subscription delivery method.

And now, just when it seems that all the complaints have been resolved, they want to go back to the way it was done in the last century.

Sort of reminds of the Children of Israel. No matter what God did for them, all they did was disobey and complain.

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Charles Graham AIA
Architect
O'Neal, Inc.
Greenville SC
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-30-2014 18:05
From: David Epperson
Subject: AutoDesk Updates

As a professor who teaches AutoCad and REVIT don't waste your money on that kind of study.  Autodesk continues to revise the program so rapidly the publishing industry cannot keep up to date with the latest version (an example, the textbook I have been using for teaching AutoCad runs a year behind the version of the software, the release date for the 2015 text is not going to be available until November of this year).  Most of the changes made each year are seldom if ever significant enough to justify yearly updates. It is my opinion our profession would be better served with a two year cycle. It's essentially all about $ for the software industry.  It took Autodesk years before management realized that making the programs available at minimal or no cost to students was in their best interest as the students eventually become their customers once they graduate. You would think they would recognize making a study such as this one available to the professionals in practice without cost would be in the best interest of the software industry to better inform users of all the issues involved with these complex programs.

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David Epperson AIA
Signal Mountain TN
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