Dassault buying sketchup?
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Maybe I did misread but I still have to contradict. Just a couple of tools that have been created/implemented by the developers since it's been Google and that has nothing to do with GE (and the majority of which is for the Pro users only):
- sketchy styles (not as if I used them a lot but there are people who do) and accompanying Style Builder (for Pro users only)
- LayOut (again, Pro only)
- Dynamic componants (Pro only)
- Revamped Camera tools (Pro only)
- Solid tools (Pro only)
- Fixing the shadow bug
- Considerable speed improvement (with rewriting the whole rendering engine) from 7.0 to 7.1
- Lately, during a "simple" maintenance release, revamping the collada exporter in favour of users trying to export into 3rd party apps (not GE - that used to work fine)
Probably there is not a single user who would exploit all these tools (to be honest, apart from a couple of occasions when I need to export to some other formats, I hardly use ny of the "Pro" tools).
And I have to agree with Alan: any change in the "owner" would just bring the risk that the only real reason is to "shelve" SU and kill a competitor.
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@jason_maranto said:
Also it should be said that free version users can move on from SketchUp much more easily than I can since they have far less invested than I (or any other Pro version users) do -- there are alot of free packages out there and I imagine if SketchUp were to become pay-only some users would upgrade, but most would simply move on to the next free package that suited them.
Jason - you keep discounting the value of SU free version. I would pay for the software in a heartbeat as it is essential to my workflow. But it's free and the uses I have only require the free version. Why would I pay for things I don't need? Just because you bought it doesn't mean others don't value it too.
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@andybot said:
Jason - you keep discounting the value of SU free version. I would pay for the software in a heartbeat as it is essential to my workflow. But it's free and the uses I have only require the free version. Why would I pay for things I don't need? Just because you bought it doesn't mean others don't value it too.
You have made my point for me -- you are exactly the type of user that would make it a wise decision for SketchUp to become pay only (most likely with a tiered approach). You use the free version because you can get away with using the free version... if you could not then you would be forced to either financially support the software or move on. I imagine in your case you are tied to SketchUp partially because you own other software that needs SketchUp to function (V-Ray for SketchUp).
Other users who are not so financially tied to SketchUp could easily move onto other packages, of which there are many to choose from.
Best,
Jason. -
Alot of those features were already in the works before Google purchased SketchUp -- and to be perfectly honest those features are a pittance when compared to the features which have been added to packages like Modo in the same timeframe. But to put it into perspective I have used and do use all of those tools.
The idea of killing off a competitor is certianly fine so long as you can reasonably ensure that the displaced users will become yours -- which is far from certain in this scenario... any other approach would be bad business. Giving up over a million potential users would be absolutely absurd.
Best,
Jason. -
I dunno Jason. I get the feeling you're annoyed about having a free user base. Like Csaba, I wouldn't have "found" Sketchup if it weren't free. This is Google's marketing strategy, so why pine for some tiered approach? I'm sure that would be changed with a different ownership.
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I am not even (just) referring to the fact that I would not have found it but even as a Pro user, I believe that I benefit from the millions of the free users as there would not be so much development by 3rd party programmers if the SU market would be as tiny as in the @Last days.
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I've clearly said elsewhere that I also found SketchUp because it was free -- and I also have said within this very thread that I seriously doubt the free version would go away.
All I said is I would not care (for logical reasons) and it may make better sense for a different business model... Sketchup is a major brand at this point and that could be leveraged to very profitable ends if managed properly.
Obviously going pay only with the software being what it is now would be foolish, you would need to demonstrate a substantial benefit for users to jump over to a pay-only version.
Best,
Jason. -
I suppose the difficulty of understanding my POV in this thread may come from the idea that I am not thinking about such a sale from the POV of just a user, but also from the viewpoint of what would make sense from the POV of the business that is purchasing this asset. What would make the most sense from a profit and loss standpoint -- because in business that is what matters.
SketchUp was envisioned as being a type of "loss-leader" for Google Earth (which is Google's real interest) -- I'm not sure that business model makes as much sense as other tools are developed... and it certainly would not make sense for Dassualt.
One thing that I find most people don't think about -- Google's motto is "don't be evil". This is just a neutral stance... they are not saying "be good" -- just "don't be evil", which still allows for quite a bit of grey-area in business transactions.
Best,
Jason. -
@jason_maranto said:
I suppose the difficulty of understanding my POV in this thread may come from the idea that I am not thinking about such a sale from the POV of just a user, but also from the viewpoint of what would make sense from the POV of the business that is purchasing this asset. What would make the most sense from a profit and loss standpoint -- because in business that is what matters.
SketchUp was envisioned as being a type of "loss-leader" for Google Earth (which is Google's real interest) -- I'm not sure that business model makes as much sense as other tools are developed... and it certainly would not make sense for Dassualt.
One thing that I find most people don't think about -- Google's motto is "don't be evil". This is just a neutral stance... they are not saying "be good" -- just "don't be evil", which still allows for quite a bit of grey-area in business transactions.
Best,
Jason.Google did not develop Sketchup. How could it be their loss leader?
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@unknownuser said:
Google did not develop Sketchup. How could it be their loss leader?
The purchase of SketchUp by Google -- just as there must be a compelling and logical reason for Dassault to purchase SketchUp now.
Best,
Jason.
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