Future of SketchUp
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@remus said:
... so i imagine business will continue as normal as long as they get a steady sale of licenses.
I'd imagine them selling a whole lot more licenses if the software would scale to modern CPU usage, have a 64 bit version, fix the darn shadow bug and have high polygon support.
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what juju said...
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But as one of the comments on the blog said Google benefits in other ways from SU even if it doesn't directly create much revenue:
@unknownuser said:
SketchUp is a fairly mature product by Google standards. It is part of an ecosphere of related products, it provides content for Warehouse and Google Earth. Both of these are much closer to Google's core competencies of search and ad revenue, and all three are extremely well integrated.
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Seems to me that it would make sense that SU have a more advanced Pro version (including things like high poly count, LayOut , and other rendering improvments), and the free version basically as it is. Actually Google could then charge more for the Pro Version and it would still increase in sales. Too bad it didn't happen in v7. I can't decide whether to upgrade the Pro version I have.
The serious modeller base must be so much smaller than the free user base. They also must have very different dynamics in terms of profit to Google. $500 a pop might be too little at some point to keep a robust SW growing. Are the numbers of licenses released ever?
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@pbacot said:
Seems to me that it would make sense that SU have a more advanced Pro version (including things like high poly count, LayOut , and other rendering improvments)
i think thats the direction theyre heading in, even in 7 (creating DCs being the major difference.)
It'll be interesting to see what sort of things they separate out between free and pro in the future, though.
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@unknownuser said:
The serious modeller base must be so much smaller than the free user base
Perhaps there are a significant number of users that might not consider themselves "serious modellers" but that are still regular users;high school students and teachers for instance who might just be using sketchuo for a couple of hours a week.
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@alexschreyer said:
FYI - Ralph Grabowski at WorldCAD Access is sounding a cautious alarm on SketchUp.
Read here:
http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2008/12/will-sketchup-survive-googles-downturn.htmlFYI - that guy is clueless and is sounding the alarm of fear
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FYI = For Your Information
thanks CraigD, that is a relief.
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@linea said:
@unknownuser said:
The serious modeller base must be so much smaller than the free user base
Perhaps there are a significant number of users that might not consider themselves "serious modellers" but that are still regular users;high school students and teachers for instance who might just be using sketchuo for a couple of hours a week.
Perhaps "serious modelers" is the wrong term. Don't mean to dismiss anyone or their work.
SU's product structure is great in bringing in people for free who may want to later buy a stronger product. However I think the Google earth and the wider community of free SU users is of interest to Google in a greater respect, dovetailed to their other endeavors; while pro modelers who will be wanting much more on a professional level (and will be comparing SU to other modeling programs), must pay for themselves, as with any SW business.
I have used SU professionally a little bit. I can get by on the free version for a while, whereas people like Solo are going to need more. Their aim is for renderings and not Google Earth. Realistically you can't expect SU to keep up with other programs and not get paid for the effort. On the other hand the free version will continue to fit Google's overall goals and be available to "serious modelers" of many walks of life.
IMHO, Peter
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@craigd said:
FYI - that guy is clueless and is sounding the alarm of fear
To paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davis "he would say that wouldn't he"
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