I'll start with an analogy, it may not be the best but I think it will help get the point across. Automakers spend millions of dollars a year on their design tools for a single car design. Not just software, but hardware too. Software to design the 3D geometry, software to test structural integrity and durability of parts, hardware to print 3D scale models for wind tunnel testing and so on. A modern car is no doubt a highly complex thing. Yes, automakers also pay a yearly subscription fee for all their design software.
Now, take a building design. I would venture to say there are more parts that go into a building, than into a car. Not only that, one is asking teams from multiple companies to design different systems that all work together. Further, a different company has to interpret the design intent and build the thing. On top of that, clients are starting to want as-built models of their project for FM use downstream. Then, one has to consider that a building is made up of hundreds to thousands of components from many varying manufacturers. If you ask me, the complexities of a building design far outweigh that which the auto industry deals with. On top of that, we only get to build the thing once, unless one gets lucky and ends up with mirrored buildings on a single site (even then it's not that simple).
To address Michael Malinowski statement below, depending on pricing at the time, a BRAND NEW single seat of Revit, with a 1 year subscription costs $6220 MSRP (we all know one can get the software for less than MSRP, right?). After one year, it costs $725 MSRP every year to maintain and keep that subscription current. So, it should only cost $2175 MSRP to renew this subscription of 3 seats for one year. Even if this was a renewal for a 3 year subscription, it would only amount to $6525 MSRP. This tells a story right there - it looks like the subscription was allowed to expire and waited to renew which is always more expensive. It's like buying your software all over again from scratch almost, which likely explains his high cost he listed. Exorbitant - yes, but if your software reseller was doing their job, it should have been explained. So in this case, maybe they were not doing any favors?
Most software companies today charge a subscription fee - Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk, Deltek and more. Don't get me wrong, I don't like having to pay for these fees any more than the next guy. However, it seems that the entire software industry has moved to this subscription model to ensure they have a continued income stream for their shareholders. So, to be fair, we should point the stick at all software companies, not just Autodesk (makers of AutoCAD/Revit). The entire business ecosystem seems to revolve around profit. Profit only comes when there is a need for something new or so it seems. Hardware and software companies seem to feed off this cycle too. The more a software company develops to automate something, the more the hardware needs to advance to run the software and so on. Companies across many industries are finding themselves facing the software subscription pricing model.
As far as buying/developing our own tools, again, one should think about all software makers - Microsoft, Adobe, Deltek - not just Autodesk. Now we are talking about dedicating significant resources to try and develop tools that rival with what these companies have achieved - especially when we don't have experience in that sector. One should consider this is something across all industries that use technology. If there is a computer involved, one will have software and hardware to deal with sooner or later. I would take a guess that developing a software tool from the ground up can take a team 3-5 years, depending on the complexities involved. What would that investment cost? What version of OS will it run on and will it be compatible with it when its dev cycle is complete? Who will maintain the software & hardware it runs on over the years?
Another way to look at it is, what if you went back to hand drafting to avoid software subscription fees? How much would you pay annually for labor and materials to do what you can with your professional tools?
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Steve Bennett
CAD Manager
HMC Architects
Irvine CA
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Does your software vendor feel more like a partner - or a parasite?
A decade ago, I didn't mind paying what at the time seemed a fairly high price for unfriendly but workable software. After all, it's a necessary tool. Back then, expensive professional tools used to last a long time. No more it seems. These days, software from companies like Autodesk 'expire' after a few years - meaning you can't reinstall the software if your computer crashes. In fact, a 'subscription' (yearly fee whether you want updates or not) is now required. To make that stick, the file format is intentionally not backward compatible. And of course software costs continue to escalate - even as business continues to be poor.
Am I the only one shocked at $13,000 for a 'required' upgrade for 3 seats? Buy by March: 'or else'!
Am I the only one that cringes at being asked to sign up for an annual subscription for upgrades that I don't need or want?
Am I the only one with a feeling that if a fraction of the 86,000 members of the AIA put up a fraction of what we are each spending each year on software, we could buy or develop our own tools - and control our destiny and costs?
Fees down, costs up; upgrades forced by threats of being orphaned.
Am I the only one with a creepy feeling that we have a parasite infesting our profession?
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Michael Malinowski AIA
AIA Director - California Region
Applied Architecture, Inc.
Sacramento CA
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