BIMx Docs announced

[Laszlo Nagy]

You guys might want to check this out, I think it is a pretty cool development of BIMx.
It is called BIMx Docs and integrates 2D and 3D Viewing with hyperlinks:

http://www.graphisoft.com/info/news/press_releases/bimx_docs_ios.html

Also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiQmIQuJyMI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XnAkShOq7o

[Richard Morrison]

Miki wrote:
I have just read about the license and I feel like this is a big limitation. Who pays it? Architect, owner, subcontractor, all? They (Graphisoft) really haven't learned anything from BIMx previous lessons. It should be free and that's it. Architect already pays all the licenses. How can I ask a customer or partner that he has to pay for the access to the project?

I agree. I can't see telling a client and/or contractor that they now need to pay $50 to look at their project that I've just produced. This is exactly the reason that I haven't bothered to upgrade my Artlantis license. This puts the architect in an awkward situation.

[Karl Ottenstein]

I see your points of view (that the viewer should be free) - but also don't see $5 (4.99) as a big deal for a meaningful construction budget. According to the press release, that I finally read (!), it is only $5/project ... the $50 is for unlimited projects.

Standard BIMx is still free; we're just talking about the new features in BIMx Docs. Certainly Graphisoft deserves some compensation for developing the app?

I suppose we'll hear more from GS soon... perhaps because so many folks are in San Diego for the user conference, we won't hear more until next week...

[Karl Ottenstein]

My confusion - and perhaps that of others - is that BIMx Docs is listed in the App Store as a $49.99 app and yet according to the press release, that is wrong.

According to the Press Release, the standard, free, BIMx app will now have an in-app purchase option of $4.99 per project, or $49.99 for unlimited projects. If that's how it is priced, then the app store should only show the free app.

Has anyone tried/verified the in-app purchase of 4.99 yet?

[Richard Morrison]

Karl wrote:
I see your points of view (that the viewer should be free) - but also don't see $5 (4.99) as a big deal for a meaningful construction budget. The contractor might easily pay +/- $50 for a set of prints from whatever print shop you upload the PDF document set to. They certainly don't HAVE to use BIMx Docs... but if they want to, the price doesn't seem unreasonable...

My understanding is that this price is per MODEL. If there are several options, then aren't we looking at the "multi-option" version to get the 2D docs? I would be happy to pay the $50 myself for a license (well, not happy, but okay with it), but I really don't like nickel & diming my client if I can avoid it.

[Ben Cohen]

Richard wrote:
My understanding is that this price is per MODEL. If there are several options, then aren't we looking at the "multi-option" version to get the 2D docs? I would be happy to pay the $50 myself for a license (well, not happy, but okay with it), but I really don't like nickel & diming my client if I can avoid it.

I have purchased the 'Multi-option' and it seems that new versions of a project are 'upgraded' when they are imported into BIMx so I would imagine the single project license will allow for revisions.
Back in the day, I paid about $1600 for Zermatt then another $1200 for VBE (essentially the same thing). So merely another $50 seems entirely reasonable to me

[Bricklyne Clarence]

Richard wrote:

Karl wrote:
I see your points of view (that the viewer should be free) - but also don't see $5 (4.99) as a big deal for a meaningful construction budget. The contractor might easily pay +/- $50 for a set of prints from whatever print shop you upload the PDF document set to. They certainly don't HAVE to use BIMx Docs... but if they want to, the price doesn't seem unreasonable...

My understanding is that this price is per MODEL. If there are several options, then aren't we looking at the "multi-option" version to get the 2D docs? I would be happy to pay the $50 myself for a license (well, not happy, but okay with it), but I really don't like nickel & diming my client if I can avoid it.

I agree.
I really don't understand why they would choose to institute such a ridiculous price structure that places the architect in such an awkward position relative to the clients (and/or consultants) they're working for (with).
That's assuming that this is really the structure they're instituting.

That's like charging a client to see the plans you've produced for him - ON TOP OF the fees he's already paying you - each time you have to show him drawings or a hard copy, on a per sheet basis.
No client would ever agree to work this way.

Why not put all the cost on the side of the Architect (like when they pay for an ArchiCAD/BIMx/BIMx DOCS license) and leave them with the ability to produce cost-free viewable models (which again begs the question of why they decided to get rid of the export as a self-contained .EXE/.APP option that used to exist with VBE) that they only have to download via a link?

They're going to lose a lot of money and support (and interest) on an otherwise great product, if they persist with this ridiculous pricing model.

I know I would never ask a client or consultant to have to pay an extra cost (whatever it is, even the $4.99 for a single model) to get and/or view a model like this and still hope to keep their business after that.Especially if you're already charging them a fee.

It just comes off as, or feels like outright grifting, somewhat.

[Barry Kelly]

I agree the fees should ideally be on the Archicad users side rather than the clients.
$5 is not a lot for the client compared to the cost of construction and of course the client only needs to pay if he wants to see the 2D docs in detail together with the 3D model.
But the one job may have more than one client, then there are the supervisors who would like this on site, and maybe even some tech savvy contractors, also consultants involved in the job and office staff who could find this beneficial.
And I am sure there are many more who would find the combining of 3D model and 2D docs useful.

I think it would be much better if we could license it at time of production.

Also Ben mentioned that "new versions of a project are 'upgraded' when they are imported into BIMx" but does this simply mean creating the file with exactly the same name when altering?
Does it have to be re-created on the same machine?
Does it only work for files down-loaded through the BIMx cloud server (is that the correct terminology)?
What if I want to copy directly through the iTunes software to an iPad?

Because we are now dealing with documents there are always going to be changes occurring and this is what concerns me most.
The multi-license purchase will obviously solve this but I would hate to be on the receiving end of a client who has purchased a single license only to have to purchase another due to a re-issue of the BIMx model.

Barry.

[Laszlo Nagy]

I am wondering if it is possible for the Architect to buy the 5 buck option for the Client by asking for his/her Apple ID and buying the option for him/her?

[Anonymous]

Bricklyne

I feel completely the opposite way on this!
We are going to roll it out to each of our site supervisors.
This is going to be an incredible tool and at $50 Aus it's well worth it.
If contractors want the bonus of docs, well we'll look at gifting them an itunes card.
We may even look at giving individual clients the same gift card deal.
I'd never ask a client to buy the full version it but as a tool for any consultant,
trade or anyone else involved in our building process $50 for a tool is an absolute minor expense.

[Ben Cohen]

I personally think that GS have the pricing spot on.
I would rather pay the $50 for my own unlimited use, and have the client pay what really is a nominal fee to view their project - but if they are happy with the 3d only view - they pay nothing. If they don't want to pay 4.99 to see this awesome technology, their loss.

Kudos to Graphisoft, I hope they sell millions