Autodesk acquires Ecotect!

[Anonymous]

Hi All!

Now Autodesk acquires Ecotect too!

visit www.squ1.com for more!

[Bricklyne Clarence]

stefan wrote:
What worries me most is that ArchiCAD users will in the end be relying on applications by Autodesk with no clear future, just like Apple stopped developing Windows versions of the applications they bought (e.g. Logic, Shake).

What worries me more is what they tried to do with the introduction of the 2007 dwg format. Which is to make it an exclusive propriety format. In other words, despite the fact that dwg is already the industry standard of sorts, they still want to lock it even further and make it such that only Autodesk dwg is usable by Autodesk customers and despite the fact that ArchiCAD can read and save out dwg format, for example, you would still have to have an Autodesk product that can open the general dwg format and resave it as this propriety Autodesk version in order to be able to work with consultants who don't use ArchiCAD like we're currently used to. I hate to think what that even means for Mac users, since Autodesk have no plans of ever developing Mac-native products, but the gist is that they seem intent on forcing everyone who works with Autodesk customers to have to buy Autodesk products even just for file exchange. It would also explain their lukewarm attitude to IFC development.

[Anonymous]

As much as I want GS to succeed this is frustrating. Now I know why Marsh was not at the Roundtable in Boston. When they told us he was selling his software I had a feeling AutoDesk was involved in some way.

[Laura Yanoviak]

jorgec wrote:
Now I know why Marsh was not at the Roundtable in Boston.

Jorge -- I had the same thought.

[Anonymous]

There are things in life which you hate most but cannot live without, Microsoft windows in one of them.

No matter how hard I try to get rid of Autodesk products and Microsoft windows, I find myself back in the graveyard. I had no autodesk product on my computer since last 2.5+ years, but Know I have "Autodesk Ecotect".

I will be very interested in knowing, How is graphisoft reacting to this acquisition. Graphisoft may have this idea in much advance. Though I am not worried whether GS is going to be number one or not, what I am worried about is people should not say after few years "Once there was Graphisoft, and they had really nice product called ArchiCAD."

Best wishes to GS and looking forward for some building performance analysis solutions from it.

[Anonymous]

Rajesh wrote:
I will be very interested in knowing, How is graphisoft reacting to this acquisition.

Rajesh,

I would be concerned as it seems that AutoDesk wants to wipe out it's competition! Frankly, I am convinced that AutoDesk has a picture of the Graphisoft/Nemetschek logo in their War Room with a Bullseye on it. the darts are getting very close to the Bullseye !

Frankly, I have been convincing my company that we needed to go with Ecotect becuase they work well with Archicad. Now what? I am now convinced that since I have convinced my company to go with Solibri Model Checker over Navisworks that AutoDesk will squash that bug also.

I am really concerned and I hope that Dominic, Patrick and the rest of the team are working on something big. I know they have said they are but when AutoDesk continues to out do Graphisoft it's concerning. I am having a hard time convincing the management at my office that GS is still the way to go. I already had to get a copy of Revit to go with my AutoCAD and now Ecotect. I am willing to do what it takes to help GS but come on GS throw me a bone!

My recommendation is that GS purchase Solibri Model Checker soon or I will be put in the position of informing the management at my office that the reason I used to get Solibri is not the case anymore.

Solibri aquired by AutoDesk!! Please help us

[KeesW]

It really concerns me that Autodesk have bought Ecotect. Yet another competent vertically integrated accessory that we (ie the ArchiCad community) should have had access to. Can I float a novel idea? Why doesn't Graphisoft buy some of these products and let Autodesk cooperate with us? No, I guess that is stretching the imagination. Oh well, there's always Revit! And if we move, it is because of Graphisoft's complacency.

[Anonymous]

jorgec wrote:
I would be concerned as it seems that AutoDesk wants to wipe out it's competition! Frankly, I am convinced that AutoDesk has a picture of the Graphisoft/Nemetschek logo in their War Room with a Bullseye on it. the darts are getting very close to the Bullseye !

Be afraid. Autodesk is only interested in complete world domination, whether that's good for marketplace or not. Graphisoft/Nemetschek seem to be comparatively asleep at the wheel. I am glad for AC users that elevation and section generation has sped up with AC12, but it's still slower than Revit, where even the largest elevation might take no more than a minute or two to get up on-screen. And that's just the tip of the iceberg: Adesk has many smart, driven people who are behind all of these very strategic acquisitions. I don't think they're being done to lock out other users as much as tighten the connection between Adesk products.

[Bricklyne Clarence]

metanoia wrote:
........
Be afraid. Autodesk is only interested in complete world domination, whether that's good for marketplace or not. Graphisoft/Nemetschek seem to be comparatively asleep at the wheel. I am glad for AC users that elevation and section generation has sped up with AC12, but it's still slower than Revit, where even the largest elevation might take no more than a minute or two to get up on-screen. And that's just the tip of the iceberg: Adesk has many smart, driven people who are behind all of these very strategic acquisitions. I don't think they're being done to lock out other users as much as tighten the connection between Adesk products.

The really sad thing about all this is that Autodesk don't really need to be so driven and "hungry" given the massive gap in resource advantages that they hold over their nearest 'rivals' and 'competitors'. It's not like they stand to lose any ground if they adopt any other stance. In fact they could sit back and do nothing (features development-wise) for the next couple of versions of their major products while maintaining their aggressive marketing campaign and still eat out a large share of Nemetschek/GS marketshare without breaking a sweat.

One would have to be forgiven for thinking that given the pace, drive and urgency with which their developing the products, that Autodesk really was the underdog company facing extinction from the larger more dominant and considerably complacent Nemtschek/GS rival. Yet the opposite is true; GS are the ones under threat and Autodesk are the ones that can afford all sorts of complacency, and detachment the sort of which seems to be freely exhibited by GS at the moment.

But just try explaining that to any of the cheering squad here who believe all is right with the product and that we live in the best of all possible GS worlds and that the product (or service) couldn't possibly be better...........,

Just sad.
I'm more sad than afraid, really, since I've more or less come to terms with the inevitable.

[stefan]

Bricklyne wrote:
[...]But just try explaining that to any of the cheering squad here who believe all is right with the product and that we live in the best of all possible GS worlds and that the product (or service) couldn't possibly be better...........,
Just sad.
I'm more sad than afraid, really, since I've more or less come to terms with the inevitable.

Do you have the feeling that the users here are all happy and without fears? In fact, many people involved in the beta-testing have expressed all their complaints and doubts on different occasions. Everybody likes ArchiCAD, but most users are critical and demand improvements. There are not many people here that are unconditional followers of the GS mantra...

FWIW, I have doubts myself over the future of ArchiCAD, but at the same time have the feeling that GS development team has a vision. They are not always able to finish the features they come up with and I was hoping that the merger with Nemetschek would give them somehow more resources, but that does not seem to be happening right now.

And the pressure from Revit is increasing, not only by Autodesk but also by the construction industry around us.

[Anonymous]

I do have a feeling that there are enough blind people around GS to keep that thing going.

Let me put it in another perspective.

1) MOST of architects - engineers above 40-45 have bad relationship with computers and technology.
2) New generation is on the other hand very well engaged with technology.
3) With the pass of time there is a need to control the building procedure from. Not just draw it. Ofcourse there are different needs for detail.
4) AC could actually very well scale to do that job, as we have seen with constructor, but i cannot understand why GS did not intergrate the product in AC (through addon modules, with extra price ofcourse) and sold the product to vico.
5) AC is behind competition unfortunately. A product that was far ahead is now behind. AC is now trying to play catchup and unfortunatelly with the pace of development it will soon not be possible. It will need 5-6 versions before AC gets ahead (with this pace) if competitors stop developing.
6) Green Architecture is very important (at least for EU architects, with the new legislation that requires buildings to have energy labelling) and the lack of tools would be really embarrassing.