ArchiCAD vs. VectorWorks

[SeaGeoff]

ArchiCAD rocks.

VectorWorks sucks.

VectorWorks is not now nor never will be BIM. It's for cheapskate cretins who cannot handle a real program like ArchiCAD.

Petri wrote:

Bricklyne wrote:
Much as I would love to get into a pissing contest

Well, I think this pretty much sums up the intellectual level and capacity of ArchiCAD users.

Oh yea? Well your mother uses autocad

[TomWaltz]

uh, Dwight, you're wearing black too....

[Dwight]

yes.
I make fun of black outfits.
That's self-referential.

It is like making a racist joke about your own race.
No one takes offense because of your "ownership" of the issue.

It is like when a person in my upscale neighborhood hears the phrase "Hoedown" he thinks his neighbor has taken a break from gardening.

[Anonymous]

I am finally moving my office from AutoCAd, we had one client last year who broke my balls with changes, and is now refusing to pay!!! You gotta laugh...

I picked three people from my office (i was one of the test dummies), we all tried ArchiCad over the Christmas period. The brief, produce a copy of our favorite project last year. A block of four high end Batchelor pads (those clients were fun, and paid).

Anyway, the prognosis;
1. It can't do split levels, good God, that was frustrating, trying all sorts of workarounds.
2. Flat rooves were interesting, convincing Archicad that you wanted to do a roof deck is a chore.
3. Simple glass balustrading was painful.
4. VERY limited set of standard modles such as cabinets etc.
5. Anyone manage to convince cabinets to go around an oblique corner (greater than 90 degrees).
6. One of the test dummies didnt manage to even get as far as the first floor.
7. Curved walls are over complicated, wall junctions looked sloppy (We are anal when it comes to drawing presentation quality).
8. The dual pitched, curved copper roof over the entrance foyer looked like an Engineer designed it.

Perhaps I am being harsh, but I will be slow to move into Archicad until at least they resolve split levels. It one of our calling cards.

Also, we spent a small fortune EACH on addons, we were NOT allowed communicate with each other during the trial. Why should I pay for a tool that allows me to do a curved curtain wall, with VERY basic mullions as an extra. How do the licences work for that? The same can be said for the models, specifically the doors and windows.

We all take a break this week, REVIT next, then VectorWorks.

I am slightly put off by the licence deals with Revit.

[TomWaltz]

I'm inclined to say.... "huh?"

Why do you think Archicad cannot do many of those things? Were you just trying to figure it out on your own?

[Laura Yanoviak]

Hibernian56 wrote:
Perhaps I am being harsh...

You should really get some training/speak with an experienced user before you use the word "can't". And why are you spending money on add-ons while you are still testing the base product??? You should be investing in books/training materials. "ArchiCAD Project Framework" for instance, covers split levels.

[Dwight]

While others might better respond to the wrap-around cabinet issue (your #5 gripe), and many users have difficulty getting clean wall intersections (your #7 gripe) without lots of placement discipline (and luck - see attached), anyone with a medium amount of Archicad experience can handle the other tasks with ease, altho i do not understand your gripe #8 - the entry roof issue.... is it a library part you complain about, or pragmatic design (as engineers are wont to do) or what?

Archicad users tend to be generous with newcomers. When I lectured in Dublin, i found a wonderful community who would go out of their way to help a fellow get over the bumps of being a blockhead.

Archicad can do the job even though it doesn't always work the way you expect.