Bentley driving me nuts

[Anonymous]

I have been put in charge of exploring Bentley because of its ability to bridge different formats seeing that we use Revit and AC. #1 problem was getting any information other than the same sales pitch we received 4 times. #2 Then to even get them to return emails or phone calls was a task within its self.

I finally got a trial version but was told by 3 people that work at Bentley/MS that they don't like to give out trials because it is so hard to use that people get turned off by it before they give it a chance. (Have to agree)

To top that off, the impression that I was given by superiors is that we need to learn it on our own and as fast as possible. (Thanks!)

I have a sneaking suspicion that they do not realize what it is like to have to learn a THIRD bim product, or one for that matter....

[Anonymous]

JLKilgore wrote:
... but the job we are chasing is for the core of engineers and they insist it is 100% Bentley. UGh

Don't we just love the politics of CAD/BIM. First, at great pain & expense, we adopt the electronic way designing. Then both we and the software makers market it to our clients as the greatest thing since slice bread. They adopt. Then turn around and tell us what software to use and how to use it. The double edged sword cuts again.
Same issue here:
http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=27492

Dave

[Anonymous]

That may be a double edge sword but powers that be that are clueless to BIM and Architecture period is more like a bazooka to the face.

I should have went to law school....sigh, hindsight.

[Anonymous]

JLKilgore wrote:
That may be a double edge sword but powers that be that are clueless to BIM and Architecture period is more like a bazooka to the face.

Since you're running constructor I'm guessing you work for a construction firm. If so that is a doubly tough nut to crack.

I know, I spent nearly 2 years in a consulting contract for a large regional one trying to get them to understand and implement BIM in some productive way.
In the end, what they really wanted was to use it for marketing and to be able to claim that they were BIM "experts" to meet proposal qualifications. Some hospitals are starting to require this.

They finally ended up hiring a guy to run Navisworks to import models from the designers to show the owners they are doin' BIM. It's not used in any way other than for show (no project management, field coordination, interference check, estimating, nothing) What a waste. Oh except they qualify and get work doing it that way. And that ,as some say, is the bottom line.

Dave

PS:When they called me I was on Microstation. In the process of trying to convince them, it convinced me to switch to ArchiCAD.

[Anonymous]

ONLY in Architecture can that happen, I would LOVE not to take my lawyers advice or suggest a better method to him knowing that I know nothing about law.

*Smacking forehead*

[Erika Epstein]

Dave wrote:
They finally ended up hiring a guy to run Navisworks to import models from the designers to show the owners they are doin' BIM. It's not used in any way other than for show (no project management, field coordination, interference check, estimating, nothing)

I disagree: I've seen large construction companies insisting on 3Dmodels because the Navisworks weekly review is integral to their construction process.

[Anonymous]

Yeah I like Navisworks, I am new to is but so far everything I have seen it do it is a handy side tool to have.

Really now a days we can do anything with the myriad of programs available. I have been researching so many that my head is spinning on this one does this that one does that.

If I could have a superpower it would be to master any computer program in one day. Maybe our kids will "download" a la Matrix and laugh at us for having to "learn" a program.

[Anonymous]

Erika wrote:

Dave wrote:
They finally ended up hiring a guy to run Navisworks to import models from the designers to show the owners they are doin' BIM. It's not used in any way other than for show (no project management, field coordination, interference check, estimating, nothing)

I disagree: I've seen large construction companies insisting on 3Dmodels because the Navisworks weekly review is integral to their construction process.

I agree with your disagreement

My point was that this contractor is only using it for marketing. Not for "review..integral to their construction process"