Comparing software

[Anonymous]

Our firm is considering purchasing ArchiCAd. We are trying to compare it to various other CAD programs such as Revit, VectorWorks and VisionRez. Can anyone give us some insight on pros and cons of these programs? We're a small size architectural firm working on light commercial and some high-end residential.

Appreciate any input. Thanks. MJ

[Laszlo Nagy]

There has been some discussion about these topics lately. Try using the Search function of this web page to find some of those answers.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the response. I've searched but haven't found a discussion of serious pros and cons to some of the more popular software for producing architectural construction drawings. Can you give me some direction on searching for these discussions?

[TomWaltz]

MJ,

I believe you need to both select a software that can do what you want and make sure there is a support network to help with the transition.

The best way you can do this is to contact your local dealers for each product. Most resellers will provide a demo copy of some kind for you to experiment with. Take it. Play with it. See how each program is to learn and to work with. Once you have completed this, call the dealers back and ask them to do a comparison. Each one will try to sell their own obviously, but the big questions to ask are not "Can your software do X?" but instead:

• 1) "Show me how your software can create the product our company expects." (renderings, construction drawings, etc). Of course they will tell you it can. You need them to prove it. If you have a certain appearance for schedules, trim parts, or section markers you want to use, make them prove to you that you can get them. This does two things: It tells makes them SELL their product and it provides insight into #2.
  2) What kind of post-sale training and ongoing support to they provide? Are you going to be on your own? Will they help you with template creation and file transition? Will they help create custom objects you need? How quickly can they respond to emergencies?

Changing CAD software is a strategic decision that is not entered into lightly. I know that what I am recommending will take time, but I believe it is the minimum due diligence for such a decision.

[KeesW]

Many years ago, when I persuaded our office to go into CAD, I devised a small project comprising a workstation (we were doing a lot of large office interiors) and invited CAD vendors to draw it, from scratch, whilst I watched them do so. The demo was done in the supplier's own office so that there could be no excuses for poor equipment. I gave them several weeks notice, so that they would be prepared, but did not give them the project. They got 2 hours to produce a dimensioned plan, elevations and one 3D view. Only one vendor could produce it in the time and that is what we bought.

What was disappointing then, and it might be the same these days, is how poorly prepared vendors were to demonstrate their product on a real project. The representatives doing the demo's just didn't know how their software worked, and our assesment may have been based on the competence of the demonstrator, rather than on that of the product.

But, are there better ways to evaluate a new product?

KeesW

[Dwight]

Without considering the mechanics of the application, I look at the community surrounding the product and the kinds of discussions they have.

Whether we accept it or not, each application develops a "culture" around it - akin to corporate culture - that shows how those guys solve problems - functional and managerial. All software has problems - what ARE the workarounds and limitations???

Let the users talk.