No exactly the opposite. SU’s strength is its simplicity. That was its premise from the start. It’s goal was “3D for everyone”. Plug-ins, which you refer to as “silly”, allow the user to make SU as big or as small as you like. I think that is very clever.
5 Likes
yes i use 5 years old version but, i know also Sketchup 2020, i was using it in my friends pc, but i really did not find any difference. overall i really wish to see more features in Sketchup. 
thats all
1 Like
I suspect Sketchup has a very well thought out strategy on how to proceed. When they appear on the iPad, that is cool in it self, but mostly I think it is to make a new codebase that is totally native to the new Mac silicon, and Metal.
If they can keep a unified codebase (Mac/PC) for most of the software utilities, but use the latest and greatest in handling graphics speed for each platform separately, then that will benefit ALL platforms. From that they can overcome the hurdles of handling large files, and from that we get improvements in both sketchup and Layout, on all platforms. So the way they sell that strategy to the money people upstairs, is to branch out to the iPad, because that sounds cool to the money people.
Open GL is getting old.
SketchUp should focus on the evolution of its free program, Blender. They put a lot of effort to improve what users want and how the program should run… Sketchup 2021 version doesn’t crash frequently, but crashes still occur and things that you worked on are often lost… In particular, I think that large-capacity mesh processing capabilities are essential. Now is an era where simple modeling is not easy to use anywhere. I’ve used almost all 3D programs, but the one that is specialized for architecture is SketchUp, so I can’t throw it out. This is a problem… As an architect who has been using SketchUp for a long time, I hope this program will develop further.
3 Likes
And Blender doesn’t crash, it crashes also.
1 Like
I assume you mean that SketchUp should emulate the way Blender evolves? Blender is a separate, open-source project that has no connection to SketchUp or Trimble.
It doesn’t necessarily follow Blender’s method.
It’s about learning to listen to users’ needs and try to evolve them and create a better programming environment. Whatever it is, it is not a bad thing to try to satisfy the trend of the times and the requirements of customers. If SketchUp becomes more specialized for architecture and more users use it, isn’t it clear that it will bring greater profits to businesses as well?
2 Likes
i try to say same but they are hurting it and i dont know what i say bad? im on my way))
I’ve read through this thread and to a newbie it’s interesting. I don’t know what I’m talking about of course but I wonder if Trimble were ever to sell SU - if the subscribing users could buy it, own it and manage it?
Seems like a cool experiment in worker owned and operated cooperative enterprises. Research direction and ownership dues (subscription price) could be set by vote.
“Too many cooks in the kitchen”…sounds like a recipe for disaster.
6 Likes
Republic Windows and Doors did it.
Mondragon has been doing it since the end of WW2.
I’ll bet in both cases it was sold to employees, not to its customers.
You are right about that.
… I’m sure there’s a difference but what do you have in mind? … I mean what makes the difference here? … the difference that would be prohibitive?
I just don’t know enough about this kind of thing to see what seems obvious to you.
There is a sense in which we work for SU.
The main difference in employee purchased businesses is that they have a structure and business model in place to build upon, typically allowing a seamless transition.
Europe has large chains of cooperative stores and banks owned by their customers. In Finland the largest retail chain and bank are both cooperative. Then other coops are owned by their suppliers, like our dairy giant.
I wonder how that would work. Maybe it a SU cooperative would be more like a Farmers Co-op (for marketing and silos etc.), where it is a select group that has an interest–rather than like food co-ops where it can be the general public.
Not saying it’s a viable idea. I doubt there’d be ready funds as Trimble, or Google before, to pour in when needed.
Yes we have Co Ops here too, but they were established that way so they had a business plan in place. REI is one.
Having a customer base purchase the company would require some form of organization to work which is essentially a Co Op.
I can’t imagine the difficulty that type of approach would be for a software company.
Anybody know how many people use SU-Pro world wide?
Trimble does, but they’re not telling.
1 Like
Where do you get that info? A guess with no supporting data is worthless.
3 Likes