What has happened to this program? Why in the world do I need to pay $119 a year for a program that can’t even open the few files I need to open and why are they trying to accomplish this in a browser? How does my payment not allow me to use the desktop version? I don’t need fancy rendering aids and custom materials, I need easily accessible 3d drafting capabilities and apparently Sketchup no longer offers that.
What kind of files are you trying to open? SketchUp Go will open older SketchUp files with no problem.
You chose to get SketchUp Go, the web-based version. If youwant to use the desktop version you need to get SketchUp Pro. This is clearly outlined on the SketchUp website.
Consider it a cost of doing business.
Yes. It does offer that.
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The cost of doing business should allow for monthly subscriptions for the classic version and IF they want you to use an online platform, that platform should be able to handle larger files. $300 for using sketchup very periodically is kind of a joke. Guess we will keep rocking the free trials on different email addresses.
So I can get free design work from you for my pool and BBQ area?
Why would you expect some special treatment when you are blatantly violating the EULA?
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If you can’t make back $300 in a year of designing things, perhaps you should re-examine your business. SketchUp is a great tool, tools cost money.
But more to the point, what file is $119 SketchUp Go not able to open? How big is it? Can you post the file here via a sharing service link so we can see what SketchUp GO is failing to open?
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I assure you it’s not about the money. It’s the principle of paying a year subscription for something I need to review one to two files a year. I pay for the programs that I actually need and sketchup is just not one of them I frequently need. As shown above, I have already purchased the crappy online version of sketchup thinking it would be enough which apparently isn’t good enough for this neighborhood file.
Well if you only need to review a file, download the completely free desktop version of the Viewer.
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For what it’s worth, the new Go subscription includes the iPad version, and that does do better for performance and handling larger file size than the web browser version.
That won’t help you if you don’t have an iPad. The web version is updated every couple of weeks. If there is something the desktop version can do that you are missing, it may be located in a different part of the app, or you should ask for that to be added. The desktop version is updated 2 to 4 times per year. Having up to 26 updates per year gives more chances for adding features and fixing problems.
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Don’t you think this is a wee bit entitled? Do you expect the price of a tool–any tool–to be based on how often you need it? By that logic why should I have paid full price for a chainsaw when I only need it once or twice a year? Sounds like you want a daily rental–which I suppose is possible, but makes little sense for 99.9% of users.
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A monthly SketchUp subscription would be a good idea for Trimble to consider.
This would keep all occasional users of SketchUp Make!
Of course, the monthly subscription would be more expensive, like €34.99/me, automatically renewable.
The advantage is that the user can end the subscription from the second month if he no longer needs it.
I am sure that financially Trimble will find its account there and the users too!
I’ve said it before, so I’ll be a broken record and say it again. The casual user would benefit most from adopting a system like what ProVue uses for Panorama X database. You buy a year’s worth of subscription, and if you’re a full time user, you use that up in one year, but if you don’t use it every month, that “year’s worth” of subscription lasts you more than a year.
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I’m all for alternate payment plans. When my house is done I might be interested in a limited access plan if the price is right. But what I don’t understand is why the OP feels SU owes him a special plan, and implies that SU somehow pulled the rug out from under him after he signed up for a plan that doesn’t meet his needs.
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I’m tagging @allisonw - she would be interested your suggestion, and RTCool’s idea too.
I hope some of you are going to 3D Basecamp, it’s a good opportunity to make these arguments in person.
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I still can’t even grasp the complaints on SU pros cost? It is truly amazing to me. I certainly hope those complaining also don’t own a cell phone, use electricity or buy underwear every year…
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I hope that the idea of a monthly subscription for occasional users will be defended by someone at 3D Basecamp because I can’t come this year.
If Trimble finds a formula to keep all user profiles even those who have used SketchUp Make in the past it will be the jackpot!
Some users complain because the evolution of the SketchUp PRO offer to was too brutal even if the price of the product is justifiable!
Users have been accustomed to a Free desktop version or to a perpetual license and going from Gartuit to 299€/year is a bit too much.
That’s why I defend the idea of an intermediate monthly offer so that everyone finds their account!
I reckon a lot of hobby users and companies who think $300 is expensive could take advantage of the monthly fee basis. They might do one project from time to time, or they might do as much work as possible in Web, then buy a license of Pro for 1 month just to use a few features and export using LO.
If so, then they’d be getting amazing value for money, but it wouldn’t affect the companies who would use Pro anyway.
I do think the Web the software’s future depends on retaining a high market share and large user base, which is fundamental to driving extension development and popularity generally.
If your goal is to migrate people from Web to Pro then the platforms have to be made as similar as possible; ideally make it really easy for Web users to buy add-ins, just like any Freemium game.
Why isn’t LayOut (or any other extension/upgrade) sold as a Paid extension for Web?
We don’t we have an extension store for SketchUp?
Is somebody in the monetization department at Trimble asleep at the wheel?
Not exactly sure what this means. I use SU personally for my own projects and graduated from the free version to Pro several years ago. I care about costs, too, but didn’t find the expense particularly onerous given the benefits I was receiving. Sonder makes a good point about the other things people choose to spend money on. I buy a lot of carpentry tools and appreciate the value they bring. Other people don’t, so they either have to hire someone else to do their building and remodeling projects, borrow tools from a friend, or rent. There’s no right or wrong answer, just your personal priorities and what you value.
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My 1c worth of comments.
Under the perpetual license system I upgraded and paid every year without fail. The cost wasn’t really an issue. I would still pay for yearly upgrades if it was available. I have not changed to the subscription plan.
I am now getting to the ‘Use By Date’ of my career. There may be a few or more years left. The reason for not changing to the subscription model is - I cannot access old files (will happen for sure) when I have retired if I am on a subscription plan without paying for a year’s subscription (nearly AU $500).
If Trimble can offer me a way around this then I will change to the subscription plan. I couldn’t be fairer than that.
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I used the free version for a bunch of years, and felt I should contribute to Trimble so I purchased the 2018 version on a black friday sale. I was happy enough but didn’t upgrade to 2019 or 2020 when I had the chance. I had no desire to migrate to the subscription model, for similar reasons noted in various posts above, not using it a lot, didn’t justify the cost.
However, that was short lived when the 3D library etc. no longer was available, which I presume was a move intended to make me migrate to the subscription model. It had the reverse effect - it made me less willing to migrate. When you buy a tool, you expect it to work until it naturally wears out, not when it is made obsolete by a programmer. I still use win xp on my laptop, because later versions won’t run my version of quicken. Why keep the old version? It had options not available on later versions. And I am used to it. Is it perfect? No.
I understand that software companies like Trimble and Adobe have large staffs to pay, and the subscription model provides an income stream, that people like me who buy just one version don’t provide. While my CS 6 will work on my D 750 it won’t on later cameras. Nor will they provide updates to software owners like myself.
Personally I think eventually they will come to realize, the untapped market of users like myself, using older versions, would be happy to pay for the odd upgrade if it provided some useful functionality we were willing to pay for. I would pay for an upgrade to CS6 for example, if they offered a Nikon Z5 upgrade.
I would suggest upgrade packages that provided a certain parameter of options. Adobe Acrobat does that and Trimble could also. Offer a stand alone option that allowed importing PDFs. Another that offered improved Layout. Another for full access to 3d workshop & google maps, another for expanded materials, textures, hatches etc.
G
This seems to be the thought of a lot of people here…
My guess is they have other legitimate reasons and are not doing this to annoy you.
This is not personal but to all those before mentioned people: The world doesn’t revolve around you! So get over it!!
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