I’ve always been an SU-PRO user, right back in the days when I saw a YOUTUBE video from the originators, ATLAST.
I didn’t realise SU-MAKE has such a following, this forum thread, now over 400, suggests it may have some influence ?
Anyway, soon after buying SU, I then discovered bonzia3D or formz & was even more impressed with the in-house architectural tools. However, the world seemed to go for SU, so I sort of stuck with it, even though, I still like what I see from formz & may be the better tool. They too have a free ‘make-version’ so perhaps the SU-make users could consider other markets ?
Trying new software is always daunting, but can be rewarding at the same time. Talking of time, this has always been my issue, i.e. not enough of it to learn new avenues, but if no real alternative, then perhaps worth a try if free ?
I also recently discovered BLENDER, or should I say, discovered what it could do with all-the add-on’s. That too seems like a good direction, it even has professional looking dark theme interface. Links below for interested parties.
Thanks- this kind of feedback helps us to understand what features you would like to see us working on next. Very helpful. I think I’ve already commented on material editing (importing and editing textures is a part of that) and extensions, but not length snapping. In fact, we haven’t implemented a user preferences system at all yet, but we’re working on it.
I think if we did all of this, we’d end up shipping a competitor to Maya— probably not the direction we’re heading with the product at this time. But there are definitely some features in there that are commonly requested by folks who do architectural visualization for a living. Is this the kind of work you’re doing?
Thanks for your support through the years and I appreciate your comments here. Before I joined @Last Software, I was a FormZ in a design firm user as well. It may surprise you to know this, but SketchUp actually predated YouTube by a few years. We used to pay (lots of money) to Akamai to stream training videos to folks like you, so we were all pretty happy when YouTube made it easier for us to do that.
I had Sketchup Make for a couple of months until I had a problem with the curser that freezes for about 10 secs when I click on it. All other functions are fine. I was told here in the forum to buy the 2018 Sketchup Pro in order to be able to fix the problem. I just downloaded the trial version to see what I could do with this problem prior to purchasing it. What would you suggest I do? Thx. C.
So you’re basically saying you don’t want anyone besides professionals to use it anymore?
Web based free edition = trash
How about some alternate model between $700 pro and trash web version?
I could get behind purchasing it for a reasonable price for home use, but this web version just makes me want to not waste any more time learning your product.
I don’t know who John is, but excuse me for not having a few hours to read 412 comments that date back to November. But thanks for posting a worthless addition to this thread, instead of pointing me in the right direction.
I read enough to know that Make will no longer be updated, there’s a pro and a free version, the free version has a fraction of the features, is slower, and requires an internet connection to run. Inferior in almost every way. While the pro version costs $700 w/ 1 year of support, and will cost an additional $120 annually for maintenance moving forward. Extremely cheap for business software, and extremely overpriced for someone like myself that will use it to mock up a few workbenches or wood shelving for the garage.
But hey, they don’t make money from free users, so F em.
I’m the Director of Product Management for Trimble’s “Architecture & Design” division, which includes SketchUp and all the other products we’ve built around it over the years. I’ve been a product designer/manager on SketchUp since the startup (@Last Software) over fifteen years ago. I’m bullish on browser/cloud software (blame my time at Google if you need a reason) and am paying very close attention to SketchUp Free.
This thread is now very long, but it contains a lot of discussion on the points you have raised. I don’t think it makes sense to reopen those points anew in the same thread? If you want to talk about the product or our strategy around it, I think you’d be rewarded by reading the thread. I’d welcome any additional insight you brought to the discussion.
If you just want to share your concern about the changes we’re making, however, I get that too. I’m listening and I hear you.
“I’m the Director of Product Management for Trimble’s “Architecture & Design” division…I’m bullish on browser/cloud software”
I’ve read all I need to right here. I wish you well. I too am a fan of cloud based software, when it is a correct fit. There are times when software is too complex for web based applications (VMware Vsphere client comes to mind), and I believe your software also falls into that category. There is simply not enough space to hide stuff that used to live in context menus in a web browser, and the performance is meh.
I used your web based application for about an hour today, just trying to do basic tasks and came up with all kinds of issues. I do not intend to be a free QC analyst though, so I will look elsewhere.
I tried to open SU Make 17 (and unlike yesterday when it open normally) today the opening looks like this (see screenshot). The top 20% of the screen is a blank “dead zone”. I have tried re-installing and the same result. Long time user - confused.
How about contributing to this thread instead of just bashing the product. Although I’m a pro user, I find the Free version pretty amazing (hey, I can now use my Chromebook to doodle) and I’m optimistic on the possibilities.
What were the “all kind of issues”? Being a new user it might just be that you couldn’t locate some tools in the menus. Perhaps you discovered a new problem that the SU staff can add to the backlog.
SketchUp is one of my favorite hobbies. I do lots of skate park visualizations and I’m also learning some architecture. I’m considering buying SketchUp Pro, so I can try to make money with SketchUp selling small things first that I get shops to build for me, like fingerboarding obstacles or something.
“How about contributing to this thread instead of just bashing the product”
Well, let’s look at what would be considered contributing to this thread shall we. Here’s a quote from the thread starter, Caroline:
"CarolineSketchUp Team
Nov '17
As SketchUp evolves…we’d love to hear what you love and [gulp] loathe about our web modeler."
I believe I stayed on topic, but I’m not sure what you’re asking for is actually on topic. As I stated in my last message, I do not intend to provide free QA for a product that I don’t want anything to do with.
As some one with more clout than me once said “You can’t please all of the people all of the time.”
I use SketchUp Make - because it it was one of the suggestions in the manual that came with a 3D printer I was given as a present. I can do everything I want to (except true circles) so I have never needed to go to Pro. Make has already left me behind - the 2017 version will not run on my computer, and I’m not updating the computer until it breaks, or I can no longer get anti-virus software for it.
As for the Internet - I do well to get a 20mbps download, about 4mbps upload. I do keep what money I have in a bank, not under the bed, but I do not want to keep all my data on a cloud.
I am now well into retirement, but I do recall that things are different when you use the tool to earn a living.
Good luck to Trimble team, and all you users, and I refer you back to my opening statement.
Read about Dan’s use of Dark Reader which tweaks browser background (I personally cannot stand dark themes - they make my eyes go ya-ya.)
@PMF, try updating your graphics driver. Start a new thread under Technical Problems category if you need more help. This thread is about something else.
As a business stand point I understand and somewhat agree with Trimble on this move.
I would like to suggest a solution that people have not mentioned but might help with alot of the issues I have read: offering a Sketchup Pro monthly rental option for a small fee.
I’m sure you had bottom line considerations in mind when you made this decision (as a business owner I certainly don’t blame you for that). None of us outside of Trimble understand the realities of how you came to this plan but here we are, and you asked for our thoughts so here is my 2 cts…
I was a professional AutoCAD user when a client brought SketchUP to my attention (2006). She really liked the idea of seeing a 3D model of her house. She said it was free so I downloaded it and powered through what was a pretty easy learning curve. I got the bug and modeled the whole house and quite a bit of the structure as well then moved back to AutoCAD to do the prints. I did another couple projects like this and eventually admitted that this was a program worth the money that was being asked. Over time I completely ditched AutoCAD and my workflow is all in SketchUP and LayOUT at this point with very few exceptions.
Concluding thoughts:
-Please don’t underestimate the how many users the robust free version has brought into the fold of paying customers.
-The development of LayOUT is what allowed me drop AutoCAD. It could use plenty more development and could bring in more professionals
-If you make the Pro version a cloud based program I am completely out of here as soon as I can find another option. I’m going to start exploring now because I don’t want to be left in the lurch for some surprise update concept. Cloud based programs for my design-build process are a deal breaker, no way they would work for my company.
-I get you may be hoping that more free users buy a license with this move but the barrier is too high. Watch the sales figures, consider a lite option if you need more revenue. This is sad to say but if makes me smell blood in the water, feels like a desperate move. I really hope I’m wrong about that.
Thanks for the fantastic program and the request for feedback. I hope this program can continue to grow and develop in a positive way.
