John, perhaps. Still, if Trimble needs to figure out a way of moving the scripting API of SketchUp to the cloud (as they have said they would do), then it will probably be the same or similar for Layout.
I would expect Trimble to provide all extension developers with some sort of rapid conversion toolset to help with that (fingers crossed!)
A good conspiracy theory.
Naahhh. It is more work to develop a web version as well as a native app. The web version is a dog. It is very sad that you have dropped the ball on SU Make. It is not easy to use and certainly not something folks are going to want to use overall.
Not a conspiracy theory. It is a hell of a lot of work to create SU “Free” for use in the cloud when they already have it developed on the Mac and PC. There has to be a reason and I don’t see a better explanation nor can I think of one.
I’ve used SU since the days of @Last. I bought Pro before Google and updated every couple of years for $100. Now I have to upgrade at full price because Trimble wants me to update every year or else. I don’t use it enough to justify another $700, and I’m very disappointed that the free version is web based. Very sad that such a great product diminished because of marketing $. Very sad. Trimble should keep SU Free native. And if they want to add 2nd tier pricing that too should be native. Making the “free” version web based is a disaster for users everywhere.
Thank you chipwalters. I agree 100%
Converting the Make C++ code to work in the browser might not be the monumental effort that you believe – There’s been a flurry of capable tools (like Emscripten and Webassembly) that can tremendously reduce the effort. Just a few years ago, a browser-based program like Sketchup Free was not foreseeable.
I would happily make a donation to continue to help in the development of SU without having to pay the full price for SUPro.
I am currently having the black screen issue (only recent) If anyone can help with that I want to continue with SU17.
And as was discussed in this very forum category (when it was still named “my.sketchup”,) these tools are exactly what was used.
The point is that it’s work for a reason that doesn’t appear to bode well for the future of SketchUp in MHO. I was considering swallowing the upgrade pill because my work is heading in that direction again, but given the apparent future of SU, I’m looking at reinvesting in another product. Makes me sad to see a very good product marginalized.
The Make users are the base from whence SU came. Because it was free and robust, I started there and eventually went pro. More importantly: 1) the fact that Trimble is spending time and energy on a web version when restricting features from Pro for Make would be so much easier, worries me about the future; 2) the fact that Make is abandoned for a very slow web version, SU free, tells me Trimble doesn’t care about students (which was also a major stepping stone to pro and in part why SU took off); nor, 3) the pro & free users like me who can’t reasonably occasionally and lightly use SU free 18 (because it is so ■■■■ slow), without having to upgrade every iteration.
Find me more than a few users, Pro users or not, who think SU free 18, i.e. SU free on the web bodes well for the future of SU.
Apple created Pages, Numbers and Keynote for the Mac and it became free (no doubt in part to compete w/ Google’s apps; then they created a web based version for non-Apple users (no doubt in part to offer an alternative to Google’s apps, and probably to draw even more non-Apple users to the Apple platforms). I can guarantee you the native app works much better and always will. Trimble has a different motive and it doesn’t bode well for the future of SU.
Could you try setting MSAA to 0x? Window > Preferences > OpenGL
Three key reasons Make was so important to my buying decision for SketchupPro
Availability. Being online is a deal breaker for jobsite activities and locations where bandwidth is limited or costly. I don’t mind paying for a couple Pro licenses for those who need it but friends, family, and co-workers who participate in development simply do not want to be tethered to the internet.
Trust. Do not trust cloud services for much of the more creative and potentially confidential work. I’ve spoken to several of my friends and I believe Trimble has seriously underestimated how little ‘any’ cloud service is trusted with confidential, sensitive, or private work. Cloud’s nemesis is advertising – I’m not looking forward to seeing Free become advertising funded.
Easy Free Team building. Granted there are more platforms but not much more. Windows and Mac had it covered. Make was the foundation of introducing someone to a ‘reliable’ 3D ecosystem. Free feels and acts like a web browser novelty they can get other places – Free looses its differentiator.
Keep in mind that anyone using SketchUp for non-hobby use is required to use Pro. Using SketchUp Make as you describes violates the EULA. SketchUp Free is also for non-commercial use only.
Having managed a software development team for a product which was to be used by multiple users, I can understand why it makes sense to move Sketchup toward a cloud solution. Keeping multiple databases in synch becomes a nearly undoable nightmare when multiple versions of both the program and the data exist. In the could there is only one database to be updated and managed. No or few changes will be required for Firefox, vs Chrome vs etc. This means that updates can be added in near real time. While this move will likely cause some initial grumbling- people resent change which is imposed on them - I suspect it will likely yield a much better product with more choices for design and pricing. My most humble suggestion for those using the Free version is accept the reality of the new cloud based world and go with the flow. Don’t fight it. Its like the tide. It will come in and go out regardless of when we want to go fishing.
Just tried to open a file I started in 2011 as a hobby. Can’t, my browser ALWAYS crashes. The file is 200mb and has hundreds of buildings and roads and components. It’s an entire city built for a comic work I have and now I can’t even use it. I have a high end gaming pc (1800x, gtx 970, 32gb ram) and the browser always crashes. Cloud stuff is great (word documents, pictures, music) but for this, a dedicated offline desktop app, I just don’t think it works.
Sure things change, and people do. But this change means my 200mb file is garbage. Something I spent 7 years making can not be used in the browser version of SU even on a 1800x, GTX 970 and 3GB of 3200 ram build. The desktop version EASILY handles my PC hardware but the browser one doesnt even open my files and crashes.
boo!!
I don’t think the take up will be very high!
200mb is a pretty big SketchUp model on any platform, but it sounds like it is still workable on SketchUp Make 2017. Memory management for large models will improve over time in SketchUp Free, but for now I’d recommend you keep using the desktop application. There’s no reason to expect that you won’t be able to continue doing so for many years to come.
You are missing the point. While Make users may not be “customers”, a large percentage of them WOULD be if Trimble offered a stripped down version for $100-$200. The code is written, it is no giant feat to throttle back a version for people who do not use it for profit.