When is the release of Revit 8 ?

[Joef]

What I wonder about is why there was no press release announcing this official release. If the NDA is such a big deal then there should be some formal announcement of all the new features. AutoCAD 2006 has been PR'd quite a bit, so why the big quiet on Revit?

[rookwood]

I'm assuming it won't be available for downloading?

After pondering this for several hours, I've concluded that it will be made available for downloading since they get a lot of mileage currently from their 30 day trial download offer.

Autodesk, easily, could have made a download available immediately to those who pay dearly for the subscription service. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I thought that was one of the perks I signed up for.

Along similar lines, has anyone noticed that Microsoft just released Windows XP 64 in Japan and it won't be available in the US until Monday. I'm interested only because I am holding off buying a new workstation notebook until it can be configured with the new 64 bit OS.

[athanasiosmavrides]

IN GREECE THEY TOLD US JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER THE 5TH OF MAY!

[mmodernc]

Greek time!

[nrenfro]

The download issue burns me a bit because for one I thought it was part of the subscription perk. The great irony is one of the great jaw dropper facts that is used in selling Buzzsaw (an Autodesk product) is the excessive amount of money spent on shipping documents (I can't remember the figure). Hence they say use buzzsaw and harness the efficiency of electronic delivery. So what are we doing now. Oh yes waiting for UPS to deal out our copies of Revit in a costly focal fuel time intensive manor. I agree do call and e-mail Autodesk we the consumer have an influence, as I understand it that is part of the reason why Viz is still around?

So not to end on a sour note, that is not the point.
I wold like to thank the Revit team for all their hard work and for what I expect to be another solid well thought out release of the program we all so enjoy. Thanks.

[aaronrumple]

The download issue burns me a bit because for one I thought it was part of the subscription perk.

Actually if you read all the fine print of your subscription you'll see that it really promises nothing. You'll get the next version during that period - if there is a next version. However Autodesk isn't under any obligation to actually deliver anything during that period.

[rookwood]

Then someone needs to instruct the resellers not to 'sugar coat' the advantages of buying into the subscription service.

I know, bad on me for not reading the fine print. Most of us don't have the time and rely on trusted sources for guidance. It's not a big deal with waiting a few more days for the hard copy to arrive, but it is a big deal that Autodesk didn't think enough of their faithful followers (who, in all probabiltiy, were instrumental in getting Revit to where it is now) to give an early Christmas present. Taking up to 4 weeks to deliver Revit 8 is unreasonable, given the practice of making previous upgrades available immediately via downloading. It's sort of like taking the kids candy away from them.

I don't expect any special treatment...but it truly would be appreciated!

[iru69]

The release of v8 highlights many of the things that are wrong with Autodesk. I don't think it fixes the problems by plastering a happy face over them. I think it can only help that if enough users speak out, Autodesk will eventually listen.

1. The "download". For obvious reasons, I expected the download to be available immediately, whether or not it's officially part of the subscription. What's really so frustrating though, isn't that it isn't available, it's that there's no explanation. Unfortunately, Autodesk only communicates on a need to know basis (as determined by Autodesk, not its customers). Autodesk knows that their subscribers are expecting the download, but they don't address that expectation. I get a vague email indicating that there's a new version "on it's way"... on it's way next week? next month? They should have posted on their website why it wasn't made available for immediate download and whether or when it would be available for download. This incredibly devoted and excited base of customers have been left disappointed and confused before they've even used the new software. A great example of a way to blow the good will of their customers without even trying.

2. The "NDA". This was completely unacceptable. NDAs are about secrecy, distrust, division and covering things up. If Autodesk wants the benefit of releasing beta software, they need to let their customers use it and discuss it openly. I won't have anything to do with betas until then.

3. Take a look at the Revit website (www.revit.com) and then take a look at the SketchUp website (www.sketchup.com). @Last Software does a much better job of communicating with their customers. The SketchUp site is friendly, informative, and honest about what it does. It also makes the software look like fun. They regularly send out a newsletter describing what they've been up to in their development, what features they're working on, when to expect new releases, etc. The have a great user community. Now, I know that SketchUp and Revit do not compete on a feature to feature basis. But SketchUp _is_ competing with Revit - there are tons of AutoCAD users out there who are on the fence, and see pairing up SketchUp with AutoCAD as at least an interim solution. Revit has had success, but that's relative. Revit is so good that it could wipe the field – but maybe it's these little things that will keep that from happening.

4. Because AutoCAD became such a standard, a lot of people use AutoCAD because they have to. This is not the case with Revit - and Autodesk would be wise to respect that. There's a very strong general dislike for Autodesk in the CAD community, and it's not because of their software. It's because of the way they treat their customers. Most companies would be dying to have this incredibly loyal and enthusiastic group of (Revit) customers, and it's just such a shame that Autodesk seems to take that for granted. It's ironic that Revit's biggest enemy (I use that very loosely) isn't SketchUp, ArchiCAD or Chief Architect - it's Autodesk. And the really pathetic thing is that if Revit ultimately doesn't succeed, Autodesk will blame us.

Like previous posters, I would also like to thank the Revit team for their great work, and most of all, this great community of Revit users. I sincerely hope that Revit's best days are not behind it. Have fun!

[BillyGrey]

Ummm, not knowing until we actually find out is a 50/50 proposition...
There is allot of interesting speculation and theory at this point, with no actual fact to corroborate it...

Will anyone here redact some of the suggestions forwarded above if we happen to find a release on the download site come Monday, or Wednesday,or after the product has well shipped to most subscribers?

Also, there is the issue of piracy. I wonder that at some level this might be one reason that may have stacked the deck against an early/any web release? I would certainly trade the inconvenience of a program CD, if I knew that it greatly reduced the absolute certainty that the program would fall into the hands of a warez cracking group the minute it was released, and potentially be in the hands of user-pirates before all the Cd's had even finished shipping. I wonder how that inevitably affects worldwide sales, pricing and shareholders?

Also, with regards to the NDA, there are issues relating to activity on the stock market that must be held in confidence until the actual release, as well as disclosure issues that potentially leak out to competitors, just to name a few. Is SU a publicly held company? NDA's are a simple fact of life in the world of business, and must be dealt with accordingly. They are not all conspiratorial, but can insure security.

Furthermore, if you were invited and chose to participate in the beta testing, there was a very active and lively dialog among those who chose to do so. Just a bunch of good folks trying to help out and raise the bar. Nothing covert or underhanded about it. It was a great experience for me, knowing for a fact I made a difference. And---how soon we forget what the company/users went through on the last early release cycle. Allot of energy went into that debacle, sooo, "Parish the thought..."

However, I do think it would be a great loss if all web based content distribution was suspended. That would be a shame.

I have been around this community long enough to see it go from a gaggle of enthused, mooney eyed designers and architects, to the fast moving, vibrant community it is today. We are doing fine, but don't get me wrong, I am wary of companies that walk on the backs of their user/customer base with the end run being ultimate accountability to corporate chiefs/shareholder over it's supporters. But then again, Adesk has done pretty well right by Revit to this point. And unless Adesk and all of it's employee's are planning on an impending early retirement (viva Worldcom!), I am pretty safe in saying that they are not the Revit community's own biggest enemy. In fact, I say that without their resources, it could be argued whether Revit would have made it this far, or in this grand of fashion. Therefore, I will not pay heed to the evil corporate windmill that I and my donkey face alone in the field of battle, but instead, turn, adjust, and remain very optimistic about Revit's future.

/sat.rant

[knurrebusk]

I´m heading in the same direction as Billigray!

This is a new dawn, just try to export a future Revit model and be amazed !!
I´m not in favour of the NDA, since it will delay interoperability coop.

But I´ll hold my breath, and just say life is bright
Revit is gonna be like Autocad was in it´s time "shock"