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teslacad1-Visitor
1-Visitor
August 19, 2009
Question

Companies moving to WF 5

  • August 19, 2009
  • 18 replies
  • 2438 views
Does anyone have any info on which companies are moving to WF 5?
TIA

    18 replies

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    K
    kwsauter1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    August 24, 2009
    Yes, but it wouldn't be that hard to be able to 'save as' to an earlier
    version that would split those multi-set rounds into features that the
    older version would understand. The same could be done with other
    featues, excepting those like warp that don't have a corresponding
    feature in earlier versions. I would be OK with that particular feature
    being a solid chunk that I could deal with later. The ability to edit
    newer files in older versions would be an enormous productivity gain for
    us, and it might even make people more willing to upgrade to newer
    versions. It's the corporate insistence on @#$!! Profit that makes them
    force us to newer versions and cuts down our productivity. If they
    would concentrate more on making us more productive than making more
    profit, they'd very likely make more profit, but I don't think that kind
    of thinking will ever win out at PTC.


    Ken Sauter
    DRS Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition
    Infrared Technologies Division
    PO Box 740188
    Dallas, TX 75374
    469-221-5430
    -
    P
    pgress1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    August 24, 2009
    Hodgson, Jonathan P wrote:
    > In fairness to PTC, some of this is due to new features.
    >
    > Multi-set rounds, to take a trivial example, are a nice feature to be
    > able to use in WF3 - but Pro/E 2001 wouldn't understand them. These,
    > and also more major stuff like the WF interchangable
    > cut/protrusion/surface features, are cases where the back-end has been
    > significantly changed to enable front-end improvements.
    >
    >

    Yes I agree, but it doesn't take the fact away they could let it go to
    the typical "redefine" if it can't handle it. They also could, in "save
    as" include earlier Wildfire versions with the disclaimer not all
    features may save properly.

    Paul
    E
    eslotty1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    August 24, 2009
    (humble opinion alert)

    Accounting for backwards compatability almost always results in a
    compromised design.... It's not to say it can't be done- and may even
    result in some cleverness, and happy customers, howvever, the design is
    still ultimately compromised. Software, mechanical, electrical, it
    doesn't matter.

    When we purchased Pro/E we all knew there was no looking back... And how
    refreshing is that! Nobody makes us move to the next version. Forward
    compatible- yes... Backwards- oh well.... Why carry old baggage---
    wasn't that the yoke around the neck of the other CAD players?

    I think what bugs the rank'n'file the most are a) the initial release
    bugs and b) the ever changing GUI... How often have we stared at the
    screen thinking "Wow.... Now why did they do THAT?"

    As for Granite--- business is business... A squeaky wheel got greased
    somewhere.... Or a marketing geek was looking over the shoulder of a
    programmer one day "hmmmm what is that?!?!"........

    Long live Wildfire ummmm.. 9!

    (end alert)

    Have a great week!

    GE Healthcare Technologies
    Clinical Systems
    Monitoring Solutions
    Eric R. Slotty
    Mechanical Designer
    8200 W. Tower Avenue
    Milwaukee, WI 53223
    P
    pgress1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    August 24, 2009
    Your right, there's nothing that can be done (other then voice it), move
    forward.

    Back to the original point, my opinion was backwards compatibility was a
    factor in preventing migration to WF(whatever). I know I'll try WF5
    when it's first is released, but not sure I'll use it as the default
    design platform. At least not until more companies start using it. I'm
    a very small custom design company and do design work for larger
    companies, I need to be compatible with their Wildfire versions. I have
    to keep WF2, WF3, WF4 and soon WF5, just to remain compatible.

    Yes Granite helps, but it's not the same as if "let me design in WF5,
    and if I need it in WF2, let me export it and take my lumps to redefine
    it to work".



    Paul



    Slotty, Eric (GE Healthcare) wrote:
    > (humble opinion alert)
    >
    > Accounting for backwards compatability almost always results in a
    > compromised design.... It's not to say it can't be done- and may even
    > result in some cleverness, and happy customers, howvever, the design is
    > still ultimately compromised. Software, mechanical, electrical, it
    > doesn't matter.
    >
    > When we purchased Pro/E we all knew there was no looking back... And how
    > refreshing is that! Nobody makes us move to the next version. Forward
    > compatible- yes... Backwards- oh well.... Why carry old baggage---
    > wasn't that the yoke around the neck of the other CAD players?
    >
    > I think what bugs the rank'n'file the most are a) the initial release
    > bugs and b) the ever changing GUI... How often have we stared at the
    > screen thinking "Wow.... Now why did they do THAT?"
    >
    > As for Granite--- business is business... A squeaky wheel got greased
    > somewhere.... Or a marketing geek was looking over the shoulder of a
    > programmer one day "hmmmm what is that?!?!"........
    >
    >


    --

    Paul Gress
    President
    Rad Electronics Inc.
    3122 Expressway Drive South
    Islandia, NY 11749
    (631) 243-7707
    (631) 243-7708 Fax
    www.rad-electronics.com
    K
    kwsauter1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    August 24, 2009
    If you're one company and everyone is on the same page, that works fine.
    What if you're a consultant and you have customers running three
    different versions? It means bloating your machine with three different
    versions of Proe, dealing with compatibility and licensing issues
    between versions on that machine, or maybe having a completely different
    machine for each version, all costing money, time, aggravation, etc.
    Sure, it can be dealt with, because we have to deal with it, but
    everyone I deal with isn't going to upgrade just because I don't have
    their version, or they don't have mine. You have to realize that
    maintenance and upgrades with PTC don't come cheap, and forcing a
    customer to upgrade, or forcing me to upgrade, is not a light decision.
    It is much simpler to be able to open and work with a file that is one
    or two versions ahead, or behind, of your own. Just two versions back
    would be enough. It would mean the upgrade decision could be based
    purely on functionality and benefit to you as a company, rather than
    being forced to deal with something because PTC wants more money from
    you. I have to give PTC credit for the ability to open WF3 files in
    WF2. That is much needed, and that functionality is used. Will they
    continue to offer that in later versions, like WF4 and WF5? I hope so.


    Ken Sauter
    DRS Reconnaissance Surveillance and Target Acquisition
    Infrared Technologies Division
    PO Box 740188
    Dallas, TX 75374
    469-221-5430
    -
    P
    ptc-1714721-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    August 24, 2009
    I'm with Andrew!

    We tend to watch a couple large companies who make things like cars,
    planes and/or satellites. (no names, wink, wink)

    When they feel it's safe to upgrade, then we follow suit. We don't have
    10 to 100 users to test a new system



    I still get grief because we didn't jump onto WF 1.0 for 18 months, even
    though I keep reminding them of a family table bug that would have
    brought us to our knees, which was resolved in WF 2.0



    When a new version comes out, I start skimming the user groups for
    grumbling, rumbling or praise and start my evaluation there. If the big
    guys are running it, and the boards aren't burning with warnings and
    complaints, we'll start planning our upgrade.



    We were on 2000i when I started seven years ago, we've upgraded to
    2001, WF 2.0, WF 3.0 and are currently running WF 4.0 M080 planning a
    required upgrade to 4.0 M090 to support PDMLink 9.1 For all the grief
    I've gotten, I was reminded that we were on 2000i for years before I
    became admin. I've always got guys who want to be on the latest and
    greatest by midnight of a new release!!!



    Black & Decker Hardware & Home Improvement
    Michelle McMasters
    Engineering Systems Administratormichelle.mcmasters@bdhhi.com
    Demonstrate Unyielding Integrity * Deliver on Commitments * Inspire
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    C
    cpodom1-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    August 25, 2009
    Yeah midnight!!

    I want the latest and greatest now! If PTC releases it then it must be
    perfect.



    Curtis










    P
    ptc-466741-Visitor
    1-Visitor
    August 25, 2009
    These are the same users who will complain when they find something that doesn't function in the new release, and go on & on about how bad PTC is and how great some other cadd program is....

    As an administrator you haft to do your due diligence, whatever that means to you! if that means you wait a few months, then you wait a few months! look at post such as this one for complaints & issues that others have experienced. Install it locally on your machine & test test test! look for new date codes that resolve the issues etc... & test test test!

    The cadd user doesn't make the decision of when or if you update to a new release!

    You need to be able to listen to users & ignore them too a certain extent at the same time! they often don't look at the whole picture or think of all the what if's...

    Remember you can't go back to a previous release once you make the move and start modifying & checking files into your data base.

    Dave McClinton
    McKesson
    MCAD System Administrator

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