AutoDesk are Evil!

[RHD]

I run XSI on an Intel Mac via Bootcamp. AutoDesk licenses don't work on Bootcamp.

It's not the software, it's just the license breaks when you go back and forth from Mac to PC partitions and after the sixth time that's it. No more expensive AutoDesk product. That's why I bought Softimage and not AutoDesk.

AutoDesk just say to the Mac folk: "Tough stuff honey, we don't support Macs" To which the Mac folk say, "No one's asking you to, just fix your licenses, everyone else's work."

I was horrified to hear Autodesk had taken over Softimage because I was afraid they'd switch the licenses over to their rubbish system and Lo, here it is, the email that is effectively going to deactivate my software.

Any lawyers out there? I bought a functioning product from Softimage. Now AutoDesk are going to deactivate it.

 

[waffle911]

(The Obvious) Have you tried writing a clear, concise, and formal complaint letter to customer support? You could also ask for help on their own forums.

Also, license FAQ's. I imagine that it would be similar to your product since they've acquired the company.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

(The Obvious) Have you tried writing a clear, concise, and formal complaint letter to customer support? You could also ask for help on their own forums.

Also, license FAQ's. I imagine that it would be similar to your product since they've acquired the company.

Have you ever written a complaint letter to Autodesk, you'd be LUCKY to get a response 18months after the fact....

 

[claimed4all]

I use Autodesk software and I get nothing from formal complaints and issues. My favorite is they issued my a service pack, then they pulled it 3 days later because it corrupts files. Its what the industry uses, so its what we use.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

I use Cleaner XL a fair bit, I had an issue with a botched license key. It was a huge problem which finally was fixed (via an online hack) but over 22 months later and I am STILL waiting for the reg key Autodesk have assured me they have/are sending. To clarify this is an official retail boxed set of Cleaner XL but the Registrations Keys never worked...

As stated before I hate dealing with Autodesk but unfortunately it's the industry software....

 

[RHD]

Softimage support say that the licenses will not change for current versions of XSI, but the automatic authorising system will cease to work and every time you want to move your license now you have to submit an email request to AutoDesk.
Future releases of XSI will have AutoDesk licensing.

I use Cleaner XL a fair bit, I had an issue with a botched license key. It was a huge problem which finally was fixed (via an online hack) but over 22 months later and I am STILL waiting for the reg key Autodesk have assured me they have/are sending. To clarify this is an official retail boxed set of Cleaner XL but the Registrations Keys never worked...

As stated before I hate dealing with Autodesk but unfortunately it's the industry software....

It's kind of ironic that you pay a lot of money for a program then the only way you can get it to work is to hack it. Only at AutoDesk.

This is just hysterical! You've got to watch it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR7UWImpG54

 

[Sesshi]

As much as correcting the typically entitled Apple user isn't a bag of laughs, isn't this a problem that you are causing by not using a compatible computer? Boot Camp is - no matter how often the Apple Cheerleaders say so - not a real Windows machine, in terms of compatibility nor function. We wouldn't trust any business-critical app to running under Windows on a Pro / iMac, etc, just as I don't expect the same on my hackintoshed Sony notebooks.

 

[RHD]

As much as correcting the typically entitled Apple user isn't a bag of laughs, isn't this a problem that you are causing by not using a compatible computer? Boot Camp is - no matter how often the Apple Cheerleaders say so - not a real Windows machine, in terms of compatibility nor function. We wouldn't trust any business-critical app to running under Windows on a Pro / iMac, etc, just as I don't expect the same on my hackintoshed Sony notebooks.

Bootcamp isn't running XSI, Windows is running XSI on a separate partition from OSX on the hard drive. Bootcamp just switches you back and forth between the two partitions both of which are running independently of each other. You could delete OSX off altogether and just run Windows on your Mac if that is your idea of a good time.

XSI has run fine up to now as it is.

As it happens I do not have the money to buy another computer just to learn XSI on. Or to replace all my Mac software with PC equivalents. If you want to donate to me the very large sum of money in UK pounds it would require in order that I may carry out your sage advice you are more than welcome!

I fail to see why you wouldn't run a business critical app on Windows on a Mac. With the exception of AutoDesk products in my experience they run just the same as they do on native PCs. Whenever I have a problem it's to do with Windows, not Bootcamp, and the same fixes I have found on the net for Windows PCs work on Windows XP running on the Mac. A pentium processor is a pentium processor.

It is only AutoDesk's licenses that break during the partition switchover process. Everyone elses, Mac and PC are fine and up to the license issue kicking in, so do AutoDesks's products.

There are those who say AutoDesk could sell more software if they updated their licensing system. Sadly, none of them work at AutoDesk.

 

[jrichie]

don't you love Autodesk....................

I now avoid all autodesk products anyway possible, but it is very hard in architecture.

Revit must have the most god awful interface known to man. It offends me everytime I have had to use it. Nice program, but as a designer, that interface just kills your inspiration instantly

good luck with solidworks - I think you will have to find something else to stay on your mac!

 

[mzd]

whoa. first Alias now Softimage???
3DS-Max has now bought out all of its top competitors.
sigh.

 

[SwiftLives]

EECB them. That's Executive Email Carpet Bomb.

http://consumerist.com/259713/how-to-launch-an-executive-email-carpet-bomb

And be persistent. EECB them once a week. And if you don't get a response in a month, hit 'em every day. And if you don't get a response within a week, hit 'em every hour.

Good luck.

 

[RHD]

whoa. first Alias now Softimage???
3DS-Max has now bought out all of its top competitors.
sigh.

Yup!

It's Avid's fault. They were stuck for cash as I understand it and sold Softimage cheap because it was their best performing on the up stuff.

So now AutoDesk, the least artist friendly "Industry standard" company in the known universe own the 3D world.

It would be a thing for the Monopolies and Mergers Commission if those guys even knew what 3D was.

 

[ezekielrage_99]

whoa. first Alias now Softimage???
3DS-Max has now bought out all of its top competitors.
sigh.

3DS MAX and Combustion were great when they was owned by discreet, but after Autodesk bought them out (along with everyone else) quality and support has suffered.

Side Note: This is totally anti competition I really wonder how Autodesk hasn't step into the legal realm or anti-trust yet?

 

[LeviG]

3DS MAX and Combustion were great when they was owned by discreet, but after Autodesk bought them out (along with everyone else) quality and support has suffered.

This 'license' issue is the main reason my main pc's are windows based (well that and no mac versions). But I have to disagree with the 3DS Max getting worse after autodesk buying discreet - the latest version is probably the most improved one yet, the rendering is literally half what the previous version was for my work (and I've used everything from v4 up to 2009), not saying everything was worth adding - the stupid rotation things on each window are annoying.

Side Note: This is totally anti competition I really wonder how Autodesk hasn't step into the legal realm or anti-trust yet?

There are alternatives on mac and windows which can do the same job so its not really an issue. It's a bit like saying a mac only program is anti competition just because it doesn't run on windows when there are windows alternatives that do the same job. Does that all make sense

 

[ezekielrage_99]

This 'license' issue is the main reason my main pc's are windows based (well that and no mac versions). But I have to disagree with the 3DS Max getting worse after autodesk buying discreet - the latest version is probably the most improved one yet, the rendering is literally half what the previous version was for my work (and I've used everything from v4 up to 2009), not saying everything was worth adding - the stupid rotation things on each window are annoying.

Although I agree there's been a lot of improvements to the actual product features, the post sale support is rubbish and unless you have uber hardware the software itself can be very tweaky. I use 3DS MAX a fair bit on an HP xw4600 with an nVidia Quadro and 6GB RAM and it's not very stable, too many textures or floating points and the dam application drops out...

 

[LeviG]

Although I agree there's been a lot of improvements to the actual product features, the post sale support is rubbish and unless you have uber hardware the software itself can be very tweaky. I use 3DS MAX a fair bit on an HP xw4600 with an nVidia Quadro and 6GB RAM and it's not very stable, too many textures or floating points and the dam application drops out...

Never needed support and your issues are a bit strange, I'm running mine (design 2009 x64) on 2 lesser systems (x2, 4GB ram, rubbish gpu which I need to upgrade, vista x64) and can't say I've noticed any of those sorts of issues. It's generally pretty stable for me, maybe the types of models I'm working with aren't as stressful as yours , but then again this is windows and it can be a tad random at times .

 

[ezekielrage_99]

Never needed support and your issues are a bit strange, I'm running mine (design 2009 x64) on 2 lesser systems (x2, 4GB ram, rubbish gpu which I need to upgrade, vista x64) and can't say I've noticed any of those sorts of issues. It's generally pretty stable for me, maybe the types of models I'm working with aren't as stressful as yours , but then again this is windows and it can be a tad random at times .

I've replaced the ram and reinstalled the OS... Originally I thought it may have been a hardware issue, however I am using two different machines, one for Cleaner and one for Studio MAX although speced differently nevertheless I've had issue with both Autodesk applications. Although Cleaner XL is working it's not the way it should be running (with a crack).

 

[ravenvii]

As much as correcting the typically entitled Apple user isn't a bag of laughs, isn't this a problem that you are causing by not using a compatible computer? Boot Camp is - no matter how often the Apple Cheerleaders say so - not a real Windows machine, in terms of compatibility nor function. We wouldn't trust any business-critical app to running under Windows on a Pro / iMac, etc, just as I don't expect the same on my hackintoshed Sony notebooks.

You're wrong. BootCamp is really just a fancy partitioning program that makes installing Windows easy. That's all it is. Once you click "Restart" in BootCamp and reboot, it's all Windows, nothing more nothing less.

Macs not "Windows-compatible" my ass. The innards of Macs are the exactly same as PCs. Hell, Apple even provides Windows drivers. Macs are definitely Windows-compatible.

A Mac is only a Mac because of Mac OS X and the pretty shell Apple makes for the components. This isn't the days of the PowerPC any longer.

Out of curiousity: If you have a regular PC like a Dell or HP, and have two partitions with Windows and, say, Ubuntu, would the license break after switching between the partitions? If it does, would Sesshi here declare that PC not Windows-compatible? That's the most retarded thing I've ever heard.

 

[opeter]

3DS MAX and Combustion were great when they was owned by discreet, but after Autodesk bought them out (along with everyone else) quality and support has suffered.

Side Note: This is totally anti competition I really wonder how Autodesk hasn't step into the legal realm or anti-trust yet?

What does this mean? That Autodesk will from now on have 3D totally different (i mean the GUI) packages for 3D? 3D Studio Max, Maya and SoftImage?

Or is there a variation, that all these 3 packages will make a fusion transformation into one, big bloated package?

What packages are still on their own? Newtek Lightwave? Cinema 4D? Can these also be aquired by Autodesk?

 

[RHD]

There are alternatives on mac and windows which can do the same job so its not really an issue. It's a bit like saying a mac only program is anti competition just because it doesn't run on windows when there are windows alternatives that do the same job. Does that all make sense

No. The reason being that all the software professional 3D people need to use is now owned by AutoDesk the overpriced and unfriendly.

 

[LeviG]

No. The reason being that all the software professional 3D people need to use is now owned by AutoDesk the overpriced and unfriendly.

What are you on, you obviously haven't heard of (and this is off the top of my head here) alibre (cross platform), rhino, cinema 4d (cross platform last time I checked), lightwave (used for the entire babylon 5 series!), solidworks, catia, pro engineer (the last three can be a tad pricey but they're quite specialist) and blender which is free.
Now some are more orientated towards cad modelling than rendering but to say that its because they're overpriced and unfriendly is a bit naive to be honest.
If the unfriendly aspect is regarding the interface then I can't see where you're coming from as to me its fairly straight forward considering what it can do.

 

[Sesshi]

You're wrong.

In the immortal words of the wounded fanboy, do you have conclusive proof of that? Because I would like to know as well as to what the differences actually are. Do you think I actually like duplicating all my machines, even for relatively less critical duties (apart from the obvious inconvenience of dual-boot)?

Hell, Apple even provides Windows drivers.

Yes they do, don't they.

It's interesting to note how comparatively unstable / incompatible the Pro is with only the drive allocation task taken on by BC, let alone the Apple drivers. Maybe it's not the drivers - perhaps it's simply just a rubbish machine, eh?

 

[RHD]

What are you on, you obviously haven't heard of (and this is off the top of my head here) alibre (cross platform), rhino, cinema 4d (cross platform last time I checked), lightwave (used for the entire babylon 5 series!), solidworks, catia, pro engineer (the last three can be a tad pricey but they're quite specialist) and blender which is free.
Now some are more orientated towards cad modelling than rendering but to say that its because they're overpriced and unfriendly is a bit naive to be honest.
If the unfriendly aspect is regarding the interface then I can't see where you're coming from as to me its fairly straight forward considering what it can do.

Yup, but you won't get far round here trying to get a job with that lot. (Except Rhino if you do prototyping) In London you need Maya, 3DS and increasingly XSI. Plus I dread to think what "A tad pricy" means in the context of 3DS, Maya etc. Especially in the UK where we get often charged twice as much as the US and THEN they add the VAT. Although Adobe are really the ones for that.

 

[LeviG]

In the immortal words of the wounded fanboy, do you have conclusive proof of that? Because I would like to know as well as to what the differences actually are. Do you think I actually like duplicating all my machines, even for relatively less critical duties (apart from the obvious inconvenience of dual-boot)?

apart from the individual choice components (ie wifi, graphics etc) the only difference is the choice of EFI instead of a bios chip, and windows has only just got round to supporting efi installs since vista sp1 iirc.

Yes they do, don't they.

It's interesting to note how comparatively unstable / incompatible the Pro is with only the drive allocation task taken on by BC, let alone the Apple drivers. Maybe it's not the drivers - perhaps it's simply just a rubbish machine, eh?

Same as with all apple software (itunes for example is bloated and a gpu/cpu hog) for windows, its not as well written as an ms product for example. I would assume theres probably some apple 'marketting' at play here by not coding it as well as it could be done.

Yup, but you won't get far round here trying to get a job with that lot. (Except Rhino if you do prototyping) In London you need Maya, 3DS and increasingly XSI. Plus I dread to think what "A tad pricy" means in the context of 3DS, Maya etc. Especially in the UK where we get often charged twice as much as the US and THEN they add the VAT. Although Adobe are really the ones for that.

Well maya is stupidly expensive (10k at last check), but solidworks generally around 6k, 3ds is usually around 2-2.5k (UK prices). Personally I don't see several thousand as that pricey when working in cad. If you compare it with ms office for example which costs a couple of hundred then compare the respective wages of a person in cad versus a secretary say the cost is pretty much relative.
But I do agree about adobe, they seriously shaft us in the UK

 

[ezekielrage_99]

What does this mean? That Autodesk will from now on have 3D totally different (i mean the GUI) packages for 3D? 3D Studio Max, Maya and SoftImage?

Or is there a variation, that all these 3 packages will make a fusion transformation into one, big bloated package?

What packages are still on their own? Newtek Lightwave? Cinema 4D? Can these also be aquired by Autodesk?

Well there's evidence of that now with 3DS MAX and MAYA, IMHO I think eventually it will be one product but with different iterations (Pro, Standard, etc...)