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ArchiCAD new pricing programs

Laszlo Nagy
Community Admin
Community Admin
I don't know in which geographical areas this is available, but here it is:

http://www.graphisoft.com/community/press_zone/archicad-rental.html
Loving Archicad since 1995 - Find Archicad Tips at x.com/laszlonagy
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12 REPLIES 12
Anonymous
Not applicable
This is the best news this year!
Let's wait for the advertisement of prices. Hopefully, prices will not bite.
This could potentially backfire in their faces (assuming that the prevailing incentive in doing this is another means of attracting new customers who might otherwise be wavering in deciding whether or not to go for a full license).

With the current existing set-up that they have (i.e. Full license purchase, or Subscription, which is basically an extended Full license), the customers are pretty much locked into what they buy insofar as what Graphisoft produces with new versions.

In other words, if they hypothetically release a new version that is poor and devoid of any new features or significant upgrades (not that this would ever, eeever happen in the real world - perish the thought), the people who have already bought the license or are on subscription, have no other option but to bend over and take it like a men - or resort to bitching and whining about it on these forums, if they choose.
Graphisoft already has their money.

In this new scenario, a wavering potentially new customer ( or an existing one who's been burnt one too many times by GS int he past) can opt to buy a 1 month or 3 month rental to see whether it is really worth it, and then drop the purchase once the rental period runs out and they decide against getting a full license or extending their rental.

Pay-as-you-go only works as a business model if the product your selling is unquestionably superior and demonstrably vital to your customers such that they keep on paying regardless of how "poor" each release is.
GS have unfortunately not exhibited a capacity for this in their most recent version releases, hence the reason this could work against them.

Personally I just wish they would spend more time and all that extra effort on finding better ways to improve the program instead of trying to find more ways to sell more licenses.
Anonymous
Not applicable
thats the way it is Bricklyne Clarence !
everything is easier then sit down and fix missing stuff in archicad !
Anonymous
Not applicable
To be completely fair, I sincerely doubt Graphisoft (or anyone) has the ability to improve ArchiCAD much fast than they're currently able to. Managing the complexity of a major piece of software like this is very difficult, especially when the core code was built before the benefits of the object-oriented paradigm were introduced to deal with that complexity.

All in all I think this is a great way for them to maximize revenue in ArchiCAD's twilight years as they can at least get some new people to pay instead of forgoing entirely, while reaping the same benefits from those of use who have too much intellectual property tied up with their software to switch just yet.
Anonymous
Not applicable
continuing your comments, Bricklyne, I know of some users who are now not renewing their subscription. The benefits have begun to be less than the costs - yearly upgrades really 18mths, and all the extras we were given previously (in AUS we had access to some cadimage tools) were withdrawn, incurring extra expense on those using them....

My big concern in all this is when innovation is about marketing, not actual software development....the twilight years is very apt...
rwallis wrote:
continuing your comments, Bricklyne, I know of some users who are now not renewing their subscription. The benefits have begun to be less than the costs - yearly upgrades really 18mths, and all the extras we were given previously (in AUS we had access to some cadimage tools) were withdrawn, incurring extra expense on those using them....

My big concern in all this is when innovation is about marketing, not actual software development....the twilight years is very apt...
.......like I said, (they should) focus on the software development and improving their product, - instead of capitalizing and trying to maximize profits off of the existing version - and the marketing and promotion will almost take care of itself.

It's no surprise that existing users are not renewing their subscription; - why should they, when it seems like the landlord's not home, and no one's listening to their concerns.

Trying to appeal to new and bigger customers and clients at the cost of completely ignoring and pissing off your existing customers, does not seem to me anyway, to be a prudent way of developing, much less marketing your product. But maybe that's just me.

While I'll always believe and maintain that they should have retained their development cycle at the 18 months for new releases like it was before, instead of this yearly upgrade cycle that they now have which only seems to produce diluted versions like those other fellas over at Autotable, it now seems like they have no other choice but to maintain a yearly release cycle if they wish to remain competitive in the BIM market.

The 'Twilight years' comment while both foreboding and sad, is indeed apt.
Anonymous
Not applicable
After research and development with a long time Graphisoft complete Teamwork 2, I am very confident team there while doing a great job to make a total change in ArchiCAD 14 while continuing to develop its marketing strategy.
From release to release I still follow it and continue to be swept up with something innovative. I hope this
Anonymous
Not applicable
Bricklyne wrote:
Personally I just wish they would spend more time and all that extra effort on finding better ways to improve the program instead of trying to find more ways to sell more licenses.
Maybe it's just my nature, but I don't see this latest marketing effort as all doom and gloom. If it helps increase the user base (and I think it will), I'm all for it.

And just because Graphisoft is exploring marketing alternatives in these difficult times, it does not automatically time is being taken away from software development.
Erika Epstein
Booster
Laszlo,
Will the rental keys be able to use add-ons that you own? Is that an additional fee? The local reseller did not know.
Erika
Architect, Consultant
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