Chief_Content Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 If you have any questions, comments, or thoughts about the recent changes to the 3D Library, please share them here. See this thread about details on the recent changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Carrick Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I object to the need to purchase the "Specialty" catalogs. The SSA was supposed to include all content at no additional charge. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief_Content Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 Thanks for the feedback, Joe.If you already have accessed these catalogs in the past and backed-up your resources, it is unlikely you'll need to re-download them for purchase in the future. Versions of these catalogs that you have downloaded in the past for free will continue to function and update as usual without any charges. However if one chooses to download them from the 3D Library, a purchase is required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Carrick Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I don't think I ever downloaded the Medical and Dental but I'm pretty sure I did the Crime Scene and Fire Investigation catalog. The problem is that I don't remember which of my 3 computer systems and which version of Chief I did that on. It'll takes some searching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designers_Ink Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I have to agree that charging for items that were previously covered by the SSA will not sit well with customers who purchase the SSA every year. I certainly would encourage others who feel the same way to express their feeling so that Chief does not use silence as acceptance of this new tactic and start adding to the list of things they want to charge extra for as a "specialty item". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gawdzira Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I think your cost benefit analysis in charging for those 2 catalogs should really be examined. I think you will get little benefit at a great cost of a lot of ire from your existing clients. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenL-sdd Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I do NOT LIKE WHERE THIS IS HEADED!!!! Chief I pay my ssa fees. Is now the time for you to start nickel & diming us to death? I see you changing the rules when we are already in the game. I call FOUL. THIS IS NOT APPRECIATED!!!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeD56 Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 I have to agree with he general opinion of the users. Even thought I don't use either of these two libs, and most likely will not, at least into the "visible future". I pay for my SSA for 5 years at a time, to maximize my discount, and with that I would expect to continue to have access to all content I had available when I paid my SSA. However, I think we should be provided with a clear articulation as to how CA determines, will determine, what will be a lib for which there will be a future charge. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottharris Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Joe and Others, You can continue to expect great content included at no charge with SSA. Some content for the government and special uses may have a charge - like Medical/Dental & Crime Scene and Fire Investigation; catalogs not related to residential design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Carrick Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Joe and Others, You can continue to expect great content included at no charge with SSA. Some content for the government and special uses may have a charge - like Medical/Dental & Crime Scene and Fire Investigation; catalogs not related to residential design. I didn't purchase Chief just for residential design. No one ever said it was limited to those uses and I use it fairly regularly for commercial projects. You even advertise it for light commercial and most Medical and Dental Facilities are in small commercial buildings - usually not more than 2 stories. How does that figure in this decision? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Designers_Ink Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I know I use Chief Architect for more than residential design, and I think based on the examples of commercial buildings on your website, you don't really sell the software as strictly a "residential design" software. I think the biggest concern is that you may be opening up a door that most users see will cost them money later. If for example, you decide to add storm shelters to your library (which are very popular in the south part of the country), will you say they are only for a special group so even SSA users have to purchase them? If your arguments is that only a very few people would want these "speciality" libraries, you are going to make very little money by charging for them. I would think your pay off compared to the cost of upsetting existing customers does not compute as a good business decision unless as most suspect, you plan on expanding it in the future. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_Winsor Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis_Gavin Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 ich - too funny! Boy you are quick....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey_martin Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I think a compromise would be to give current SSA members the opportunity to download and backup what was previously included. Give us a grace period to get what we need. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcaffee Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I view this as a regression from open and interoperable (a direction I was very hopeful of with the user advisory group; a CA first) returning toward insular and monolithic. Old habits die hard. jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry_Sweeney Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I do NOT LIKE WHERE THIS IS HEADED!!!! Chief I pay my ssa fees. Is now the time for you to start nickel & diming us to death? I see you changing the rules when we are already in the game. I call FOUL. THIS IS NOT APPRECIATED!!!!! This is my thought also. What will be next and how soon.-------------Only half charge for tech support for SSA members! We just got a increase in our SSA. CA..........you're treading on very thin ice with this approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRandall Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Have not posted in a while, but don't like the slippery slope this business approach for SSA members is going. Agree with others, what's next that will require an additional charge over the annual SSA fee? Other than the pain of downloading and migrating in to Chief's library, the Google 3D warehouse listed 937 items for "Dental Equipment"; therefore, for free stuff go to 3D Warehouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRAWZILLA Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 Not a fan ,but we will see where this is headed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicinus Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I used to work for a company selling video editing equipment, and the forensic market turned out to be interesting. The reason Chief wants to charge for this kind of libraries might be that they want to determine the real interest, as opposed to those that download everything of habit regardless if it is related to actual work or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRAWZILLA Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I purposely do not download all the libs. I just don't want all the junk in the trunk. I will download as I need it ,and always have. So what I'm hearing is, I will have to pay later for not downloading now. Not good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicinus Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I don't either, but since this is a policy change that is already in effect, future affected libraries will cost from start, so I don't think this will matter in our cases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan_Son Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 My random thoughts for what they're worth. -First instinct and reaction... This is an ill-advised move. Very little benefit at the cost of putting off a lot of faithful users. -Second thoughts...For what Chief offers, they may be pound for pound the lowest priced architectural software out there right now and with all the requests we're constantly throwing out for new features, I have fully expected that Chief would eventually have to raise their prices... -...not the least of which are commercial/industrial/BIM type changes, which made me wonder if perhaps Chief is just exploring ways to make those people who really want/need those features to pay for them so all the rezzy (residential) guys don't have to pay for things they don't need. -Third thoughts. NO, this is irritating and really rubs me the wrong way. One of the things that makes Chief unique is their all-in-one package. If you buy the full/premier version you get everything in one software. Nothing else to buy, no extra libraries to pay for, no add-on modules, no third party rendering software necessary, no plug-ins, etc. I would really hate to see that change. -Final thoughts...I hate to say it, but I would much prefer to see a price hike in the cost of the software and SSA rather than a nickel and diming type approach. I for one realize that we get what we pay for and with all that we ask for as a group I know we'll eventually have to end up paying more. I'm not so naive as to think if we want all the features out there that we won't eventually end up paying what people are paying now for Revit, ArchiCad, AllPlan, Vectorworks, or even Softplan. If we want/need the extra features, suck it up guys and stop pissing and moaning every time Chief raises their prices a little. Otherwise, stop asking for things we don't really need. Bottom line IN MY OPINION...if you need to raise revenue, do it through the price of the software itself and not by nickel and diming us. I want to pay once and have the whole package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
country Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 SSA is a big investment for me each year as I'm sure it is for most of the subscribers. I expect to get tech support, upgrades and all the current libraries (residential AND light commercial) for this fee. I should not have to go to sketchup for my symbols but I will, before I pay for any. If Chief doesn't think enough people want these libraries they should work on others that meet the needs of more users. If they are doing them for specific users, those users should pay for the development time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicinus Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 If they are doing them for specific users, those users should pay for the development time. But that's just what they are doing by charging for very niche segment libraries like forensics and medical, right? I for one do not want to see a price increase in order to include libraries that are primarily relevant to government related contracts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaskan_Son Posted February 11, 2016 Share Posted February 11, 2016 I think a compromise would be to give current SSA members the opportunity to download and backup what was previously included. Give us a grace period to get what we need. I agree with this 110%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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