It's time for CAD Apps Store
The "next generation" whatever, is connected to the
cloud. And while new start-up companies
such as Sunglass promising to change the CAD
world, Autodesk has already begun to sell various types of cloud services
and has launched a free mechanical simulations
(until the end of the year) service and Solidworks is working on new cloud-based technology system.
Cloud technology goes well with all the smart mobile devices surrounding
us today. One of the biggest advantages of mobile smart devices is the
collection of various applications and the contents concentrated under
application stores such as the Apple Apps store and the Google Play.
Complementary applications are not foreign or new to the CAD world. In some of the programs, the weight of complement
applications is particularly strong and has a tremendous competitive advantage.
Absolute control of the Autocad software in the areas of architecture and
construction in the last two decades is not as many tend to believe, because it
was easy copy it in the past. Autocad was the first to give developers a convenient
and open development environment and therefore complementary applications
offered to hundreds of different organizations and companies who have chosen to
host CAD software with a custom
environment and applications were having problems later on move or look over to
another program.
When SolidWorks came out to the market in 96, influenced by the success
of Autodesk with the developers community, it encouraged companies to develop
applications to the software environment while providing a powerful API environment
and support for developers. SolidWorks prefer the idea of "one window solution" , when the application
run from the CAD system and act as an
integral part of the software without having to leave the program window. The combination
of Cosmos software for analysis (Nowadays called simulations) in SolidWorks was
brilliant and gave access to more users to the capabilities of finite elements analysis.
With modern computing, the model of one software, single window is perceived as
outdated and not particularly useful for simulation or any other application
that requires a long runtime. With the existing system at SolidWorks today, when
the user performs a simple simulation or a render, he loses the ability to use
the computer duration of the simulation that take sometimes hours or even a day.
The modern hardware environment that allows running multiple applications
simultaneously on number of cores, cannot be expressed in the form of "one
software, single window. "
Computer technology that exists today is adequate to access a collection
of` small applications designed to improve existing tasks running from a single
software and autonomous software that require larger computer resources while
maintaining the association link between the programs.
Distribution mechanism of complementary applications today (there are
hundreds of such to each leading programs), is problematic and as a result they
are not accessible to most users. Appliances developers find it difficult to
reach customers and lack of convenient distribution platform for applications
such as apps store leaves the developer two options, to distribute alone or use
one of the major CAD providers dealer network.
There are distributors or
resellers to most of CAD software in every country and region. Distributors are
committed to the goals determined by the software companies. Distributor's
sales persons are people with the best recognition of the market, the
customers, their needs and problems. But, those sales persons are obliged to
meet the target requirements of the software vendor. In order to sell a
complement product, the salesperson has to spare time to sell software that is
not "counted" by the main CAD supplier goals and the amount of
resources required for the complement product transaction is often much greater
than required to sell the familiar and common CAD software a that the complement
should ride on them .
SolidWorks
Corporation, recognizing the benefit they can get by complementary
applications, established years ago a partner program that gave rating to application
based on the integration to the SolidWorks CAD software. In addition, the
company has established and maintained a search platform for applications from
its website
but, as more companies and applications to join the site it had become less
effective. The users cannot download or buy from the website neither can
experience and explore those applications. They have to browse the developer website to understand the essence of the
application or what the company has to offer. When the developing company does
not have a quick and easy mechanism to reach potential customers and when it
must rely on sub-distributors who take over half the proceeds from any sale as
commission, prices of the applications are kept very high and in the same time
customers also lack a convenient environment for upgrading and recommendations application
as is common in Android or iOS.
Model of Android apps stores and Apple's mobile environment is much
better. CAD vendors were exposed to the above model when they started to
deliver applications to the mobile environment. Dassault was the first one came
out four years ago with 3DVIA
viewing software of the Iphone environment. Dassault, who chose to ignore
the Android environment, try to create a similar Apps store environment
to the CAD market but, failed to bring it to the many applications that it
distributes.
Business environment based on smart phones cloud solutions and tablets,
is developing rapidly and the availability of applications that are cheap and
easy to manage is enormous. Apple was the first to learn how to generate
revenue from providing the platform for app makers. Cellular companies, like RIM
and Nokia how failed to offer good enough Apps Store, are becoming irrelevant
very quickly.
Autodesk Company, with the Apps Store Exchange,
is the first CAD provider to bring a modern Apps store environment that
integrates the mobile application environment with distribution platform for
CAD applications in one brilliant site with direct access from the CAD software,
ready to the new era of CAD software in the cloud. With the Apps Store Exchange you select the application
and it easily installed.. As happens with mobile applications, convenient
interface invites you to explore the existing applications and look for
interesting products and capabilities. Autodesk, that claim to over 10,000,0000
users around world, can expect that the Apps Store Exchange catch quickly and
will be a role model for the other CAD vendors. This is good news to all CAD
users. More accessible to more applications will ensure better solutions, and
just like what happened with Apple and Android market, a more sane prices for
the applications.
Gal Raz
