How do users feel about the end of Powerdraft and the upgrade terms to Microstation Connect Edition? We are a SME and have 6 Powerdraft lciences. We have tried Connect software previously but even on new high end workstations there is a fair lag when opening drawigs and switching between files.
Bentley have emailed about dropping support for Powerdraft and offering a no cost conversion of perpetual licenses to Microstation. However the "no cost" part involves paying £1197 per licence for select fees, so that would be £7192 to replace something we already had been paying for for decades. This is a substantial cost for a small firm like ours.
Most bizarelly of all, support for Powerdraft is ceasing however if you don't migrate, the Select subscription fees will INCREASE by 25% per Powerdraft licence...for an unsupported product that we have already bought many times over ! I have asked for justification for this but this particular point gets avoided. Yes you get a deal on Microstation but why the 25% uplift if you don't migrate?
Am I missing something or is this mad?
Happy for a Bentley rep to reply as well. Note we have been using Bentley productts since 1993 and this is not much of a reward for being a loyal customer and after the overusage fees charged for ten minutes accidental opening of drawings, edges us closer to leaving Benltley for a competitior..
Yes...pretty miffed really...we had to upgrade software to Powerdraft Connect Edition in 2020 (at a substantial Capital Cost) when our V8 package bought in 2007 was discontinued (without much support for the process).
I submitted a specific question about the principle of the 'free upgrade' from Powerdraft to Microstation in a Webinar arranged by our reseller / Bentley this morning...specifically about future licensing /subscriptions costs but didn't get an answer.
I'm not even currently aware of how the 'upgrade' is being managed let alone any future costs / subscriptions.
As other contributors...ours is a micro business and we have never had the need for a 3D application...let alone the budget to afford 3D drafting or hire external consultants for the inevitable IT management that comes with developing 3D 'cells' for doors and the like, let alone the time for learning additional feature, etc.
I agree that businesses need to be apprised of the full picture on costs...as it may have been prudent for our business to consider alternatives in 2020 had we known that our upgrade to Powerdraft Connect was going to be so short lived!
Hi Peter, a few replies now with similar sentiments. My original enquiries about the 25% and the one off payments were met initially with the repeat of the offer. Will see how things go moving forward. We only just renewed our Select subs just a few weeks prior to this announcement. Had we known we may have done something differently. So for your situation, if you don't need 3D functionality, you don't exactly gain much from this 'upgrade'. We may also have to replace our hardware as even 2-3 year old PCs with decent hardware seem to find any Connect software hanging, especially when going between files. Thanks for taking the time to reply.