Why is Bentley forcing Us to use "Get Connected" and Microstation Connect Edition

I have windows 10 and My Mircostation Select Series SS3 & SS4 works great, No problems.

But I downloaded Microstation Connect Edition because Bentley order me to this and none of my Preferences or seed files or my clients Preference & seed file will

work with out errors plus there is no way to control the Icons they fill up my screens.

Than I get charged extra for using Mircostation Connect Edition, when all I been trying to do is get it to work.

I am one person office why is Bentley forcing down our throats "Get Connected" & Microstation Connect Edition, that

old saying if it is not broke, don't fix it.

Do not try, to call Bentley, there is nobody at the Office, I tried it as if everybody went home and left the computer running on it own.

Dennis A. Vodicka

  • I continue to read with displeasure about Connect Edition's problems. I was hoping to use microstation for my new drafting business. I have been using microstation for 30+ years and considered it a force because of its productivity and stability. BUT I believe I will not be using it. Although AutoCad is a pain (more cumbersome, extra steps and not very friendly) at least I know what I am getting and what I will have to deal with. Microstation WAS such a great product before connect but now I am at a loss as to why bentley is forcing us to use connect. I will remember v8i as the last good thing about bentley. :-|

  • Nice, 2 others doing what I do. If you want to use Connect, there will be an adjustment period, it's major and yes, it's buggy. I do not believe they can legally stop you from using a bought and paid for copy of v8i, licensing could be annoying. I know the contract prohibits you from selling it, but you might look at those documents to see if they can "cut you off" I sure hope not. I switched to Connect maybe a year ago, I'm on the Select Services so cost was n/a. I'm amazed I can get my work done with the thing, I did have to run v8i last week to get some stuff to print correctly (defect filed).

    Connect r17 10.17.2.61 self-employed-Unpaid Beta tester for Bentley

  • I don't know about cut us off. I know they are keen to have us convert to CE, but for a firm like our, until issues have been resolved and functionality promised is delivered, we won't be moving more than just MicroStation out of V8i. We're using OPM, OPIM, ABS, MS and more.



  • Hi Dennis,

    But I downloaded Microstation Connect Edition because Bentley order me

    I am not sure what do you mean by "order me". Despite of Bentley are pushing users to migrate to CONNECT Edition actively (e.g. by limiting support older versions),  we have (with MicroStation V8i (SELECTseries 10)) full support to the end of this year and another year of "expiring support" mode. So there is still some time for evaluation and thinking what software use in future.

    and none of my Preferences or seed files or my clients Preference & seed file will work without errors plus there is no way to control the Icons they fill up my screens.

    Please follow communities best practices:

    • Specify what MicroStation version do you use.
    • For every issue create separate new post.
    • Be specific, provide test case, screen captures etc.

    ... otherwise, to wrote "nothing work", is useless information that cannot be used to say where the problem is.

    Why is Bentley forcing Us to use "Get Connected" and Microstation Connect Edition

    Well, that's good question. From "software development management" it makes sense: To maintain two completely different versions of software is quite expensive and of course every company want to have customers using the latest products.

    Unfortunately after about 7 years (I guess at least 4 years internal development + beta testing, 2.5 years from first CE release) the product does not provide quality allowing to use it in real projects. Even more, whereas MicroStation is "only slow and buggy", other products like OpenRoads Designer or OpenCities (Bentley Map) are much worse and do not not provide full functionality and is crashing very often. So users are not willing to migrate, have lost their trust in Bentley as "professional software provider" and have started thinking about alternatives.

    Instead of reallocating resources to fix the platform quickly and communicate with users openly plans and priorities, Bentley prefer to push users to move to unmature not stable solution and to utilize developers to release new products like OpenBuildings Station Designer and also products not based on MicroStation (OpenRoads Concept Station, OpenCities Planner etc.). So there are plenty of products with limited interconnectivity, but nothing is "really perfect, supporting local specific/rules/regulations/localization, offering local support..., because limited resources are spread of many projects. As many users mentioned already: Time, when Bentley were synonymum for professional software, fast, efficient and stable, is over.

    But whereas it's a freedom of every company to choose and implement own strategy how to make money (it's always about money, not about happy users), also the users have freedom to choose what solution they will use.

    With regards,

      Jan

  • I have an E-mail that basically state me to switch , plus an other E-mail where I have proof of Bentley of Fraud