This has been a growing concern of mine with PTC over the last couple years - mostly starting with WF4.
Yesterday I feel that I got kick by them again to see if any more money would fall out.
First I will tell the story of yesterday and then I will try to explain me feelings.
Yesterday I got an email entitled "ProductView Validate for Model-Based Design Streamlines Design Checking" I thought wow they are updating ProductView. I read the article in "Imakenews": [url]http://www.imakenews.com/ptcexpress/e_article001585791.cfm?x =bgg70Jg,bccVBTfK[/url]
Sounds really cool to be able to do all that model checking with ProductView. This way we can have non engineers check models without using a Pro/E License. And there is more opportunity to replace the use of eDrawings.
So, I am go and look to see if there is a ProductView 9.2 or 10.0 available for download. We pay for ProductView Prefessional, so I should be able to get the latest release as soon as it is available. Nothing is available. I go and look some more on PTC's site and find the statement "ProductView Validate for Model-Based Design is an optional module...".
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My line of thinking:
We pay maintenance each year for 10 seats of ProductView Professional. PTC states that the maintenance covers Tech Support and R&D costs to make the software better. So, in essense, I am paying PTC to keep developing the applicatoins I need to use. Then, when PTC comes out with new functionality for a product I am currently paying for the premium package of and says new optional functionality. They have effectively said, we are downgrading your license. We do not feel that they money you spent to help us develop new functionality applies to this feature, so we are not giving it to you unless you pay more.
It seems as PTC looses more customers they try and gouge the same amount of money out of the current customers. This then forces more customers to switch, force more gouging.
PTC needs to build excitement with their current customers. As the excitement grows new customers will fall in and buy. But if PTC keeps on with this failed approach it is just going to keep going down hill.
If I switch CAD tools it will be because of PTC lack of interest in what the customers think, want and how they feel.
Yesterday I feel that I got kick by them again to see if any more money would fall out.
First I will tell the story of yesterday and then I will try to explain me feelings.
Yesterday I got an email entitled "ProductView Validate for Model-Based Design Streamlines Design Checking" I thought wow they are updating ProductView. I read the article in "Imakenews": [url]http://www.imakenews.com/ptcexpress/e_article001585791.cfm?x =bgg70Jg,bccVBTfK[/url]
Sounds really cool to be able to do all that model checking with ProductView. This way we can have non engineers check models without using a Pro/E License. And there is more opportunity to replace the use of eDrawings.
So, I am go and look to see if there is a ProductView 9.2 or 10.0 available for download. We pay for ProductView Prefessional, so I should be able to get the latest release as soon as it is available. Nothing is available. I go and look some more on PTC's site and find the statement "ProductView Validate for Model-Based Design is an optional module...".
**********
My line of thinking:
We pay maintenance each year for 10 seats of ProductView Professional. PTC states that the maintenance covers Tech Support and R&D costs to make the software better. So, in essense, I am paying PTC to keep developing the applicatoins I need to use. Then, when PTC comes out with new functionality for a product I am currently paying for the premium package of and says new optional functionality. They have effectively said, we are downgrading your license. We do not feel that they money you spent to help us develop new functionality applies to this feature, so we are not giving it to you unless you pay more.
It seems as PTC looses more customers they try and gouge the same amount of money out of the current customers. This then forces more customers to switch, force more gouging.
PTC needs to build excitement with their current customers. As the excitement grows new customers will fall in and buy. But if PTC keeps on with this failed approach it is just going to keep going down hill.
If I switch CAD tools it will be because of PTC lack of interest in what the customers think, want and how they feel.