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I'm trying not to make this sound like a survey, but for those of you who have transitioned to Wildfire from 2001, can it be a smooth transition without training?
It'll probably take you an afternoon to figure out how to work with Wildfire like you were used to working with 2001, then a few days to figure out where everything went so you can be as productive as you were used to. But really, without training you'll never find out everything and never be as productive as you could be.
I agree with mgnt8, 3 of us took the update course which is 1 day long. We are still discovering different advantages that you may struggle to find without the update course. Also consider the hardware side of it. I can only speak for myself but we're struggling a bit because I believe Wildfire is much more memory and graphics intensive than 2001. We are still trying to get to the bottom of problems such as system being VERY sluggish and crashing problems that we didn't have with 2001. Just beware.
Although Wildfire is easier to use and learn than 2001 (in my opinion), it all depends on how you used 2001.
If you used the Object-Action features of 2001, and started to get away from using the right side menus (in favor of the drop-downs), then Wildfire will be easy to learn.
If you were a slave to the menus, and to the old methods of building features, you may have a hard time learning where and how Wildfire does things.
I disagree Joel, in fact most people will learn faster with the use of icons and be more productive in a shorter time because most of us are used to using windows based products. You have to be willing to try something new.
The software is easier to use, but I am not sure I would risk the upgrade without proper training. The PTC manual is as thick as an Intro class. There are a lot of enhancements. Depending on the number of students, you may be able to get a deal on a class.
If you consistently do the same type of modeling ie. always creating a similar bracket or sheetmetal part then the switch will be easier. Why? Because you are only looking for a small subset of replacement icons. This however denies you the possibility of learning a newer, better, faster, more productive method because you simply will never explore the OTHER options you never used before and don't know about. Get some kind of training on the updates theres a lot of new stuff and most users will never stumble onto them.
We offer a 2-day Wildfire Update training program. It is a real-world training not just here are the tools. I hate to sound like I am plugging it but we do have a huge success rate for getting people jobs. One just got a job before Christmas at Motorola. The transition can be done, our instructors did it. They did kick and moan some however anything can be done with a good attitude. You just do it faster with training and you could learn something that you did not know at the same time like surfacing. Good luck!
I haven't transitioned yet, and after wasting a couple of hours trying to use WF, I'm not sure I will until I have no choice.
WF is garbage. The screen is so pathetic and jerky-jumpy that after an hour of looking at it, I have a headache. The colors are washed out, the constant flickering on the screen every time you move the cursor, it is all very annoying.
Every single move that I made in the past now requires looking at the menu-mapper, no help there, search the help files, no help there, try to figure it out again, no progress, call tech support and wait, then finally figure that out, now the next step. Well its totally changed too, back to menu mapper, etc., etc., etc.
It totally lacks intuitiveness. What a loss of productivity. All for what? A new paradigm? Big deal. I don't see any payoff in this. What do I benefit if they combine 9 functions into 1? (eg. Offset curve, From curve, Offset from surface (curve), From boundary, Surface offset, Tweak offset, Draft offset, Area offset, Tweak Replace Surface into edit offset).
Nothing. I still create 20 features if I need 20 features. It only makes it harder to learn and harder to teach.
If I am going to have to learn new software, I might as well switch to something more affordable. Many companies can't afford to pay for training, expecially after having to cough up so much for maintenance. Besides, software shouldn't be THAT hard to learn. I use ProE for Mold design, advanced assemblies, family tables, pattern tables, surfacing, drawings, and I have had one weeks training. Does PTC not like that? Do they want to make it so hard to use that you HAVE to buy training, too? Do they not make enough off of maintenance?
rcamp, if your screen is so pathetic and jerky-jumpy and the colors are washed out, it's probably time to get a new screen and/or update your video card. My screen looks fine and has never jerked or jumped around at all. Don't blame the software.
I love listening to you old guys (and I don't mean age, because I'm 42) bitch and gripe about something new.
Steve, your right, my monitor is part of the problem. However, the new color scheme is such a radical departure, that my color maps aren't even worth using. That is what is so frustrating. SO MANY things have changed that it is going to be very difficult to transition. Just like my 95% mapkeys of my mapkeys don't work in WF.
What I mean by jumpy-jerky is the smart selection mode that creates constant flicker as you move your mouse around. It's the software, and it's annoying.
I like new (if its beneficial), it keeps things interesting. But I like being productive more. If I can't be productive I can't meet deadlines, if I don't meet deadlins I don't have a job.
rcamp, I'm a new Pro/E user and with my Unigraphics background, I was able (and I'm still learning) to pick up several things pretty quick. When I first saw Pro/E (2001) I was freaked out with the menus that showed up on the side that had all those different options highlighted. With the icons in WF, I've become faster using and more productive than I would have been using 2001.
> The only thing I still can't except is I think a word is alot
> more discriptive than a tiny picture on an icon.
I couldn't agree more. Although I guess it makes PTC's job easier in supporting multiple languages. A well thought out menu structure, whether it be with icons or text is the key. WF isn't well thought out. It just piles more layers on what was already a cludge that evolved over several releases. Now you need to learn three different interfaces to access all the features, menu manager, dialoge boxes and icons scattered all over the screen.
IMHO, PTC needs to start from scratch if they are truely going to improve the Pro/E interface. 2001 could definitely stand for some major improvement in the user interface (done, done, done sel, done...) but WF is just a giant step sideways.
Notice how the folks that are most excited about how great it is are the ones selling training?
I was hoping that when this discussion turned towards the interface of WF that someone that has seen or is using WF 2 could let us know what's in store. I've heard that the menu manager is gone and that sheetmetal looks and feels like regular solid modeling. Hopfully everything will have a better flow.
Bernie, I was told by our sales guy (the one that brags that WF has 4 million lines of code) that WF was started from scratch. Of course, I didn't believe him.
Most of the menu manager is gone (still not all) and there are lots of other improvements. There was anothe thread in proecentral on this topic as well as a few on the ptc/user exploder.
This is probably more of a rant, but imagine going from wildfire to Pro/e 20...I've been kicking and screaming of all the clicking and searching for commands.
I started a new job and this is driving me nuts. The transition to Wildfire was a piece of cake compaired to going back in time with 20 (I've run pro/e since ver18) I ran out to buy a home user version (wildfire) so I could stay current and work on it with spare time and on the weekends. Any suggestions on how to get a company to upgrade in these tight times?
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