#3DS2 crashes
I think Autodesk products (and others) are high, but not too high for
what you get – I write software myself and have a healthy respect for what
is involved. The ONLY realistic price moderator is volume with compitition
– look at PC hardware in the last 15 years! As for 3DS, who knows what the
market/price curve would look like. My biggest gripe about Autodesk pricing
is the support you get per dollar. I buy a $300 Microsoft or ZSoft or CSC
product and can call and get excellent support. I buy a $3000 Autodesk
product and I get to call my dealer (HAHA!) Is Autodesk that much (you
pick) <poorer, greedier, smarter, lazier, …> than the others that they
can't offer telephone support??? An excellent imponderable…
As for software protection, I could rant for hours, but an example may
be enough: Years ago I "borrowed" a copy of AutoCAD 1.3 and used it until
I bought my own. Since then, I've probably been responsible for nearly 100
AutoCAD sales. If the original copy had been protected, I would never have
used it, and could never have recommended it. The same with 3DS – I could
not afford to shell out $3000 without test driving first. I'll borrow,
beg, or steal, and try it out, but I'll ALWAYS buy what I use. (just ask my
wife!)
Anyway, I don't think 3DS needs to be copy protected – can you imagine
trying to get any real use out of it without the manuals!?! (although it
sometimes seems like we try, huh, Mr. Yost? <g>)
JKJ (OK, I'll quit now)
P.S. Did you get the GEB mesh?