CompuServe Thread

Jeremy <everyone slips up every now and then>> Brendan offers solid words, Jeremy. Animator through Ani-Pro 1.3a and 3-DS 1.0 through 3.0 showed tremendous integrity and put the end-user's needs on the top shelf. Or, would it be more accurate to say that the Yost Group does it good. I am eagerly awaiting R5, and the few words GYost has been able to whisper on the BB, regarding R5, have been pointing toward the same vision he has always demonstrated. That's where the faith is placed — the R4 wiggle with the Anim-Stud buy has left me waiting for the other shoe to drop. R4c1 addressed the all too obvious. For me Anim-stud is a DEL *.*. When it became clear what was being handled outside the Yost Group, well… it became clearer. So, hey, let's not confuse definitions between "slip" and whatever's going on over there. I would say we are at a critical moment – put on yer hi-heel sneakers and boogie, or else… Jeffrey

Jeremy, Ok, Ok, I guess you guys do deserve the benifit of the doubt. I mean you have been batting in the 800 to 900 regin for years now. Faith keep. B. Gallagher

Jeremy, << Yeah, the manual is a sticky issue. I don't know the entire logic behind on-line documentation, but we already know how the users feel. >> Does this mean that the next release of AAS will have a complete set of printed manuals? Mark

>> There are so many things that AutoDesk does that don't make sense that I don't think it is out of line to question their commitment to the customer. I think it is completely wrong to not know that a dealer is out of business. No excuses matter. It is their responsibility to know. Otherwise they should sell their product throug regular retail outlets. << (note: the following message is an opinion set only, offered humbly) <gg> somone once told me that when things don't make sense, there are two possibilities… things actually don't make sense, or i can't make sense of them. it didn't make sense when the first person posed the world was round. "a beginning is a very delicate time" -Manual of Muad'Dib by the Princess Irulan Howdy Joe. Not jumping to Autodesk's defense here, but having worked for a dealership, there is a certain amount of responsibility the dealerships have to keep Autodesk informed of their activities (or lack thereof) too. Most of their products are a bit too sophisticated for the drive-thru software approach… in other words, the products stand to be misrepresented and undersupported without some level of local technical expertise. Whether a dealership delivers on the goods is known best by customers reporting back to Autodesk as to the dealership's performance. Customer-driven depends on customer-response and customer-feedback. 9 times out of 10, if Autodesk asks a dealership "hey, how you doing?", they're going to get a response that keeps the dealership authorized! <ggg> on the other hand, if a customer reports to Autodesk (through this channel and others) that a dealership isn't up to par, now Autodesk has something to act upon. >> Question: Why have I still not heard from Autodesk? << there are several folks from Autodesk on here each day. i don't work for Autodesk, but keep tabs on unanswered questions in this section… what were you waiting for response on? >> Why do they not support the Internet newsgroup? << which one? there have been several Autodesk folks on Internet, most of them are reach-able through Internet (ex: Mark Gerhard, Product Manager of AAS is at markg@autodesk.com), and Internet newsgroups are in formation at this time. as we speak, Autodesk is preparing for public web page debut which will include interviews, events calendars, product overviews, patches, tech support documents, contact information, dealership information, local user group information and more. their ftp server has been up for a while for patch distributions and such, and there have been increasing Autodesk activities on the cad (autocad) and graphics (3d studio) newsgroups. these things don't happen overnight… also a new Newsgroup called comp.org.naaug (north american autodesk user group) will be coming online for autodesk-specific training and support around mid-june. lots happening behind the curtains. <g> >> Why didn't they ask their customers through this forum whether they wanted manuals? << much of the response Autodesk had on the manuals issue was driven by experiment to reduce paper. yes, it cuts costs, but it's a noble attempt at creating their first complete online doc program. any software company which tries to set new trends sets itself up for criticism. hardcopies are available and you may wish to contact the product managers directly about this issue. i like to snuggle up with a reference manual away from my computer, so i can sympathize with your frustration on this issue. all the same, i've known Autodesk to bend over backwards to satisy customers' needs as well and would not be surprised in the least if this issue is resolved shortly for the benefit of all. contact Mark, see what he says about this. 😉 >> Why did they release a product (AcadLT 2.0) that is incompatible with Acad R13? << if you mean, why doesn't LT2 work in native R13 format… maaan you expect a lot for the LT2 price! R13 is compatible (using its SAVEASR12 command)… it just doesn't isn't LT13 (although i have found several R13 features in it including associative hatching.. sweet!). the r13 format supports several technologies which cannot be afforded at LT2's price… gads, i would think ACIS modeler alone would almost warrant the LT2 price. <g> LT2 and LT are not AutoCAD. period. they don't support 3D commands, nor programming customization, nor rendering extensions, nor modeling, etc etc. actually, i can't believe how much of R12 one does get (and bits and pieces of r13 features) for LT2's price. enter the age of microcad. >> why did they release Acad13 when it was designed for an operating that doesn't exist commercially(Windows 95) << because it works (even though its optimized for a more powerful OS) and customers wanted it without having to wait on Microsoft! i know i did, and most of the folks using it (after c2 patch) are getting mighty happy they didn't wait on Win95. having one technology predate another (such as hardware and sofware) should be no surprise at this point. let's see… we're just now getting some decent 32-bit OS's and 386 technology (32-bit) has been out for how many years now? <ducking> >> These are not the actions of a customer driven operation. << consider Autodesk Animator Studio… and the vast majority of graphics customers out there right now. on a guess, what would you say the ratio is of Win95 and NT customers to Win3.1 and WFW3.11 customers is? customer-driven = existing customer + potential customer 😉 NT had been out for a while when 3D Studio R4 came out, and no one really complained about it not being a Windows program at that time… (my gripe was the spline thang)… Release 1.0 of anything is bound to have room for maturity. when i stop trying to think of AStudio as AniPro2.0, AStudio is a great product. yes there's some overlapping functions, but these two products do shine in their own native environments. one could just as easily say that AutoCAD and 3D Studio overlap, but any user worth their salt knows how far this percerption really goes. <gg> we may yet see a 24-bit AniPro which screams under good ol PharLap, or we may yet see AStudio with a scriptor which can show multiple resolution movies at full screen. one thing we can be sure of these days.. if Autodesk doesn't develop it, someone else will. they have as strong an incentive as any software company to listen to "their" customers. keeping the faith… -dave

Joe, Hi, I'm Mark Gerhard, the product manager for Animator Studio. I'm new to CompuServe (today is my second day up on the net). Please send me some mail here and I will respond to all your questions personally. We want you to be a happy Autodesk customer and will go to extreme lengths to make that happen. I understand you have an upgrade problem, a dead dealer we never buried, and more. Let's talk. –marK