Re: Will Fusion 360 replace GMax and th CNC tool kit for 5 axis trunnion tables?
Originally Posted by
daniellyall
there will be a point in time when fusion pases everything that is years away.
Hi there,
I don't doubt that in time, Fusion 360 will likely come to dominate the CAD / CAM marketplace. That is the Autodesk mission. Looks like they are following the Microsoft model Bill Gates described in the 90's. Install part of the application locally.... keep critical parts online.... and make access to them subscription. Making a "FREE" version available acheives several other important objectives...
1. It obliterates pay applications where Fusion results are equal to the task or better
2. It addresses issues with piracy... Autodesk used to be plauged by this. Now they 'know' every user... or the software doesn't work
3. It finds a vast number of users, who you never knew about before, becase previously they couldn't afford your software.
4. In the license agreement users likely permit trawling ofhost systems... so Autodesk can identify usage of competing CAD/CAM applications and research what to add in future Autodesk product.
5. FREE testing of Autodesk Research + Development
"FREE" distrubution to educators, students (and now hobbyists) is designed to make using Autodesk software for combined CAD/CAM the de facto industry standard. When this occurs it maximises returns from the $100K+ adopters..... over the years $300 (Standard) and $1200 (Ultimate) subs soon add up. When you have a years worth of work attached to Fusion.. you are much more likely to renew. Many will buy into a multi-year deal.... all of which is great for market dominance....
However, there's an aspect of this "FREE distrubution" that is not so good and that should be of concern. It goes to creation of a proprietory software monopoly in a field that is / was becoming more diverse. Opensource is becoming the standard approach in the FREE software arena. Fusion 360 is a big pull away from this trend. Impact on future development of FREE CAD / CAM software is potentially very negative.
FREE Fusion 360 immediately sucks away the oxygen of future development of FREE 3 axis software.... FREE rotary axis applications are likewise impacted. I can think of several 4th axis utilities that would not have been developed, had Fusion 360 been around at the time. Eventually this will come to Multi-Axis applications.... IMHO this won't be for sometime yet.... but the clock is running....
So looking a little way down the road.... What will happen when FREE Fusion 360 becomes the de-facto 3 axis CAD / CAM app and other FREE software is increasingly hard to find ?? Wiil Fusion 360 remain FREE at this point ?? How easy will it be to move away from Fusion 360 if Autodesk lower the minimum subscription threshold to $50K+ turnover or $25K+ turnover..... There's an old saying about eggs and baskets that CNC users would be wise to keep in mind...
FREE chains are still chains.... better get used to that clinking.....
Danny
What one man can do another man can do..
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