[KevinWilkins]

Newer versions of SW can open files created on older vesions without any problems; any version of SW can export all kinds of file formats readable by many other programs. I can't think of any serious 3D CAD software that is backward compatible. It would be nice if backward compatibility were offered, but it isn't a big deal. If you don't receive files from other sources, there is no need to update your software every year.

If you are involved in industrial production as a service company, then keeping your software up to date is a cost of doing business. Like rent and saleries.

Software companies don't like people robbing them for the same reason banks don't like people robbing them.

[zoeper]

Interesting read to which I would also like to throw my 2c...
I did the "right thing" some years ago and bought legal versions of Solidworks 2010 SP0 and a Cam package (not related to DS). I was promised the earth.(and believe me it felt like I paid for it)
The warm feeling of doing the right thing soon faded as I got almost no after sales service from my reseller. (I was promised 16 or 24 hours of free tech support to get me up and running) Whenever I had a query, they were busy and if/ when they got back to me days later, I've already found a workaround or internet answer from a helpful forum member, doing free tech support for Solidworks. I soon got over the idea of support for their product. The Ferrari (or shall we stick to the Porsche analogy?) could not extract simple surfaces to .DXF format so that i can have them laser-cut or water-jetted without having to invert all the fillets in my old version of autocad. - Sorry, you did not buy the subscription, so make do!
At least i had access to all the parts that suppliers and other members contributed to 3D ContentCentral for the common good of the Solidworks community, without compensation from, or cost to Dassault systems and Solidworks (other than providing the platform you could argue). (after all that was also "sold" to me as part of this beatifull Porsche and directly influenced my decision towards buying Solidworks)

Forward 4 years and lets look at that well cared for, low mileage Porsche that sits polished under a blanket in my garage when not on the road....
All the user contributed models and parts that i had access to are now gone! Porsche came into my garage during the night and ripped out my turbo, ABS, air bags and power steering. Even if they were created with solidworks 2008, and contributed by another user (who might still be using 2008) for the common good of the community, it is now only available in 2012, 2013 and 2014 format as native SW files. Solidworks went and deliberately converted a single file to 3 different version formats, where each of those versions would have been able to open the original file without any problems. I can only see one reason for this- to force users to again buy software they already own.
If you need the new functionality, you should buy the new software, not so the case if you are still happy with what you've got.

Solidworks should not be allowed to take away functionality of existing software just to sell the new version.

If you were to say that with my 2010 version of the software with no subscription to updates, I can only access models created in 2010 and earlier, I can understand that.
I can also understand that they need to keep making money, but a small one-man show like myself do not need more functionality than what I have in SW2010 and can not justify paying annual subscription just to get new features I do not need. (it would be nice however to just get the features I did pay for in 2010 to work like intended then)

Just as an interesting side note.... When I looked at the SW forum earlier today (I did still have access) I found a post where a SW customer was complaining about this very issue. As I tried to log in(you guessed it too!!!!, I wanted to reply) from within that post, I was kicked out immediately with the following message..."Your account has been disabled. Please contact a system administrator to resolve this issue." After that, I can not access the forum at all - I just get kicked out without even logging in or identifying myself.
Please tell me that it is purely coincidence and that they are not preventing me from replying to this topic???? My reseller says I am no longer entitled to access to the Solidworks forum as my subscription is out of date. (so the Porsche dealership will no longer refill my tank, nor will they allow any of the members of the Solidworks community (of which I am now an ex(tradited) member) to help me change a flat tyre)

They probably succeeded in forcing me to "UPgrade", I just don't think it will be Solidworks this time!

Pieter

[BurrMan]

They probably succeeded in forcing me to "UPgrade", I just don't think it will be Solidworks this time!
Pieter

Have you ever owned a Jaguar in the US? It's pretty cheap to buy, but a good salesman will remind you that you should plan on an annual output of 7-9 thousand dollars for basic maintenance. How about a Lamborghini? Like 700 bucks for a windshield wiper......

But hey, at least you didn't take that attitude down to the Porsche dealership and start stealing porches for your friends....