[CNCAuburn]

I submitted a feature request/enhancement topic at the Autodesk forums regarding making cloud storage an option so that we could use local storage, but the only response by someone who appeared to be an Autodesk developer was not supporting the idea that they are even considering changing this. Here's his specific response:



When I consider what is said above, all I come away with is that they think that local storage is a thing of the past and have no interest in entertaining ideas that are "backwards" thinking; and that they believe that when their finished product is experienced, no one will miss local file storage. Neither addresses the idea that some can't use online storage at all due to legally binding non-disclosure agreements forbidding the transfer of data by any means on than locally (basically, reading it right off a jump drive is preferred).

The real issue, as I see it, is that these developers are envisioning that everyone is part of some sort of design team that doesn't work in the same building and need to collaborate while living in San Francisco, New York and Austin. My guess is that the vast majority of their users (excluding educational) are sole proprietor type businesses or hobbyists that don't know another Fusion user personally. For the latter (hobbyist), the collaboration is pretty cool since they can get help from others in forums when they run into problems understanding how to use the software by simply adding those people to their project contributor list. For the former, the genuine commercial user who is designing their own unique products, I find it very had to believe that any significant percentage has any desire to share their design process with others. If you're making a new mousetrap, you'll want to be able to patent it and start producing it before anyone else gets wind of your design. These users simply have no need for collaborating in the way that the developers are envisioning, but I highly suspect it comprises the greatest percentage of commercial users. There is virtually no advantage for a single user to store things on the cloud vs. storing it locally, and for every one advantage you could list, there is probably a corresponding disadvantage as compared to local storage. Also, while the hobbyist group of users may be large, they are also the group that does not pay for the software since they can use it under a free license. A sure fire way of going broke is catering your software to the needs of those who don't pay for it, while alienating the customers who do pay for it. If I were in charge of development, I would eliminate the needs of the hobbyist and upstart group entirely since they aren't a source of income, while listening more closely to the needs of those who are actually paying for my product.

While the community is virtually unanimously in support of adding local file storage and translation, I have not been able to find a single post by an Autodesk developer/spokesperson that indicates they have any intention of giving in on that topic. In some topics, they just correct a couple facts without debating the issue either way (like who owns their servers, etc.). In those few instances where they do address the issue in terms of their philosophy, as above, they seem to stick to this design utopia concept where everyone is part of some collaborative universe, which I find in complete contradiction to how small designers actually work since they are highly protective of their ideas and files. I cut parts/prototypes for these designers all the time, and you just about have to pry the jump drive from their fingers when they bring the file, even after signing a NDA. In the few cases where I work with designers that work as a collaborative pair, there is usually one that doesn't do any CAD work at all and is more the "idea guy", while the other takes the ideas and digitizes them collaboratively. I've never encountered a designer that is part of an interstate collaboration, and it just seems odd to me that Autodesk has almost invented a kind of user that probably only exists in the smallest of numbers. And that they are catering to that specific group while ignoring what I believe is the vast majority of potential users is just an odd situation.

Agree,

I really liked Fusion, but I could not get over the cloud storage of my files. I decided to update the maintenance on my old CAD software. I don't ever foresee a time when I will store my proprietary work on their server. If they offered an "opt-out" for the cloud storage of my files and provided a local storage only option I might bite....right now I am staying with my old CAD even though it is costing me a lot more.

[daniellyall]

the cloud files are stored in the same place the US goverment use`s so they are quite safe.

there is a work around you can do local loading of file it limited but works off line you can stay off line for 30 days this bit

Made it easier to create designs from STEP, IGES, and SAT
Allow for the user to create a Fusion 360 document from content on their desktop, without requiring upload and translation in the cloud. ( IS )

you use new design from file to load the file and you can do it off line (tested before posting) and you can keep that computer off line for 30 days and you just export the file out of fusion and delete it before going back on line then you can keep it safe in a safe

[mmoe]

It does not matter how safe the server is. A legally binding agreement that data can't be transferred electronically means just that, and it does not address how safe the destination is. Even then, it's only as safe as the user's password. Some of the things I've seen simply should not be in the hands of anyone who would place them behind the protection of a mediocre password, so I'd have to wholeheartedly agree with the companies that require these designs (often military) not be transmitted, ever, in any way.

That said, the July update has actually made a possible path to using the software with exclusively local storage, which is the real issue. Temporarily staying offline and using it until you have to delete it is not the same thing. For a truly offline experience to be worthwhile, vs. just having a different software solution, a person needs to be able to archive the work for future reference in case that work is to be done again. Daniel touched on how it can be done, but I'll make it more clear. You can now open Step, Sat and Iges files locally, meaning that the translation is done on your own desktop instead of in the cloud, as it was before. This is the first big step since it addresses the fact that it took up to 15 minutes at times to get a 500kb model to process while also making it impossible to prevent client provided data from going on the cloud first. The only way to not work on the cloud was to produce geometry from scratch, but many of us work with clients that provide geometry from which to start. Now, it's as instant as any other CAD/CAM software, which is a huge improvement for Fusion. You choose "New Design from File" and then the file you wish to open, so no hassles there anymore. If you want to keep it off the cloud for sure, you can set the software to work offline just to be safe, but so far in my testing I have not found this to be a necessary step. It does not appear to try and upload the file to the server unless you save it, but I do have more testing to do. After you have finished working on the file and now wish to archive it, or have finished using it for the day and need to store your work to date so you can start up again from where you left off, you go to the file dropdown menu and select "Export..." along with setting the export format to "Archived Files (*.f3d)". You will be able to choose the folder location on your harddrive where you wish to store the file and I have found no evidence that the file will ever be uploaded to the cloud, regardless of whether you go back online or not.

Once you have saved your .f3d file, you can now open it by again using the same "New Design from File" option in the file drop down as you use to import an Iges, Step, or Sat file. In a way, it's importing the geometry into a new file, which also does not get uploaded to the server until you go to save it, but in addition to the geometry, it also retains all the toolpath work that has been done as well as the rest of the information specific to the .f3d file, whatever that may be. You'll notice that the document is an untitled document, so the only real difference between Fusion and a typical local CAD/CAM system is now that ever time you open your .f3d file, you have to export it again because there is no option to "Open" the archived file as it's own entity (instead of importing it), which means that you also can't just "Save" the file back to where it came from. Nevertheless, you can at least use Fusion for more sensitive data now, albeit in a slightly round-a-bout way.

Given that they have made it possible to use in this manner, I am a bit perplexed as to why they don't just give in on the offline functionality of the software. Honestly, I'd rather leave it connected online, but have a toggle button for cloud/local storage. I would think that would be advantageous for Autodesk as well since it would ensure they are connected to their customers for a greater amount of the time their customers are using the software. What they have done provides a mechanism to use the software now, but it sure does not feel like they want to in any way encourage using it off the cloud. I know there is going to be a battle for these new cloud based CAD systems, but I don't get why they would not want to be the only one that offers their customers the choice of using it that way, where their competition seems to be formatting their products so as to make that feature impossible because of where the calcs are made (server vs. client). I think Fusion could set itself apart by being both in a single package, and that they are uniquely positioned to do so where their competition is not, in a very fast growing segment.