Bentley Design Software

Welcome to the new millennium for design software. I have used Microstation by Bentley for some 20 years now for my design software. My original $5000 purchase is augmented every year by a $900 subscription. When the new version had defects, I could always also use the earlier version that I kept for that purpose. With Windows 7, apparently they were able to cripple the older version so I could only use the defect ridden new version. (or pay an additional $900 to access the old version also). I wanted them to fix some defects (in the old version, the dozen or so printing settings only need to be entered once.  They were then kept for the whole session.  The new version has total amnesia and every setting must be entered new for every print.  I consider that a defect of the highest order)  before I paid my $900 this year. Their response was basically “In your dreams.” As of Monday they were able to pull the plug on the new version also, until I paid up. I have had no CADD available so far this week. Having run out of choices, I paid up. To punish me for my perfidy, they are apparently slow walking the license code that I need. If I had a couple of weeks to practice maybe I could use Rhino and VCADD to replace it. Too many demands; I don’t have the two weeks to get up to speed. I am not happy and will be trying to replace Bentley by next year. And losing a what is it, $23,000 investment so far? Not happy and not productive this week.

Today is Friday now.  Still no codes from Bentley to let the program work.  A full week without a CADD program.

4 thoughts on “Bentley Design Software”

  1. Cmon…Rhino isn’t that tough. You’ll be surprised how quickly it happens for you. I told Bentley to stick it a long time ago. Besides them being a pain it is really the wrong software for your work.

    1. thanks for the note. two things told me the earth was shifting. when I asked tech about exporting to 5 axis cutter and they did not know what one was. And when they later told me their goal is to be as good at file exporting as Rhino.
      My only worry is the drafting. How do you find Rhino on ortho exports and what do you use for drafting?

  2. I wasn’t aware that Bently software was related to Nobletec. Seem to have the same customer service department—.

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