Revit Building or Revit "Sweet" - A Survey

Hi...as you probably know already, I don't like surveys...unless they are mine.

We currently have three versions of Revit; Architecture, Structure and MEP. You all know this unless you've just found about this new Revit thing recently. Glad you've been jarred out of your current software doldrums (uh oh, getting dangerously close to picking on other software and its users).

This is my point! Do you want a single complete version of Revit to purchase, install and use? If so how much will you pay?

I realize that this is not a simple question and there are potentially many permutations this could devolve into. Consider that Autodesk is a big corporation and every "product" iteration requires effort, planning, legal considerations, committees and ...well you get the idea.

Chad Smith at AUGI has been lobbying for this issue at AUGI (and Autodesk) for quite some time now. He has described the issue pretty well so let me paraphrase him.

We buy RAC 2009, we pay for "Revit" and get Architectural features. Now we buy RST 2009 and we pay for "Revit" (AGAIN) as well as get Structural features. Now we buy RME 2009 and we pay for...yes "Revit" (AGAIN yes AGAIN) as well as get mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection tools. This does not begin to address subscription fees.

Personally I'd like to see a Revit Building or Suite (the Sweet combo) offered at "such a deal". I know many of the firms I meet feel the same way. Let's say we buy two and get the third for free. Put another way two thirds (2/3) of the full price of three separate versions.

The key is to deliver a single product that the "EyeTee" folks can install once per computer and the user can access any tool they need at any time. This is great for small shops, it is great for AEC firms, it is great for contractors, and it is great for Autodesk, only they don't seem to realize it. If you agree, show them, tell them!!

I'd like to know whether this concept matters to you or not. If it does...how $$much$$ does it matter? I've added a poll that asks if you want a "Sweet" Revit. I've posted second one that asks you how much you'd pay. I've limited the answers to what I "want" to ask or suggest but feel free use comments here to explain other ideas.

For example Dick Barath (at AUGI too) posted that he thought it might make sense to give us access to the other tools for a limited number of hours per month for the same purchase price. More and we'd have to pony up some more money. Bentley offers any single "flavor" of their verticals on top of Microstation included in the price of Microstation (at least they used to last time I checked) as part of their "Maintenance" program (think Autodesk's Subscription program).

I think it would be an excellent way to buy "Revit", the proverbial "win win" for everyone or nearly everyone. Well, what do YOU say?

Revit 2009 Versions Released

As of 3pm today Autodesk officially released and announced that the new versions were available for download. Some were able to download it a bit earlier than intended by "reverse engineering" the web address for 2008 versions. While it technically worked I refrained because I wanted to hear it from the "horse's mouth" that it was released, on the off chance that a final build hadn't been posted yet.

So the good news is that for those with adequate broadband access you can download the version you use anytime you want now.

Here are the links to each version:

Revit Architecture 2009


Revit Structure 2009


Revit MEP 2009


Note: Only the English version is available for download at this time as they are preparing the other language version now.

Also take care to download the correct version if you own the "suite" that includes AutoCAD or AutoCAD MEP. As Greg noted in his blog this morning you won't be able to authorize AutoCAD properly because the "suite" version is not posted at the Autodesk site for download.

Release Date Released - April 15th, 2008

A couple of resellers have announced the expected ship date for Revit 2009 software and it is April 15th, 2008. An auspicious date...tax day! I trust there isn't nearly the sense of foreboding associated with that however!

Thanks to Greg Arkin with Cadd Centers of Florida, Revit 3D blog, and Dwane Lindsey with MasterGraphics of the Revit Arch Center blog for announcing it.