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Perpetual License Question


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#1 Michael Morana

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Posted 14 July 2018 - 06:14 PM

I am assuming that the perpetual license allows the user to use the same product version indefinitely after the end of the 3 year subscription.
I'm wondering if there is a purchasing option that allows me to get a perpetual license (cheaper than 3 year subscription) for only the current version with no updates/support/etc.

#2 dimpop

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Posted 16 July 2018 - 08:51 AM

Hi Michael,

I wonder why you want to purchase a perpetual license without 3 year upgrade. Some of our partners have ability to sell it, but I would tell that it is unreasonable from the user's point of view. For 10% discount you will loose 3 years of upgrades.

#3 zeta

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Posted 15 May 2020 - 07:39 PM

I am trying to understand the various license for NanoCad as well. I am looking at several CAD programs and had been a user of draftsight. I am not inclined to a subscription as I don't really need updates etc. I use 2D occasionally and much of what the program can do I don't need. I want to purchase a program and be able to use that program forever. I understand that updates cost money as they take effort to create and would pay if there was an improvement that I wanted. Nano 5 free works for the most part except no PDF printer which I can get around.
Does Nanocad have a license like this? I see the 3 year perpetual option but it is a bit much. Draftsight with 5 years of updates would be similar. I don't want it to call home every year because if at some point Nanocad decides to end the use of that software like Draftsight, they don't provide the yearly registration key. There is only one reason to have this and that is the option in the future to end someones use of the software. I would suggest a license that does not need yearly registration and if someone decides to get an update a fee associated with that. Perhaps a discount for a user depending on the time from the last update. $X/ 1 year; Y/ 2 year; etc. so the longer it has been since an update the more you would pay for it. I would use the free version and deal with it rather than subscription so Nano is losing money from potential customers like me. I would not rent a car long term that could be changed or taken away without my consent. That leaves me at the whim of the company renting me the car.
I have been comparing Nano, CMS and Act Cad. I like Nano's user interface the best, but do not see the option for a license that doesn't expire. CMS and ACt seem to be almost identical, so much so that running them both at the same time does odd things. It would take a bit to list out the plus and minus of the 3 programs.

#4 pguimber

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Posted 16 May 2020 - 06:19 AM

Hello Zeta and Michael,
CMS, Act Cad ? what ? where ?

in french "chat échaudé craint l'eau froide".... scalded cat fears cold water !
Drafsight again !? no thank's

Other solution ? OPENSOURCE ! but what ?

- Librecad
- Qcad
- Freecad


After other commercial solution free...

- A9Cad
- ZWcad
(It is free for 30 days (full version) and beyond 30 days you can continue to work unlimited on the software but on projects less than 1000 objects.)

God save the King Nanocad !

#5 zeta

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Posted 18 May 2020 - 04:13 PM

pguimber,

Part of the problem is for casual users who still need something more than paint. I used draftsight even though there were things I didn't like about it because I can't justify the cost per year and their interface was familiar. I don't use CAD often. For 3D I use a different program, but when working with 2D I would rather have just 2D. I typically don't update unless there is something I want. A package that you are familiar makes using it much much easier. The reason they all emulate the old autocad, people are familiar with it. Many packages will do what you need but learning a new interface is a pain.
I do like Nanocad. The interface works better for me than the others I've tried. There may be settings to make the others the same but the trouble to work out how is again hard to justify. Its the subtle things like proximity to the target for snap to operate. Some grab it from so far away that you have to switch it on and off.
Librecad is an offshoot of Qcad. I've looked at Qcad and it seems well done but the interface is very different which means a slower up time. It is very inexpensive at something like $30 euro.
CMSintellicad and Actcad are out of India. They seem to provide a license like I am looking for where you buy it and it doesn't expire. Around $200 or so. I talked with CMS and asked to see a copy of their license and they could NOT provide it to me. That seems very odd. You only get it as you are downloading or installing the software, they weren't clear. So you are forced to read it in the little box. In complaints they reference the license and say the user should be familiar with it but then they don't make it easy to get that license. Cold Water.
Nanocads option is 3 years of updates and I am assuming that it doesn't expire after that. Nano, CMS, and Act all seem to use the base engine that is the intellicad consortium project and put their own skin and tweaks in it.
I read about ZWcad but didn't look at it. I have not read anything on A9cad.
If I can find something that works then it will work for me for the next 10 years, as long as it can still run on the operating system.
I have been playing with the free version of Nanocad. It doens't have an internal PDF printer which is one of the functions I need. I've used other PDF printers but the interface between the systems doesn't seem to work well. I should probably play with the paid version trial and see what I think of that and how different they are.
The other issue for me is that I have no idea the size of Nanocad. They may be 3 people in a garage and if the company fails I want to still be able to use the software I have. The intellicad consortium makes entry into the CAD market much easier so competition will be harder.

CMS
https://www.intellicadms.com/

ACT
https://actcad.com/

#6 pguimber

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Posted 19 May 2020 - 10:41 AM

Hi Zeta,
thank's for link.

Indeed 2D software is good for layouts and 3D for models (sketchup for me). This is also my opinion.

But in ten years, which software will still be there? .... The best is OpenSource (Blender, Qcad / Librecad ...!?). But here too nothing is guaranteed.
It is therefore necessary to privilege its documents (DXF? Dwg 2000 maxi) and its work flow.
This is why I encourage keyboard shortcuts, dxf and the simplest possible drawings.
Lines, polylines, circles and arcs, hatching (a little), text ... and flee from "immature or useless innovations".
The rest encloses the user in a software and commercial environment.
I don't see a solution, except accepting to pay and being in front of changing interfaces (for nothing more) or using Opensource software with its share of changes in work habits.

Other free: Pconplanner

#7 zeta

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Posted 19 May 2020 - 06:29 PM

I like open source but it is usually driven by an individual or a group that has a vision and pursues that vision rather than what the user group wants. They do it for free so I certainly can't complain.

If the 2D software doesn't expire then I would just keep using that. Draftsight worked well enough but it expired. I don't want to deal with that again. I would not get something that has ANY potential to expire. If the company doesn't make it then I just can't get any updates.

I hope that Nano will see some of the opinions in here and potentially offer a solution with the licensing. I believe there are a LOT of people who feel the same. Look at the number of users on Draftsight before it was pay. If Nano would offer a reasonable buy and even a small yearly fee like $25 and allow a user to update once every X years they would attract a lot of users. It would give some reoccurring revenue stream without the burden on the users to HAVE to take updates and pay for them even if they don't want them.

Z

Look at the number of views on this string with only 6 replys.

#8 pguimber

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Posted 20 May 2020 - 09:27 AM

Yes, this is a real problem for many people. Solutions acceptable to everyone is possible.
for example
- A free license on an old version (5.0 then 5.1, etc ...) without limits and official creation of a community to translate the interface. In French, I'm ready ...
- A license at very low cost for private use only.
Just think about the question!

I asked PconPlanner and the answer is the same as Nanosoft.
The basic product is given because it is the professional products that are sold.
As a user, the question is how long!

"Look at the number of views on this string with only 6 replys. "
yes ! and all posts with "license" !....





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