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L. Banasky  
#1 Posted : Monday, June 27, 2022 12:07:21 PM(UTC)
L. Banasky

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First of all, I hope that I am wrong, but things seem to be slowing down.
Does anyone else think ViaCAD and Shark CAD days are limited,
and an offer to upgrade to TurboCAD products is in the future?
TurboCAD has Windows and Mac versions, even PowerPack, and even share
images from PunchCAD in screen shots.
I've been a user since the Ashlar-Vellum days and would really hate to
see Shark die, and never be seen again.
Vectorworks is another company that quit Mechanical development, they
had one of the best parametric parts generators, I still use the 2012 version.
I was on maintenance with ADSK Inventor for 10 plus years, and over
the years have used AutoCAD, Mechanical Desktop, Cadkey, Solidworks
SmartSketch and SketchUP, plus some I've probably forgot since the 80's.
BUT I STILL START EVERY PROJECT WITH SHARKCAD PRO.
Don't want to see it fail, keep it alive Tim.
Larry
thanks 10 users thanked L. Banasky for this useful post.
Birger on 6/27/2022(UTC), jlm on 6/28/2022(UTC), GARLIC on 6/28/2022(UTC), MPSchmied on 6/28/2022(UTC), creativecad on 6/28/2022(UTC), MaiFy on 6/29/2022(UTC), magicart on 7/5/2022(UTC), specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC), Kevin Eidsmore on 8/1/2022(UTC), Christian Hallauer on 8/23/2022(UTC)
GARLIC  
#2 Posted : Tuesday, June 28, 2022 2:32:29 AM(UTC)
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Many thanks for your posting ! Yes, I can underline all of your statements, being also strongly influenced by the first versions of Ashlar Vellum and still using Shark to begin every project....Yes, it would be a great loss if Shark dies and we have say bye-bye on the CAD-Graveyard......let's hope for the best but prepare for the worst !!!

best regards
G.
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specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC)
jlm  
#3 Posted : Tuesday, June 28, 2022 2:39:46 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: L. Banasky Go to Quoted Post

BUT I STILL START EVERY PROJECT WITH SHARKCAD PRO.
Don't want to see it fail, keep it alive Tim.
Larry


Thanks Larry and Garlic,

And I'm also using Sharkcad for every project, sketching, modelling, drawing, engineering...

I started CAD on Mac-Bravo in the 80', then switched to Vellum --> Vellum Solid --> Cobalt --> Concept Unlimited --> SharkPro --> Sharkcad Pro

I'm ready to accept another name change if the guts and pipes stays the same !
....with a few improvements on the interface please.
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CNC_Kid  
#4 Posted : Tuesday, June 28, 2022 4:43:18 PM(UTC)
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It's odd.
Very little chatter here on Punch forum for either Shark or ViaCad.

I been a ViaCad customer since v8 Pro, and stopped on v11. v12 is available but it's already 2yrs old, and no chatter about a fully fixed v13.

Dismal.

Edited by user Wednesday, June 29, 2022 3:28:49 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

VCpro v11-1417
Win10Pro 32GB
Xeon E3-1270-v3 3.5GHz
Asrock Extreme 9ac
Samsung SSD RAID5
nvidia GTX760
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specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC)
MaiFy  
#5 Posted : Wednesday, June 29, 2022 3:58:01 AM(UTC)
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Sorry to bring you the news Larry.
Tims Gone.........

Edited by user Wednesday, June 29, 2022 4:01:22 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC)
UGMENTALCASE  
#6 Posted : Wednesday, June 29, 2022 5:43:42 AM(UTC)
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I keep getting offers through for Turbocad, I'd say that's the way it's going. The fact that not one of those involved in the software has put any effort into stopping or ironing out this sort of topic says a lot.
If I made this software and read some of these posts I'd be doing something about it...... and quickly!
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2murray  
#7 Posted : Wednesday, June 29, 2022 7:18:31 AM(UTC)
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TurboCAD Mac IS PunchCAD, change their file attachment and they open in VC and Shark, the other way too, and the thing about that that's interesting and useful to me is that model history and associations are carried; they're not dumb solids. I use Shark Pro and TurboCAD Platinum because they each do things the other won't. TurboCAD's owner, IMSI, bought PunchCAD and Tim is IMSI's Director of CAD. He's obviously been busy because TurboCAD has given up LightWorks, which it's used since before the turn of the century, in favour of open-source LuxCoreRender, which obviously saves them the license cost, and it wouldn't surprise me at all if the same is in store for PunchCAD. I'm also reminded of when Apple abandoned PowerPC RISC for Intel processors with Rosetta for translation, at the time Tim spoke of binaries that didn't have to be redeveloped between Mac and PC, but now there are Windows ARM PCs that can run rewritten X86/X64, and when you think of the translators and particular ACIS routines that won't run on MacOS that might or might not be applicable in the new environment, I think that Tim might be very busy. ACIS has also moved from version identification in numeric succession to annual identification, but for the moment, Shark Pro is using V26, TC Platinum 2022 will save to .sat V32, however that fits into Spatial's naming regime. Tim might also have new resources to call on - or not: TC was largely developed by SW development company in St. Petersburg, Russia, and that country's adventures might have had a bearing on their ability to contribute now. However, IMSI's new ownership has reputedly outsourced some or all of SW development work to Pakistan or India, and I was pleased and reassured that some of the suggestions posted over the past couple of years have been introduced. All of this is speculation pieced together from snippets that I've come across on TC forum and elsewhere, but I still work comfortably and profitably with Shark Pro V12 and TC together. We long-termers on this and TC forum are talking in an echo chamber, while the publishers and developers are faced with trying to find a viable commercial future in a changing marketplace, ie new features cost money. What new features are necessary, which are possible, won't cost too much to introduce but will attract enough new buyer or upgrade attention to justify the spend and keep faith with supporters.


I sampled Concepts in the early 2000s, was impressed but stayed with TC (which I moved into because I could buy it, AutoCAD was relatively stratospheric then, but companies and municipalities used it), then bought into VC at V5 when Punch! released it as a retail version. I worked with it for a year without using it commercially, learning the exotic things that 2D/3D could do that premium TC Pro and then Platinum couldn't. Then I moved up to VCP with V6 and to SharkFX (Pro) with V7 because it had exotic translators that TC didn't - and some of those are Win-only. Now I'm working with Rhino, too, but it's not a solid-modelling program, it's an immensely strong surface design/development program, with very good and improving sheet capabilities and rendering. I do sometimes move Shark projects into TC for TC's AutoCAD-like paper space, really a separate environment for paper sheet composition that is, to me, easier to navigate than Shark's reliance on layers. I like TC because I've worked with it for 25 years and I find its workspace is almost VR immersion to me, navigation, orientation and spatial perception is completely natural, especially in non-perspective wireframe, which might say something about diverse perception. It might also say something that I can switch between TC and Shark comfortably, but I also think about Burt Rutan's decision to design his retirement project using Shark. Scaled Composites must have access to giant-enterprise-level-money-no-object-everything. But the market is changing: the pay models for Fusion360 and OnShape, which I also get contracted to work with, are one reason, at the other end is FreeCAD, which has an interface which can confuse, but which is increasingly usable and powerful, and you can't argue with its price, if you've got the time to dig into it.

Edited by user Wednesday, June 29, 2022 7:21:07 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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UGMENTALCASE  
#8 Posted : Wednesday, June 29, 2022 8:31:05 AM(UTC)
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They don't need to add features, simply fix what they have provided.
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GARLIC on 6/29/2022(UTC), L. Banasky on 7/1/2022(UTC), damhave on 7/9/2022(UTC), specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC), flatpack on 8/27/2022(UTC), ctkjose on 9/1/2022(UTC)
CNC_Kid  
#9 Posted : Wednesday, June 29, 2022 3:41:43 PM(UTC)
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What TurboCAD product is "same" as ViaCad Pro?

I would certainly buy VC v12 or a v13 upgrade if they just fixed all the issues.

Back in v8 days, I found VC Pro to be kinda the in-between product, had enough features and value was good. I never needed a fancy 2D/3D app, and VC Pro fit that bill for me.

I am not super proficient in CAD, so to install and use TurboCAD is just another learning curve for me.

It would be super cool if IMSI provided VC/Shark owners an "upgrade" path to TurboCAD. That would be an honest thing to do, and a way to carry existing customers of a now-discontinued product.

Edited by user Wednesday, June 29, 2022 3:43:24 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

VCpro v11-1417
Win10Pro 32GB
Xeon E3-1270-v3 3.5GHz
Asrock Extreme 9ac
Samsung SSD RAID5
nvidia GTX760
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specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC)
UGMENTALCASE  
#10 Posted : Wednesday, June 29, 2022 4:00:57 PM(UTC)
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It's turbocad mac version that's the same a vc
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specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC)
Claus2  
#11 Posted : Friday, July 1, 2022 12:35:58 AM(UTC)
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I sent a feature request to Tim a few weeks ago and he replied instantly referring to the next version. Development seem to be ongoing. Of course it’s best to have backup solutions but for as long as it’s around SharkCad will be my main tool and Fusion360 and Rhino my backups.
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GARLIC  
#12 Posted : Friday, July 1, 2022 3:16:17 AM(UTC)
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Thats really good news: Tim Olsen was/is the driving force of SharkCAD all the time.
Let's hope for a happy ending with a healthy and rejuvenated Shark.....!!!
Best wishes
G.
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L. Banasky on 7/1/2022(UTC), specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC)
UGMENTALCASE  
#13 Posted : Friday, July 1, 2022 3:04:57 PM(UTC)
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So basically he is just ignoring the people that are finding all the bugs his team clearly don't find! Good to know.......
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L. Banasky  
#14 Posted : Sunday, July 3, 2022 9:07:36 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: UGMENTALCASE Go to Quoted Post
So basically he is just ignoring the people that are finding all the bugs his team clearly don't find! Good to know.......


I know how frustrating it is, I have been asking for simple fixes, some as long as 10yrs. ago.
Your projects are way more complicated than mine, surfaces and stuff.
I need paper drawings and Model-to-Sheet does not work well for me, especially threaded holes.
I forgot to mention that I am also on subscription to Fusion 360, just to do dimensioned drawings
on paper.

There are some programs that offer stability and customer service, look at the 2017 prices of
Catia.
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UGMENTALCASE  
#15 Posted : Sunday, July 3, 2022 12:39:55 PM(UTC)
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I rented my own Catia license a while back, was about £2500 for 3 months. If you have the work for it then great, otherwise it's a lot. That wasn't even for a license with half the add on features. Think I got stp export and a basic surfaces package. Very few other features.

The software I have gone for now works perfect. Simple things like being able to double click a border and re edit it should you make a typo, or the customer changes their minds or to add more information. You can edit a chamfer by double clicking it and adding or taking edges off it, gives you a live feedback so you know what is what.

The sad thing is Shark has some good features, but I can't keep re doing things when I open files and half my drawing has decided to go red for no reason. Or you can't go back and edit an angle in a sketch because it flips round the other way and destroys your file. Undo is quite frankly a minefield. The thing is us, the end user, get nothing more than a BETA version for our £2500 or whatever it is, then we essential test it for him and he doesn't even listen to the feedback. To be fair he is probably sick to death of the emails from me. But I've voted with my feet. Bought else where and waiting for support to answer some final requests.

If it's to succeed he needs to listen. It may well work great for people, but start to push it a little bit and it falls over. Left over sh*t in the files that appear on drawings, didn't want to listen. Crash logs, didn't want to listen, exports and imports not working right, didn't want to listen. Remove objects from view removes objects from a totally different view, didn't want to listen, flipping angles in sketches, didn't want to listen, BOM doesn't work on imported parts, didn't want to listen...... I could go on. But I'm bored with it now.

As I say, it's sad to think this way but you keep adding sh*t on sh*t you'll end up with more sh*t!
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L. Banasky  
#16 Posted : Monday, July 4, 2022 9:53:45 AM(UTC)
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PunchCAD should send you a Thank You Letter, and a sizable check for finding all the bugs
that they should have found, and fixed.
I'm still pissed off, and everyone who upgraded or purchased Ver.11 should also be upset.
Below is my receipt, notice that we were sent a Work In Progress (WIP).
I checked with Todd, and no service packs or updates were planned.
Ver.11 had a bug that would keep adding chamfers, and lines after they were deleted or edited, for me Ver.11
was installed only one day, uninstalled the same day, and never used again. $500, gone.
I used Ver.10, and then upgraded to Ver.12, what a gamble, I must be insane, but for what I do
Ver.12 has been working. Sadly,I have many workarounds that I use, one is Fusion360.
Larry

Product:
SharkCAD Pro v11 with PowerPack v11 (Upgrade from SharkCAD Pro any version) - Download – Windows
SKU:
44787
Download Link:
http://esd.encore.com/do...arkCADPro11_1441_WIP.exe
Expiration Date:
3/3/2020 (Download insurance was not purchased)
Serial Key(s)*
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UGMENTALCASE  
#17 Posted : Monday, July 4, 2022 3:01:53 PM(UTC)
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I was told the fix for version 11 is to buy version 12! Absolutely nothing was to be fixed or changed in v11. Like you say, they literally took the money and was gone. If I treated my customers like that they would never come back!
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Claus2  
#18 Posted : Thursday, July 7, 2022 1:11:27 AM(UTC)
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Originally Posted by: UGMENTALCASE Go to Quoted Post
I rented my own Catia license a while back, was about £2500 for 3 months. If you have the work for it then great, otherwise it's a lot. That wasn't even for a license with half the add on features. Think I got stp export and a basic surfaces package. Very few other features.

The software I have gone for now works perfect. Simple things like being able to double click a border and re edit it should you make a typo, or the customer changes their minds or to add more information. You can edit a chamfer by double clicking it and adding or taking edges off it, gives you a live feedback so you know what is what!


Do you mind sharing what software you use now?

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CNC_Kid  
#19 Posted : Tuesday, July 12, 2022 2:29:00 PM(UTC)
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I am a bit confused.

Was ViaCAD and TurboCAD the same software with different names?

This guy Tim is using TurboCAD Deluxe v12 for MAC OS in 2020. Looks the same as ViaCAD v10/11/12.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2wvRbO-OCg
VCpro v11-1417
Win10Pro 32GB
Xeon E3-1270-v3 3.5GHz
Asrock Extreme 9ac
Samsung SSD RAID5
nvidia GTX760
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specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC)
Claus2  
#20 Posted : Wednesday, July 13, 2022 1:38:49 AM(UTC)
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It’s my impression that Turbocad for Mac is a rebranding of Viacad. Turbocad for Windows is completely different.
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specktech on 7/31/2022(UTC)
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