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Rumour about SW buying Conisio.
3

Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

(OP)
Today at my job I heard a rumour about SolidWorks buying Conisio. (For those of you that don't know, Conisio is a program that lets you organize files and projects like PDM).

Anyways, I was wondering if anyone knew for sure or could confirm the rumour.

It could be a good thing as I have heard that Conisio is more powerful than PDM and also a lot more user-friendly. I have not tried it though. Are there any happy (or unhappy) Conisio users out there?

Salutations.

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

I have never seen Conisio and never heard or read the rumor. Can you find out from your coworkers where the rumor originated from?

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks Pro 06/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

(OP)
As with any good rumor, a friend of his told him, but he does not know where he got the information.

Maybe it really is just a rumor, but I was wondering if it could mean that PDM would get replaced by Conisio.

Once again, does anyone have ever used Conisio? Is it really that good?

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

It would be my guess that SWx is after a true product lifecycle management (PLM) package.  This would make them on the level with CATIA and Pro/e.

Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP 5.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
      o
  _`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience every time.

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

SolidWorks / Dassault already has SmarTeam, which in my opinion is very powerful but not nearly worth the commitment it takes to keep it going.

I don't believe that PDMWorks is going to go away.  

Conisio doesn't really compete with either the high end SmarTeam or the low end PDMWorks.  I could see it being acquired to eliminate a competitor and assimilate technology, and possibly fill that mid-level role where it seems to belong.

As a product, I've seen it, and it is easy to use, but my impression was that it had an odd approach to vaulting.  It might be one of those products that doesn't change file names or use a proper vault.  It might just record the locations of files wherever they are, and manage them from there.  That may not be right, but I do remember being not so impressed with their approach to the vault.  I did like the rest of the product, though.  It uses Windows Explorer for most of the interface and claim to be able to train users in 5 minutes.

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Quote (dezignstuff):

I don't believe that PDMWorks is going to go away.  

Conisio doesn't really compete with either the high end SmarTeam or the low end PDMWorks.  I could see it being acquired to eliminate a competitor and assimilate technology, and possibly fill that mid-level role where it seems to belong.

I 100% agree

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks Pro 06/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

I Googled this and couldn't find anything resembling SW buying Conisio.  

Quote:

The system supports any application running on a Windows-based computer including CAD programs such as SolidWorks and all Microsoft Office® programs such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, and Outlook. Rather than struggle with cumbersome interfaces, users perform all functions in Conisio through Windows Explorer or one of its other integrations.
http://swcommunity.com/news_full.php?cpfeatureid=11248

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/partners/PartnerDetails.html?ID=1032&productid=449

Either this is a rumor or SW may want an easier-to-use PDM - PLM application.  How many times have you read on this forum about how finicky PDMWorks or SmartTeam is to use?  Eating up the competition sounds reasonable also.  

Flores
SW06 SP4.1

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

(OP)
I never thought about the ‘’eating the competition’’ theory, but it sounds reasonable…

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Quote:

...but it sounds reasonable
  Generally I would agree, but this isn't the way SolidWorks Corporation typically works.  With a PDM-PLM application, they may be more willing to purchase companies since these applications directly enhance the total package for most if not all users, but specific applications, they seem to try and interface.  I'm really speaking more of specialty products, but...

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Maybe absorb would be a better word.  At a SW conference, they said SW bought Intellicad, but it was actually licensing IntelliCAD instead.  From IntelliCAD, the DWGEditor was born.  

Have any of you seen the new Easter Egg in SP4.1?  Now that's funny.  

Flores
SW06 SP4.1

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

SWx could be trying to build something similiar to the PTC Product Development System which uniquely delivers Web-based architecture that supports today's globally distributed environment.

Don't get me wrong - PDMWorks is a great product but it falls way short to a true PLM

Best Regards,

Heckler
Sr. Mechanical Engineer
SW2005 SP 5.0 & Pro/E 2001
Dell Precision 370
P4 3.6 GHz, 1GB RAM
XP Pro SP2.0
NVIDIA Quadro FX 1400
      o
  _`\(,_
(_)/ (_)

Never argue with an idiot. They'll bring you down to their level and beat you with experience every time.

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

SW /DS has purchased companies for:

- toolbox (Cimlogic)
- PDMWorks (DesignSource)
- SmarTeam
- Cosmos
- ACIS (Spatial)

Purchasing another wouldn't be out of range.

I don't believe anyone would argue that PDMW is a "true PLM" application.  It's usually billed as workgroup file management, which seems appropriate to me.

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

In February Dassault bought MatrixOne to add to it PLM products

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

In 2003, my company began using Conisio.  I believe at the time we were only the third or fourth U.S. cmpany using Conisio.  They are based out of Sweden (if my memory serves me correctly).

We have been satisfied overall with what we need Conisio for, which is primarily basic document management.  It is much more powerful than what we actually use it for though.

Our biggest gripe is that there seems to be a number of compatibility issues between Conisio and SolidWorks.  We have also been having a lot of SolidWorks crashes and recently I isolated the cause of them – a Conisio add-in in SolidWorks.  Support has also been harder to get in recent months.

Within the last few months, I believe Conisio became a Certified SW Gold Partner, so I’m hoping that solves some of the compatibility issues.  Also maybe of note is the following release:

“GCS are the authors of Conisio. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, GCS specialize in lifecycle management software for design data.  Founded in 1993 as a subsidiary of the German based company Genius CAD-Software GmbH, GCS developed mechanical CAD applications for Autodesk.  Prior to acquisition by Autodesk in 1998, more than 150,000 licenses were sold.  Between 1998 and 2004, GCS was a fully-owned subsidiary of TurnIT, a public company group.  At that time, TurnIT had a turnover in excess of $110M, with over 1,000 employees.  In early 2005, GCS were taken into private ownership through a management buyout, and private investors were brought in.”

Windows 2000
P4 2.40 GHz
Video Card -  
  Manufacturer: NVIDIA Corporation
  Card: Quadro4 900 XGL/PCI/SSE2
  Driver: 6.14.10.7184

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

This application will not be taking place of PDMworks in case any of you are wondering... at least not anywhere real soon.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP
www.scottjbaugh.com
FAQ731-376

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Wow.  Let's start some more rumors, like subscription is going to be free for all existing customers!

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

lol Hey, dezignstuff, pass around whatever it is your smoking.

cheers
Helpful SW websites  FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions  FAQ559-1091

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

I'll second the free subscription or least a multi-tiered plan so you only pay for what you actually use.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group
www.robrodriguez.com (updated 5/01/06)
SW 2006 SP 4.0

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Hey, I heard bigears from my coworker's brother's sister-in-law's, cousin's nephew's freind's dad's boss, that next SW release will have free subscription!3eyes

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks Pro 06/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Dezignstuff, that's better than the rumor I said about an Easter Egg in SP4.1.  Autodesk usually has easter eggs in it's programs, but I never heard of one in SW.  I thought this we turning into a 20+ post about a rumor originally.

Flores
SW06 SP4.1

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

(OP)
Well, turns out that the rumour is true. (Thank you pdybeck).

I wonder if they are going to use its technology to make PDM a lot easier to use.
I searched a little bit about Conisio, and it turns out to be a great program according to most comments I've read (although it does have its flaws).

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

We recently started using Conisio, and have found it an excellent way to manage large amounts of data across multiple sites.  PDMW is a great product, but is only useful for a small-ish amount of data and single sites.  Smartteam is very powerful, but too complex and too much $$$ for most mid-level companies.  Conisio fits in to a nice niche between those two.

Conisio also does a really nice job of managing metadata through SW custom property information...

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Somethings got to give though. There's no way they are going to offer both PDM/Works and Conisio, they are too similar yet not. Too much overlap.

My guess is they will salvage it for code or replace PDM/Works (but maybe keep the name). Conisio looks a little more window friendly with it integrating inside Windows Explorer. Might be easier for the casual user to get around in. It also has capabilities that PDM/Works doesn't have like replication for multi-site and workflow with email notification. And it runs off a database which makes linking it other databases easier and makes for better/faster searching.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Not that I really know but I bet it will work like this.  PDMWorks and SW Explorer become the same product and is included with SW. This will compete with AutoDesk Vault which I believe is included (in some format)with the core Inventor product.  If you want to upgrade to the "next level" you have to additionally purchase Conisio (or whatever they call it) or an upper level SW package (maybe SW Premium).  Kind of like but not the same as Cosmos Express and Cosmos or e-drawings and e-drawings pro.  My 2 cents.

Rob Rodriguez CSWP
President: Northern
Vermont SolidWorks User Group
www.robrodriguez.com (updated 5/01/06)
SW 2006 SP 4.0

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

There is also some rumor of Autodesk dumping Vault. Autodesk will not tell us the future of Vault, or garantee its future.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks Pro 06/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
FAQ559-716

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Funny ctpoher!!  I vote for ConWorks

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

SolidWorks acquires Conisio PDM software
CONCORD, Mass., May 4, 2006 — SolidWorks Corporation today announced it has acquired GCS Scandinavia AB of Sweden, a SolidWorks® Certified Gold Partner and developer of Conisio® enterprise product data management software.
“SolidWorks recognizes the importance of integrated data management solutions in the product design process,” said Jeff Ray, chief operating officer for SolidWorks Corporation. “The Conisio product line has a proven track record within the SolidWorks customer base and within the SolidWorks reseller community. The acquisition brings us valuable data management technology to meet the needs of customers working to design world-class products.”

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Yeah, but CosmosExpress is Cosmos code....lite. PDM/Works and Conisio don't work the same. I can't see them offering both with different interfaces. I mean, that really confises your userbase when you upgrade.

I'm thinking that maybe they consolidate the two and mostly migrate the PDM/Works side to the Conisio interface. It operates inside windows explorer which is easier for the casual user to digest.

Conisio has a built in viewer that opens over 200 file formats, wonder what becomes of eDrawings?

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

    I would tend to agree with Jason, although we've yet to hear anything definitive from SolidWorks.  I imagine in the coming week(s) we'll be given more info on what the general plan is and how that would affect the current PDMWorks users.  I would think they woud eventually have a plan in place to migrate data from the PDMWorks vault into the Conisio vault, if PDMWorks does for more or less get absorbed by Conisio.  What they eventually call the end result, nobobdy knows (I still like ConWorks though).  I can't see them making another level of PDM and thats why I agree with Jason that it seems they would be assimiliated, with PDMWorks getting a SQL database.  We'll see.  Overall I think its great news.  Multi-site capability would be very welcomed I am sure by many current PDMWorks customers, as well as other functionality.

Pete

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

I don't think the products will be merged.  There are too many differences, starting with PDMW's use of flat text files and Conisio's use of a real database.  I don't think PDMW is going to go away.  It's a good product with an existing user base.

One of the big limitations of PDMW is multi-site implementation.  Conisio can do that.  I think we have a Good-Better-Best thing going on here.  Conisio will be the Better product offering.  Midrange PDM for midrange CAD.

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Matt,

   Wouldn't it be possible though to migrate a PDMWorks vault to a Conisio vault, or is that asking way too much trouble for Solidworks?

Pete

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

It is possible to go from a PDMW vault to a database - based vault if you have an application written to do it, but a database - based system is a completely different animal when it comes to cost, installation, maintenance, admin, etc.  People who sign up for PDMW usually do it because among other reasons, they like the fact that there is no database administration.  You don't need a Crystal Reports expert, someone who knows sql, extra costs for db license management, etc.

I just doubt you will see PDMWorks with an implanted database.  I also doubt it will go away.  I think it will remain as is.  If people need multi-site functionality or have a bug up their butt about a "real database", then the sales guys push them up to Conisio.

I'm sure they will write a migration application because a customer moving from PDMW to Conisio would mean increased revenue.  To see what's going to happen from here, I think you'll get a good idea if you just follow the money.  You don't see an application widely available to migrate to SmarTeam because there are only a handful of consultants who benefit from that. I've seen twice as many people move from SmarTeam to PDMWorks as from PDMW to ST.  Mainly because of the bs and cost and technical issues with ST.

Anyway, I just think you will see two separate products, doing what they are best at, entry-level and mid-range file management / PLM.  Conisio will fill the role for SW that ST was originally hoped to fill.

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Isn't there a free sql database version? Also, PDM/works users don't really realize that it doesn't have a true database as it acts as if it does. I'm sure they can add a lite or free database and do something like DBWorks does. It runs on Access but can upgrade to Oracle or SQL as needed. The interface doesn't change. In order to prevent confusion, same thing has to occur for PDM/Works to Conisio, a seamless interface. So this means making PDM/Works work inside Windows Explorer.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.


Very interesting post.

Thank you for the "tip", please keep the rumour mill going.

Cheers,

Joseph

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Thats very interesting!!

Enterprise Edition is offering Conisio AND PDMWorks but not the COSMOS "freebies" or the Routing module.

Premium only offers PDMWorks but includes the COSMOS modules & Routing.

Anyone know how the pricings vary?

cheers
Helpful SW websites  FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions  FAQ559-1091

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

We don't know if the information at Javelin's site is legit yet... Still waiting to hear from SolidWorks on this one.  I have a message in with my reseller to see what they know.  Seems confusing at the moment...

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

I think this "Enterprise" edition is a Javelin thing. If you look closly, it's basically, SolidWorks Professional with Conisio and a program called "PropertyLinks" which is a Javelin developed add-in.

So this doesn't look like it's from Solidworks.

Javelin Technologies provides a complete 3D CAD solution for organizations that need to manage and automate product design data.

SolidWorks Enterprise Edition provides you with a seat of SolidWorks Office Professional plus advanced PDM, custom property management and design automation. Below is a list of the products included with the enterprise edition:

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

I am the Product Manager at Javelin Technologies for data management products.

The "SolidWorks Enterprise Edition" is in fact a Javelin bundle that we came up with to package up a few things that we think are very useful to a company that wants to really get organized.  Currently we price that bundle the same as SolidWorks Premium at the moment just to give you an idea.

While I won't say what SolidWorks plans are for PDMWorks and Conisio are at the moment I can tell you that we at Javelin strongly feel that Conisio is the right choice for a lot of companies.  We have had a lot of success with the product. We even use it ourselves to manage our documents. It's easy and packed full of data management goodness.

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

RMacEwen ... welcome to the forum. It's good to see someone from Javelin here. I hope you will post often.

Would you care to offer advice for the OP over in the Bad experience with Conisio thread559-154572

cheers
Helpful SW websites  FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions  FAQ559-1091

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Welll..there's the final confirmation.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Not much info on how it integrates with current seats of PDMWorks (if it does), but it seems (emphasis on seems) there will be an upgrade path from PDMWorks to PDMWorks Enterprise.

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

My guess at this point is not at all. I'd expect that over the next year that they will program in a migration option to go from PDM/works workgroup to Pdm/Works Enterprise.

Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2006 SP4.0 on WinXP SP2

RE: Rumour about SW buying Conisio.

Here's a little more info from SolidWorks:

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/products/solutions/PDMWorks_Enterprise.html

If you click on the data sheet, the 2nd and 3rd pictures are directly from traditional Conisio.  Don't know how long it will be before they start selling this commercially, but it seems like every week or two they are getting more info out about it.  I am assuming they a shooting for a pretty aggressive schedule.

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