Sharing a seat of SW?

[pkelecy]

I'm currently evaluation CAD products and plan to purchase one soon. SW is high on the list (currently doing a trial in fact) but one thing I would like to be able to do is share it. I have a contractor working for me who will need it for some up coming design work. My use will be pretty minor (too many other things on my plate) so purchasing two seats doesn't make sense. I understand from my var there's a floating license option, but SW wants $2K for that (expensive for what it is, in my opinion). So are there any other options (other than share a computer, which wouldn't be very convenient)?

Thanks for any suggestions. I'm sure this is a common issue.

Pat

 

[fcsuper]

You will be able to install your SW software twice. Theorically, once for office and once for home. Technically, you should be managing your license by releasing it and activiting it per usage, but in practice you will not need to do as long as you are dealing with two stations only.

Also, networking doesn't make sense if you guys are on different sites.

Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[pkelecy]

Thanks Matt. Glad there are some other options.

If you don't mind me asking, how hard is it to release a license? Does it involve uninstalling the software?

Also, does SW impose any limit on the number of times a license can be transferred in this manner?

If it's not too much of a pain to do, I would prefer to do it the legit way.

Thanks again.

Pat

 

[EEnd]

Unfortunately, my interpretation of the license agreement is that installing a standalone license for use on two computers is only legit if it is the same person using the license on both computers.

Transferring the license between computers for the purpose of letting two people share a stand alone license would not be legit. The floating license is the legit way for more than one person to use a license, although it still must be non concurrent.

I expect that the license situation will be similar for other CAD packages.

Eric

 

[pkelecy]

So the license agreement prohibits transferring the license to a second computer for a second person to use? But it's ok for two people to share it using the same computer? This doesn't sound very reasonable. I guess I can just put it on a laptop and pass that back and forth (not very convenient though).

I also don't understand why the floating license is so expensive (which, I agree, would be best way) given that only one license is involved. Seems like just a money grab to me.

Pat

 

[NomLaser]

You're paying for convenience.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

The SW licence is quite clear regarding licence usage.

If the Software is permanently installed on the hard disk or other storage device of a computer (other than a network server) and one person uses that computer more than 80% of the time it is in use, then that person may also use the Software on a portable or home computer while the original copy is not in use

The main point is that a single licence must not be used by more than one person at the same time. If that criteria were met, I doubt very much that SW would care if different users were involved ... but that's just my personal opinion ... which is worth about as much as you paid for it.

 

[fcsuper]

I was only suggesting what is possible. I really can care less what someone else does with their own license. That's between them and SW.

Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[SBaugh]

If you are caught sharing the license on two computers there could be fines for you. That is the same as pirating to SW. They are giving you a second license for your convenience and abusing that could potentially cause them to remove that function. Which would suck if they did that.

If 2 people use the same machine I would not think that is a big deal, but 2 separate seats in the same office is a big deal. The reason you get a license at the office and one at home is in theory you can't be at both places at the same time. So only 1 license is being used at any one time. So that is what you are signing. Then when you buy SW you agree you will only use "X" licenses that you buy at any one time.

I have turned users in that I find are exceeding their licenses because of either their ignorance or because they are trying to get away with something. If its ignorance I train them and fix the problem, but other than that I turn them in.

When people do that they will just cost all the users more money in the long run, because SW will also have to add more security into the program and will not fix problems that may occur. Meaning that some focus on security might be more important than fixing a problem if a security problem continues to come about.

Look at the leasing options SW has out there if you cna't afford to by a second seat.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

"If it's not broke, Don't fix it!"

faq731-376

 

[rollupswx]

What kind of work will you be doing? Single part files or assemblies? Perhaps a full seat of Autodesk Inventor and a free seat of Inventor LT

http://labs.autodesk.com

(limited to single parts and drawings) will fill your needs.

 

[dogarila]

My VAR quoted me recently $500 (Canadians) per seat for floating licences.

 

[fcsuper]

Scott,

Just so that the an alternative view is presented here, I'll respond, in a devil's advocate type matter.

It doesn't really cost "us" anything. AutoCAD become the dominate CAD application because of outright black market piracy. Once Autodesk started implementing serious anti-piracy measures, the prices of their 2D applications skyrocketed, even in the wake of rise of 3D software. That said, I'm not going to advocate piracy. However, I will not judge someone who is paying for the software. Reporting on fellow paying customers can hurt "us" because it potentially takes them off the market altogether. There's a balance to be had.

Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[fcsuper]

pkelecy,

I don't remember the price for a floating license being $1200 either. I would suggest that the floating license is worth the investment at $500 as long as everyone is on the same site. Otherwise, they should be managing their license through activation/deactivation, especially if one person is using much more often than the other. Your VAR should be able to tell you how this works.



Matt Lorono
CAD Engineer/ECN Analyst
Silicon Valley, CA
Lorono's SolidWorks Resources
Co-moderator of Solidworks Yahoo! Group
and Mechnical.Engineering Yahoo! Group

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

A VPN can also be used for application of a network licence.

 

[pkelecy]

Thanks for all the replies.

I tend to agree with CBL -that the intent is not to have more than one person use the license at a time. But that's hard to police, and hence the need for activation and current policy.

The amount I was quoted (by my SW var) for a floating license was $2000, not $1200. That tells me they're not really interested in selling those (imo). $500 would be a more reasonable price.

Also, just for the record, the home install option does not work with the trial code (unfortunately).

Pat

 

[Updraft]

The floating license fee of $2000 is not per seat, it is per site. We just purchased four seats here and were initially going to to have two fixed and two float. Our VAR pointed out the advantage to us of making all four float so we did and we are very happy with it that way (cost of four seats plus $2k).

For the point of the original post, VPN should be investigated as CBL referenced. I do not use this, but have a friend that does. I think this would actually be the most appropriate and affordable solution.

- - -Updraft

 

[pkelecy]

Updraft, - I guess I'm not clear on the difference between a per seat vs per site floating license. What I was thinking of was a floating license that would allow anyone to use the software (even a remote user) on their local workstation by "checking out" the license. Once checked out, no one else could use it untill the license was checked back in. So is this considered "per site"? If so, what's per seat.

My understanding is that VPN would be used by remote users to access the license manager and check out a license remotely. Were you suggesting using VPN to connect to a remote workstation to run SW? If so, I've heard that doesn't work well because of the video requirements. Would be nice if it did though.

Thanks for clarification.

Pat

 

[handleman]

Last time we checked into network licensing, it was $X (can't remember) additional cost per networked license above the purchase cost for the standalone license, up to a maximum of $10X. I'm thinking X was about $500.

-handleman, CSWP (The new, easy test)

 

[GRF]

The $2000 pays for the licneses server software which is actually a third party application (flexLM) with a SW GUI. It is a one time fee and allows you to install SW on as many computers as you want but only "X" number of people can use the software at one time. X being the number of licenses you purchase. The purchase price difference between a stand alone and network license is $0, it use to be $500 but that has changed with in the last year. Be sure to check with your VAR. If you have an existing network license and node locked license there is no fee to convert the node locked licnese to network.

An option if you are busy and not going to actually do any of the modeling you can install SW Edrawings which will allow you to view and markup existing SW solids and 2D drawings in their native format. You cannot change things but you can at lease view them.

 

[GRF]

I forgot to add that with a network license you can "borrow" a license if you are going to work offsite. I do this with my laptop so I can do work at home with out needing a VPN. The down side to this is that the licnese is considered in use the whole time I have it borrowed. For us that means there will only be 5 network licenses available instead of the normal 6.

Another thing to keep in mind is that it expires at midnight on the last day you borrowed it so if you plan on working late into the night grap it for the next day as well.