FUD
When Greg Milliken was writing the piece on CADKEY and Evan Yares was selling AutoCAD 20 years ago, I was a 11 year old who probably hadn't been even introduced to geometry. So if nothing has changed since then it means that it never will.
The general idea is that FUD (Fear Uncertainity Doubt) is used by big companies to stamp out smaller competition that has a better product. I like the way Alibre is responding though. Almost all CAD software vendors have some sort of a comparison chart which shows how their software outshines the competition. But Alibre has taken it to another level. I was searching for some technical information at the Alibre web site today when I came across this page. There is an Excel spreadsheet called Total Cost of Ownership Calculator that attempts to tell AutoCAD, Inventor and SolidWorks users how much money they are wasting. The spreadsheet badly need to be updated though. They are still stuck with AutoCAD 2005, SolidWorks 2004 and Inventor 8.
Alibre and it's competition both agree that Alibre Design is cheap, although the interpretation of cheap may be different. But who said fighting FUD was easy?
The general idea is that FUD (Fear Uncertainity Doubt) is used by big companies to stamp out smaller competition that has a better product. I like the way Alibre is responding though. Almost all CAD software vendors have some sort of a comparison chart which shows how their software outshines the competition. But Alibre has taken it to another level. I was searching for some technical information at the Alibre web site today when I came across this page. There is an Excel spreadsheet called Total Cost of Ownership Calculator that attempts to tell AutoCAD, Inventor and SolidWorks users how much money they are wasting. The spreadsheet badly need to be updated though. They are still stuck with AutoCAD 2005, SolidWorks 2004 and Inventor 8.
Alibre and it's competition both agree that Alibre Design is cheap, although the interpretation of cheap may be different. But who said fighting FUD was easy?
posted by Deelip Menezes at
7:06 PM
4 Comments:
I have asked both SolidWorks and their external pr firm the reason they feel Alibre is offered at an uneconomic pricepoint, but after four days I haven't had a response yet.
I've sent a follow-up reminder email, so we'll see if SolidWorks has a pricepoint that they suggest Alibre be sold at to no longer be uneconomic.
By
Anonymous, At
11:55 PM, July 03, 2007
FUD is only to be feared by those who use it destructively; once a statement about a competitor's product is made 'they' must have the knowledge and data to back-up the statement(s). Else you find yourself in the positions Ralph has put Solidworks, and good on you Ralph.
If they do respond ;-), and Alibre capitalized on their answer it will do wonders advancing Alibre's bottom line and profitability.
Also, as I said in a comment to Evan Yares, customers/users bear some responsible for the use of FUD; they are the recipients/target audience and they should stop any marketing or sales rep' in his tracks the moment he starts going down this line. If FUD (applied destructively) is a tool they need to use in a presentation then they are probably wasting your time because they do not know enough about their products relative to your requirements and, have no appreciation of the value of your time.
By
Anonymous, At
6:32 AM, July 04, 2007
Ralph, do let us know if they respond.
By
Deelip Menezes, At
10:00 AM, July 04, 2007
The response from their external PR firm was to block discussion over the topic:
"Per the SolidWorks PR department, the document referred to on the blog was created in 2004 for internal purposes only and the material is copyrighted. Since it's an internal document, SolidWorks will not make any competitive public statements about it."
By
Anonymous, At
5:39 AM, July 05, 2007
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