SolidWorks SPR's are now Confidential Information
I just realized that the SolidWorks Software Performance Reports (an elegant term for "bug") are now considered confidential information and you are made to click-accept a non-disclosure agreement before accessing the SPR database.
I wonder why. Probably because SolidWorks found too many people bad mouthing their software and had the SPR numbers to back their claims.
And that's precisely why it is a good habit to read those long and pesky click-through agreements. I know they are a pain and come in the way of your work. But understanding what you are agreeing to is equally important and can save you a lot of trouble down the line.
I wonder why. Probably because SolidWorks found too many people bad mouthing their software and had the SPR numbers to back their claims.
And that's precisely why it is a good habit to read those long and pesky click-through agreements. I know they are a pain and come in the way of your work. But understanding what you are agreeing to is equally important and can save you a lot of trouble down the line.
posted by Deelip Menezes at
12:39 PM
8 Comments:
I believe SPR's have always been considered confidential information.
Do other vendors make their bug reports available for public distribution?
By
Anonymous, At
6:18 PM, April 24, 2008
Anonymous: "Do other vendors make their bug reports available for public distribution?"
Off hand, I cannot think of any other CAD vendor that was so open about their SPR's as SolidWorks. But I guess they had a good reason to put a lid on it. Bugs are something that we software vendors are not particularly proud of.
By
Deelip Menezes, At
7:41 PM, April 24, 2008
I think it is more than reasonable to limit searching of the SPR database (or equivalent - some companies are more forthright in the naming convention!) to current customers only. I believe this is common practice. It is competitors who are looking to browse such databases that are left out here...
By
Anonymous, At
4:08 AM, April 25, 2008
PS SIMULIA (Abaqus) are even more open than Solidworks with regards to SPRs. They even provide a regular report of "Potentially Serious Bugs" (ones that might cause errors in results)
By
Anonymous, At
4:10 AM, April 25, 2008
Hello Deeplip-
SolidWorks releases software that appears to not be throughly tested. Then, it is up to the user to find and report problems. As a user since 1999, I no longer submit bug reports, enhacement requests, beta-testing or whatever. SolidWorks should pay for these services just like we pay for bug free tested software.
Devon T. Sowell
http://www.3-ddesignsolutions.com
By
Anonymous, At
11:09 PM, April 25, 2008
Devon,
Good point! :) We should get a major discount on the following year's subscription for ever bug found.
By
fcsuper, At
7:00 AM, May 01, 2008
Deelip,
This is not a recent change. For a number of years we’ve required our subscription customers agree not to disclose information about the list of SPRs we have fixed in current Service Packs, or plan to fix in future Service Packs or major versions prior to accessing this SPR list. This information is readily accessible to subscription customers via the SolidWorks Customer Portal, having acknowledged that they will not redistribute this information.
This information is commercially sensitive, and this measure was introduced to prevent it from being reposted in part or in full on public forums accessible to competitors.
Best Regards,
Ian Baxter
SolidWorks Corporation
By
Anonymous, At
11:37 PM, May 06, 2008
Ian, thanks for your comment and clarification.
By
Deelip Menezes, At
12:17 AM, May 07, 2008
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