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Solidworks 2008: The worst version yet?

Question asked by Mark Craig on Oct 8, 2008
Latest reply on Oct 17, 2008 by Basil Gello

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Having installed SWX2008 back in October 2007, I thought I'd find out if anyone had encountered a similar experience. The performance of this software version is absolutely abismal. SWX has intermitent unexplainable crashes, the performance is a complete joke, sluggish at best. As for SWX explorer, why include software that is a complete waste of time? Windows desktop search tie-in for SWX explorer is laughable. I would love to still be using SWX2007, it was light-years ahead of SWX2008. Has anyone else experienced similar? I can't not sound so negative, this is my primary software tool and it's a real pain.

Christopher Mueller Oct 13, 2008 5:41 AM

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We are moving over to 2008 in 6 weeks, but after reading this topic I wonder if it wouldn't be best to skip it and go on to 2009 even with the bugs.

There will be some issues with training....

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1-7ICY7R Oct 8, 2008 11:30 AM
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I feel your pain. I submitted a very similar comment to the recent Solidworks survey.
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Garrett Brooks Oct 8, 2008 11:31 AM
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so go download SW2009
then you can complain about all of the bugs in SP0.0

use a PDM system and forget about windows desktop search
I disabled all functions of windows desktop search the day I installed SW2008
if you company does not want to pay for a PDM system pretend you deleted a bunch of files then ask again

I have been using SW2008 50+ hours a week since October 2007 with assemblies with thousands of parts and it works great, the short cut menus make everything faster and crashes are rare I would never go back to SW2007and am looking forward to SW2009
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- Aaron Larson @ Garrett Brooks on Oct 8, 2008 11:58 AM
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  I agree with Garrett. I'm on SW'08 all week and it's great. Huge workflow improvements over 2007. I've only been using SW for 8 months - started on 2007 and had some experience with 2005. Prior I used Pro/E (2000i2 - WF 3.0) for 6 years and until the SW2008 release came out I think Pro/E still had SW beat hands down.
  
  I occasionally have to use Pro still and despise having to go back to that and my feelings would be the same of SW2007. I recently went to a SW'09 rollout show and it looks fantastic. I too am looking forward to it.
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  - Charles Culp @ Aaron Larson on Oct 8, 2008 12:19 PM
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    I have poor results with windows desktop search. Other than that, I almost never crash, my models rebuild faster than 2007, and after removing all the toolbars I have found the new UI to be a much more elegant solution. If you are crashing, it is probably because of your setup (hardware, settings, etc). Here are some threads for you to read that might help your experience:
    
    On the User Interface:
    http://forum.solidworks.com/fo...tid=24&threadid=11007
    
    If 2008 crashes "all the time":
    http://dezignstuff.com/blog/?p=261
    http://forum.solidworks.com/fo...tid=14&threadid=11613
    http://forum.solidworks.com/fo...tid=14&threadid=14015
    http://forum.solidworks.com/fo...tid=14&threadid=14267
    
    So, you are having problems. What mouse are you using, and which drivers? Any other peripherals? Are you always running anti-virus, which? What kind of crashes are you getting? Do you load your files directly off the network? Do you have PDM?
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Matt Lombard Oct 8, 2008 1:59 PM
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Mark,

The biggest problem with 2008 is that it is an incomplete solution. I think if you move to 2009 you will be more satisfied. In 2009 most of the things that were broken in 2008 finally make sense again. I've seen a lot of people say positive things about 2008, but in my opinion, these people are either only looking at specific interface changes or are not thinking critically about the interface as a whole.

For example, a lot of people like the S toolbar in 2008, but in reality it adds clicks to anything you use it for. Individual hotkeys are a more efficient solution than the S toolbar. The 2008 CommandManager to me is useless. I was a fan of the 2007 CM. They come close to fixing it in 2009. Colors functionality in 2008 really IS unusable. That is fixed in 2009 and looks similar to 2007. I find the new split RMB menus in 2008 unusable, and was glad when they added the option to reassemble the RMB. The default interface installs with a lot of flyout toolbars, and flyouts are majorly distracting. They are ok for small monitors where you need to conserve space, I use them on my 12" laptop, but not on my 24" desktop. In addition to being distracting, they also add clicks and mouse travel, plus some functionality is simply not available when using flyout toolbars (single command per click double click function in particular).

As far as crashes, I'm kind of a nut about the crash issue. I use 2009 more than 2008 (still also use 2007), and I crash most in 2008. I rarely crash, but when I do its usually when using 2008. If you're crashing more than a couple times a week, you probably have local "computer hygiene" issues.

As far as performance, the one thing I notice most is that parts with a lot of features get slower with every release. I don't use big assemblies or drawings much, but I do complex parts, and they just get slower.

As far as your overall comment about 08 being the worst, I do think it is the worst in recent releases. We might have short memories about 2001+ or some of the other releases from that era.
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Mark Craig Oct 10, 2008 12:27 PM
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Thanks for the comments guys, you have me sold on SWX2009.
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Nate Parello Oct 10, 2008 4:16 PM
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Solidworks 2009 is far better than 2008. I tend to jump right into the Beta as soon as it's released and even with Beta 1 I found it to be far better than 2008. I too hated the flyout toolbars and color system in 2008 and was seriously considering canceling our subscription till 2009 came out. I knew I would not have access to service packs but I was planning on going back to 2007 at the time.

I have always had crashes on Solidworks ranging from once or twice a week to once or twice a day. My "computer hygiene" as Matt puts it is probably the culprit in some cases. I only have one computer for use and I am the IT guy and webmaster here as well as the main CAD engineer so my computer gets used for a lot of other stuff besides Solidworks. This will not be an issue here within the next few weeks as I am building a new workstation that will be mostly dedicated to solidworks and using an old box for everything else with a KVM switch.

Basically, if you hate 2008, do yourself a favor and get 2009. It is much better. Also, take a look at the posts Charles linked for you, they are pretty informative too.
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Basil Gello Oct 11, 2008 7:29 AM
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When I migrated to SW2008, I was completely "burnt and broken" - the very different interface, that flyout menus, plus crashing all the times on FeatureXpert - I was really regretting of moving to 2008. It was SW2008 SP0.1. Currently, on 2008 SP4, I am used to work with it and pay my attention to all these things no more. But, anyway, I do not understand why 2009 uses twice more memory after its startup than 2008 if the amount of really useful functions (for me particularly) is not so large? I assume that the looking glass and sensor panel consumes lots of resources, but anyway too strange.

Regards,Basil
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- Scott Nelson @ Basil Gello on Oct 13, 2008 1:41 AM
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  I like working with 2008 but I will agree fully that the performance of 2008 was the worst I've ever experienced - it was so slow for me (64bit version) that I upgraded hardware several times all to no avail. I'm switching this week to 2009 and I really really hope it speeds things up a bit.
  
  I've been using sw since 1999 and sw2008 actually had me looking around for the first time since I started using it to see 'what else is out there'. Not in a serious way but man - it was just that slow........
  
  We actually got into the habit of sketching or playing blackjack in our office while we waited for the busy pointer to go away...
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  - Christopher Mueller @ Scott Nelson on Oct 13, 2008 5:41 AM
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    We are moving over to 2008 in 6 weeks, but after reading this topic I wonder if it wouldn't be best to skip it and go on to 2009 even with the bugs.
    
    There will be some issues with training....
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Nate Parello Oct 16, 2008 6:46 PM
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I would say definitely skip 2008 if you have the choice. You'll save money on ibuprofen.
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- Basil Gello @ Nate Parello on Oct 17, 2008 1:36 PM
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  Nate Parello wrote:
  
  I would say definitely skip 2008 if you have the choice. You'll save money on ibuprofen.
  
  Use 2007 and don't pay for meds!
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Solidworks 2008: The worst version yet?

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