13 replies to this topic

[Michael Hand]

I see that the cloud feature is new in softplan. Seems like it is a interesting concept, especially when upgrades will be free. Not sure of all the details of it yet (pdf, work  with files and settings to transfer to another computer, like carbonite as a backup, etc?)

for $45 a month with the features I am interested if anyone has this add on and what your opinion is; good and bad

This will help me decide whether or not to get it

thanks and ching chow

[Mark Pacey]

I use the cloud feature for a few reasons and I personally like it.

No future upgrade costs,excellent support at no extra charge, additional content, and online backup of my files.

$45 is reasonable I find, and hurts less than buying an upgrade.

The only downside is that you can't work efficiently without a good internet connection.

This can be tricky when working in the field, away from my office, but I try not to do that anyway, so for me, it's not an issue.

My only complaint is that a lot of the features we wait 2 years for are simply patches to existing problems, and should be fixed when a fix is coded.

I just feel that as a subscription service, we should expect fixes to be implemented continually.

Overall though, I am happy to be on Cloud 2016.

[Michael Hand]

So, Mark, is the internet and slowdown in working issue only when away from your main computer or all the time?

[Keith Almond]

As far as I am concerned, you can keep the cloud - We are a rural office, and with our pathetically slow internet connection, we would rather not have to wait for a full project to upload to the cloud, when closing one project and opening another. In fact we are unchecking the upload to the cloud feature on opening every project.

 

Having said that SOFTPLAN + is much more than cloud. All upgrades are free (and apparently you get the upgrade as soon as it is available - although don't get me started on that) - if you consider the upgrade cost based on a major upgrade every two years, and then figure out what the SOFTPLAN + cost is for 2 years (regardless of the number of keys you have) then that in itself in my opinion is a no brainer. Everything else is just gravy. There are a number of other benefits too, not least of which is the in programme support, which is excellent.

 

 ..... for $45 a month with the features I am interested if anyone has this add on and what your opinion is; good and bad ........ 

 

Summary .... Better than GOOD. Read up, and watch the introduction video here. As I said earlier NO BRAINER.

 

The upgrade to 2016 from 2014 is $895 ...... Softplan+ over two years is $45 x 24 = $1080. An extra $185 ($7.71 per month) for all the added benefits, and not having to worry about having to find an extra $900 plus ... in a couple of years to upgrade again.

 

 

 ...... ching chow ......

 

??????? - What is "Ching Chow"?

[Mark Pacey]

So, Mark, is the internet and slowdown in working issue only when away from your main computer or all the time?

As far as I know you can work without the internet, and the system will warn you when your local files are newer than those in the cloud, or vice versa, and ask you to update to the latest version of your files.

The downside is that you don't have additional symbols available that are on Softplans' servers. Which really isn't that big of a deal I suppose. I only work from my home office, so I always have internet access. And mine is fast.

In Keith's situation, not so good.

[Michael Hand]

I am looking at it as a secondary system to compliment office workstation to my tablet in field so I am not too sure because internet is not 100% everywhere and there is no ching chow when you can't work

[Keith Almond]

You absolutely DON'T NEED to be connected to the internet all the time.

[Sam Morgan]

I work from a desktop from home and tablet in the field and when I travel.   I'm out of town at least 2 months out of the year so being able to save files to the cloud and access when I'm gone is absolutely necessary for me.  I have a verizon hotspot that I used to be connected when I travel.

[Keith Almond]

Sorry Sam, I worded that badly. It was in response to Michael's comment, that He doesn't know whether to buy Softplan + because he doesn't have internet access all the time.

 

What I mean't to say was "You don't NEED to be connected to the internet 100% of the time to be able to make use of Softplan +. You can still work with Softplan + even when you are not connected".

[Michael Hand]

I am referring to accessing files and if there is no internet, then no access and if I want to access files in field, I need internet

[Keith Almond]

The files save BOTH locally AND the cloud, obviously depends on how you work. If you save to a server then you have some issues, if you save locally to the machine you take on site, then there is no need for a connection. 

[Michael Hand]

there is a need for a connection, sorry, but when you have a portable device in the field the memory is limited

[Sam Morgan]

I work in the field from a Surface Pro 3.  It will do everything my desktop will do other than full rendered mode in 3D.   

[Keith Almond]

there is a need for a connection, sorry, but when you have a portable device in the field the memory is limited

 

I don't understand that, if your portable device in the field is capable of running Softplan in the first place, the size of Softplan's data files is absolutely negligible. How is the memory limited?