DISQUS

SolidSmack: 10 Things That Still Sucks the Big Lemon in SolidWorks 2010.

  • Izzy Bedibida · 3 months ago
    I teach highschool Technological Design and we have old generic buisniness compputers. Has any work been done on making SW 2010 be less of a resource hog on the low end computers typically found in a school?
  • Charles Culp · 3 months ago
    Yes, there are some functions that are faster. Matt did a writeup of it here: http://www.dezignstuff.com/blog/?p=2685
  • Josh M · 3 months ago
    Izzy, definitely take a looks at Matt's write-up. I'll be posting my own findings soon. Another thing some people will need to consider is hardware upgrades, not only because of SolidWorks 2010 though. . Windows 7 is coming on A LOT stronger than Vista, and while some may stay with older hardware for a while, there will be huge advantages. Windows 7 launches late October. I'd focus upgrades around that time and see if you can fit a budget for at least one upgraded computer/solidworks license, simply to test to show the advantage.
  • Matt Lombard · 3 months ago
    You just need to get an old version of SolidWorks and stick with it. For a high school, there is no reason that won't serve your needs. If you don't have real graphics cards, you're not going to be able to use anything after 2007 anyway. I'd go back to 2005. It has all the basics that you're gonna need, and will work with what you have.
  • Josh M · 3 months ago
    I agree with Matt, 2005 is solid. Also, if students have their own laptops they would be able to check out a seat to use at home. More than likely their laptops won't be workstation grade, and would have the sub-standard graphics card. So, there's one more reason to stay with an older version.
  • Izzy Bedibida · 3 months ago
    I already subscribe to the Student Design Kit for my students. SolidWorks has just posted SolidWorks 2009 Edu for download, and I will have 2009 installed at my school soon. It would be hard to keep an older version, while my students have the latest version. SolidWorks complete disregard for backwards compatability make the above suggestions very difficult to impliment.
    I have alreay spoke to SolidWorks about this isue.
  • Bruce Buck · 3 months ago
    Is is just me, or does that look more like an orange than a lemon...
  • Josh M · 3 months ago
    ok, yeah, it was a lemon. You know how hard it is to find an image of a lemon to use? huh? :) so I switched it out to one that looks more like the lemon we all know and love. Thanks Charles!
  • Izzy Bedibida · 3 months ago
    My school recently recived refurbished HP's with generic office specs running XP. I'll be stuck with them for the next 5-7 years. I have alreay been told that if the hardware specs get any more onerous, our 30 seat network licence will be cancelled, and I will have to go back to AutoCAD 2000 light.
  • Josh M · 3 months ago
    wow. hmmm, that's rough. If you're going to be using solidworks 2009/2010 for the next 5-7 years, you'll probably be allright. XP won't be supported by SolidWorks after 2010. Not that 2011 and onward won't run on XP, it's just going to be optimized/written for Vista/Windows 7. Doesn't seem like the best situation, but will be workable for learning, small model and assembly development.

    You may want to contact SolidWorks or a SolidWorks VAR and see if there are any type of education grants available for their partners.
  • Izzy Bedibida · 3 months ago
    My school is already using the Education Edition of SolidWorks, and there are no other grants available, plus we are locked into using school board approved hardware.
  • cwaltersdesign · 3 months ago
    Sounds like you should start calling technology and engineering business in your area to see if they have any old workstations they would like to donate to the school. You never know what kind of partnership could be created that could even allow for on-site tours and possibly internship opportunities when they go on to college... Just an idea.
  • Joe@Quest · 3 months ago
    Josh - FYI from my understanding, SolidWorks 2011 will be like SolidWorks 2007 and Windows 2000 - it will NOT install at all (the installer will actually stop if you're not running Vista or Win7).
  • Josh M · 3 months ago
    too right, just asked my source again and confirmed that is how it will work. 2011 will not install on XP. Thanks Joe!
  • Josh M · 3 months ago
    Joe, just got an update one the SolidWorks 2011on XP question. There are no plans to block installation of SW2011 on XP. So, while it may not 'play nice' it could still be installed.
  • Joe@Quest · 3 months ago
    Clearly my Kung-Fu is no good. : ) good sources there.
  • Josh M · 3 months ago
    one source is good, the other is getting a direct application of kung-fu. :)
  • Loeb · 3 months ago
    "Replace a Part with an Assembly, and Vice-Versa". Hell yeah. While they're at it, how about "Raplace Component" command in drawings so we don't have to shut down SW and open SW Explorer to do this.