Maker edition

[doobes]

Does anyone have any experience with the Maker Edition of SolidWorks?

I'm looking for real world limitations here. I'm looking for the ability to stay current with SolidWorks for my own personal usage. No commercial activity whatsoever.

From what I'm reading, files edited by Maker cannot be edited by any other versions. Fact or fiction?

Can maker open existing SolidWorks files?

Any thoughts you have would be appreciated.

And it's on sale until tomorrow for $40/year

cheers

[Frederick_Law]

Did you read any of those support posts?
Here:
https://r1132100503382-eu1-3dswym.3dexp ... ut-q1X_9uA
Most are: Can't login, can't install, double payment, can't stop subscription, didn't get activation email, how to cancel.

Maker and SW files are not compatible. They are export/import like STEP files.
Maker default to save files on web.
Maker constantly updating. You can take it offline and "pause" it for a while.

You should do the trial before using your money.

[doobes]

Thanks.

That's not pretty.

It's not clear whether the "3DExperieince SolidWorks Profession" is a locally installed entity or not.

I realize the files can't be interchanged amongst versions.

cheers,

[AlexLachance]

Look up OnShape rather, for a hobbyist I'm sure it'll convey your needs and it is free up to a certain extent.

I wouldn't throw money at a burning fire pit to be honest.

[dave.laban]

I've ended up with a copy of Makers. I had no issue signing up, downloading and installing the software. What I did have was an issue where I couldn't log in to 3DSwym with my home credentials (the ones associated with Makers), which only got resolved after I made a support ticket using my work credentials.

"3DExperieince SolidWorks Professional" is indeed locally installed.

I haven't had much time to play around with anything but on the surface it's fundamentally "just SolidWorks" with some extra online bells and whistles (and a slightly fussier way of saving things).

[Krzysztof Szpakowski]

As above, no problems with installation, use, login. However, I do not recommend installing the Makers version on a computer with a commercial version. The second one stopped working for me. However, saving on a computer (locally) is not a problem. Please also remember that the XDrive, XShape and Vizualise add-ons only work in the browser.

Edit
You can open commercial version files. But commercial version not open Makers files. Possible export STEP, IGES, STL...

[doobes]

Thanks for the feedback.

At this juncture, I'm perfectly happy with v2023 SP5.0 or v2024 SP1.0.

The maker thing was for future reference.

[len_1962]

MAKER is for personal\Hobby s h i t!

but having XShape is a plus for those hard to make surfaces

[RichGergely]

Thanks for the feedback.

At this juncture, I'm perfectly happy with v2023 SP5.0 or v2024 SP1.0.

The maker thing was for future reference.

Think of it this way, I'm working with a company who use Solidworks 2018 at the moment and have no issues and are perfectly happy with it.

Solidworks 2023 works on Windows 11 and quite possibly will on the next version after.

What I'm saying is, you will probably get at least 10 years out of that seat you have for personal use with no problems. The only reason I pay subs is in case a client comes along that needs the newest version. I'm still using 2021 SP5.1 at the moment, I will probably load a newer version on shortly as a it looks like a new client is on 2023 and they want native Solidworks files.

[doobes]

All this is highlighted by the fact that I've got a house full of Win10 boxes with not a single one eligible for upgrade to Win11, including a not very old and expensive Dell Precision workstation that I run SolidWorks on.

When Redmond ceases supporting Win10, I'll transition all my Windows boxes to Linux, and probably firewall off my Windows box with SolidWorks.

So, I'll just tread water until there is a need to do something different.

This is all for my personal usage as I'm retired and it's a "hobby" so need has somewhat different definition than normal.

Thanks for all that commented.

As usual, y'all are 'da bomb!

cheers

[Frederick_Law]

Just keep the Windows 10 box off internet.
Windows got no update, SW got no update.
You can use other device for internet.

[doobes]

Just keep the Windows 10 box off internet.
Windows got no update, SW got no update.
You can use other device for internet.

That's the plan. I just need to figure out how to firewall the Windows box and still be able to pull files and such from my NAS box

[Frederick_Law]

As long as both don't need internet.
Connect them to same router and don't connect router to internet.
Probably got an old one hanging around.

[bnemec]

That's the plan. I just need to figure out how to firewall the Windows box and still be able to pull files and such from my NAS box

You sound smart enough to self teach these things. If you have access to the firewall on your router/gateway (if it's managed by your ISP then this may not work) then you can add a rule to block all ports from the IP address of the old windows box to everything outside the firewall. Will want that to be a first apply rule. There's likely tutorials on the webs for your specific router/firmware. This will still allow traffic to/from that machine on your LAN, but allows nothing to leave. If things stop working on that PC you can filter the firewall log on the router for blocked packets from that local IP.

[doobes]

Oh no I manage this myself.

I've got an Ubiquiti SMD-SE sitting downstream of an Alcatel fiber ONT providing a dumb innerweb pipe.

I'll figure out how to isolate the box as I have plenty of time and the SDM has plenty of capabiliy for VLANs and such. The challenge will be keeping the box isolated from the big bad world while still being able to access my Synology NAS box, which does has access to the big bad world.

cheers,