My issue with Draftsight Reactivations
July 06, 2021
My issue with Draftsight Reactivations
Score 1 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
Paid
Overall Satisfaction with DraftSight
Reviewing and checking 2d prints.
- Works well with SOLIDWORKS.
- Easy to learn and use.
- Dimensioning.
- No place to easily ID where the product is activated so impossible to deactivate.
- If you ever need to reset your pc because of malware you can not reactivate your current licenses.
- The activation email/invoice does not contain any info to be able to tell where the product is installed.
- Reactivating and getting tech support is a nightmare.
- It takes days and you normally need to spend another hundred dollars just to get the product to work.
- Buyer Beware when installing product from reseller impossible to contact.
- When it works perfect.
- If there is ever a problem you need to spend one hundred dollars per seat just to get it fixed.
It was the only game left in town. It was free until all other competitors dropped out of the market and then became a software as a service model so kind of a bait and switch. Or the same model that was used to drive LCD manufacturing out of the rest of the world and into one country.
Using DraftSight
20 - Machinists.
1 - Normally it is just to install and it is a set it and forget it when it works. When you need to uninstall because a machine crashes it is a nightmare and the only easy solution is to pay another hundred dollars per machine. I find that to be annoying and frustrating.
- Drawing.
- Checking.
- Saving.
- Since it is for 2D and we are moving to 4 and 5 axis machines, not sure how we will be able to use DraftSight in the future.
Evaluating DraftSight and Competitors
- Price
- Product Usability
Our company was using AutoCAD Lte 97 for years. When the switch to Windows 10 happened or maybe it was Windows 7, the old product stopped working. DraftSight offered a free solution so we started using it. Then they switched to a pay service and we thought ok. Then one or two PCs got hit with malware and required a reset and I now have learned that reinstalling SOLIDWORKS and Office is simple however it is one hundred per seat to reinstall DraftSight and I find that annoying.
I may have stayed with AutoCAD because the price you pay now for DraftSight is equal to or greater and it seems like it was just a spinoff company from SOLIDWORKS. Had I stayed with AutoCAD I would probably have a more neutral platform and since everyone uses IGES and STEP to send files having a native SOLIDWORKS back end with no 2D viewer/markup tool is an issue for my shop operators.
DraftSight Support
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
None | Slow Resolution Poor followup Less knowledgeable Problems left unsolved Not kept informed Difficult to get immediate help Need to explain problems multiple times Support doesn't seem to care Slow Initial Response |
I do not need premium support to use a 2D drafting tool. The world of 2D ended at Y2K so paying for extra support is like purchasing extended warranties on your keyboard and mouse. Spilling coffee on them still voids the support contract so wasting that 50 dollars seems like that, a waste.
No I can not.
Using DraftSight
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Relatively simple Easy to use Well integrated Convenient Feel confident using | Slow to learn |
- Dimensioning.
- None.