Backward Compatibility

I had to roll back my "SpaceClaim+" installation because it crashed the computer's graphics card.

I received an error message when I attempted to open work that I'd managed to complete with "SpaceClaim+" under the older SpaceClaim--released just months earlier.

I hope this incompatibility between SpaceClaim+ and the previous edition is unintentional. Such lack of backwards compatibility is typically used by large and established software makers to insure that they can keep their market share--by forcing users to upgrade. Seldom is such a tactic used when a software company is trying to establish a market share--especially in a saturated market. Because SpaceClaim is not yet established it would seem that such practices will only alienate potential customers.

The graphics card compatibility issue is also troubling. I believe that SpaceClaim should increase it's compatibility with existing platforms to improve consumer's initial impression of their product. There are many alternate CAD platforms. I chose to evaluate SpaceClaim because it was marketed as a bridge between these other CAD formats. Perhaps some effort can be made to make SpaceClaim and SpaceClaim+ compatible as well? SpaceClaim is not yet a virtual monopoly like SolidWorks--and this is good.

Chris Bartlett