Vectorworks Spotlight Student

Just so you know within the past month I bought a student license of Vector Works 12.5. Nemetschek has changed some things, the Student edition now does add a water mark on all of your files. But the biggest change, which i am currently extremely frustrated with is that any file saved by a student copy cannot be read by a professional edition.
Steve


I have 12.5 student and I don't have this problem. where is the watermark? I can't comment about not being able to be read bythe pro version but I can export to older student versions and read pro files.
 
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ARG!!! I just wrote this very length post and then when I tried to hit the back button to reference something, it disappeared. So, I'll summarize:

I haven't had the issue of a watermark or opening files issue thus far--but I'll believe you. I would like to see some hard proof though, can you send a screenshot or PDF of the watermark or unreadable file? [email protected]

If this IS true, then I'm DEFINATELY going to take it up with Nemetschek. Many of today's students are creating lighting plots for the most cutting edge and revolutionary lighting designs to date--their plots will be reviewed by teachers and designers, but will also become working drawings. By forcing students to print a watermark on all of their paperwork or plots is like slapping a label on the work that it is somehow unqualified, that skills are not refined, that the designer of this lighting plot is young and immature. I can't say that will be the reaction of all professionals in the industry who see it, or see "Student" printed on the bottom of paperwork, but we ALL know that as soon as you are asked "Hey, are you still in school?" at a job site, a sinking feeling comes in that you have lost some of that persons respect as an intellectual and artistic equal--that somehow they will be doubting your skills.

Don't get me wrong, I am by NO means ashamed of being educated in any way shape or form, I'm just merely pointing out that many industry vets will see a plot with a student mark and disregard it as not being quality work right off the bat. I think that its Nemetschecks duty to find another way to ensure that non-students aren't taking advantage of their educational discount--why don't they sell the educational discount exclusively? That way they would have much better control over its distribution.

Enough with my rant.

Logos, I'm confused by your statement: Are you? Really, all on your own. Cool.

Was that meant to be sarcastic and crass or appreciative and impressed? It can be taken both ways. For what its worth I am myself only a senior in high school. Do I get the same treatment? :)
 
Was that meant to be sarcastic and crass or appreciative and impressed? It can be taken both ways.

That is exactly what I am wanting to know... and if I will have watermarks of my work or not.
 
I am going to be a junior high school
Tupelo Sorry If I was misinterpreted but if you look at what you said, you actually said I am going to be a junior high school. Not I am going to be at Junior High School.
What I said was maybe a bit heavy handed but was meant in the best possible way. I mean if anyone can become a high school ...
If I offended you Tupelo I am genuinely sorry. I just though it was mildly funny. My sense of humour does occasionally get away from me.
 
Logos-

-Now I look at it the way you did, its pretty hilarious. Sorry, my brain hasn't been working lately--I'm ususally the first one to make some sort of dumb comment about a typo that sounds funny. I just read over it the mistake assuming that the typo really meant at. Kudos--sorry for chastizing.
 
I have attached screen shots of the error message that comes up when a profesional license tries to open a student file, a screen shot of the message that appears when you start a new file in a student license, and finally there is a pdf attached showing the watermark.
 

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Tupelo Sorry If I was misinterpreted but if you look at what you said, you actually said I am going to be a junior high school. Not I am going to be at Junior High School.
What I said was maybe a bit heavy handed but was meant in the best possible way. I mean if anyone can become a high school ...
If I offended you Tupelo I am genuinely sorry. I just though it was mildly funny. My sense of humour does occasionally get away from me.

haha, I'm so slow sometimes, I just now noticed I didn't put the in after junior.


On the other hand, Vectorworks is making me pretty mad with the watermark! I'm still wondering if I could get an older version such as 12 or 11.5 that does not have this annoying and stupid watermark.
 
I have attached screen shots of the error message that comes up when a profesional license tries to open a student file, a screen shot of the message that appears when you start a new file in a student license, and finally there is a pdf attached showing the watermark.

I just sent off an email to Nemetschek about this. They should be responding or calling me on Monday. I'll keep you posted.
 
I don't think that it's the watermark that is bugging me, it's the fact that files i create can't by viewed by profesional license. Also Nemetschek never told me about this.
 
I have attached screen shots of the error message that comes up when a profesional license tries to open a student file, a screen shot of the message that appears when you start a new file in a student license, and finally there is a pdf attached showing the watermark.

I have to say, I think that's a pretty silly thing to do. After all, the whole idea of Student Discounts is that Students need to be able to afford full working programs. My wife is going back to school for her Masters in Early Ed. right now. Imagine if the "student discounted" version of MS Office she got watermarked everything. She'd never be able to turn in a single paper! The idea of "student versions" not being open-able by "pro" versions is also unaceptable. Jezza, Let's us know what happenswith Nemetschek, I'd be happy to send a note along as well.

Grumble, grumble,grumble.:!:
 
I think that we should get as many people as we can to write to Nemetschek expressing our opions about this latest upgrade. There is usually power in numbers....
 
Agreed--anyone have the time to type up a petition that we can all copy and send off? I can do it tomorrow if no one else is up to the challenge. I'm going to post this discussion on LightNetwork as well to try and drum up some more support.
 
Agreed--anyone have the time to type up a petition that we can all copy and send off? I can do it tomorrow if no one else is up to the challenge. I'm going to post this discussion on LightNetwork as well to try and drum up some more support.

Perhaps the Stagecraft Listserve as well?

P.S. What is LightNetwork?
 
TupeloTechieKid, sorry I didn’t mean to hijack your thread. If i were you i would wait until we here what Nemetschek has to say before further pursing purchasing a student license.
 
This is the response I recieved from them:

Jeremy,

The decision was made based on the number of users taking advantage of the lower cost of the student version to produce professional-grade documents, which they were then profiting off of. This was strictly forbidden by the EULA, but it had become necessary for us to add this watermark regardless.

The watermark should not negatively affect anyone using VectorWorks only in an educational capacity, as was the original purpose of the cheaper option.

Sincerely,
Technical Support
Nemetschek North America
PH:410-290-5114

I responded with:

Nemetschek-

-While I understand completely and support your decision to try and curtail those not eligible for the student discount for abusing it, I still believe that the implementation of the watermark and of the restriction of access to files to be unnecessary and detrimental to students.
Those of us who are branching out of our current high school or college theater program to work at local venues will be using plots generated in our student edition because we still consider that part of our lighting career "educational"--we are still in the learning and growing process. However, when you slap the words "Student Edition" on any piece of paperwork or lighting plot, the reader will automatically, although maybe subconsciously, form an opinion about that design--that it is "student" work and therefore not a piece of quality art, that it does not reflect refined skills, etc. These are preconceived notions that students and younger members of the entertainment industry at large battle with. We do everything in their power to suppress these first impressions. I am not saying that this will be the reaction of all industry professionals, but it will be for some.
Additionally, suppressing a students ability to send a file to the owner of a professional version of the software seems well, ridiculous to me. As a student, I am continually sending plots to co-designers, professors, and colleagues to work with, fix, amend, add suggestions to, etc. How can I learn through example if my co-workers cannot open my files? How will I be able to see the their plots or investigate their ways of working and operating if I am unable to open their professional files?
I hope you understand and see how detrimental this is to my future career at the moment, and how it will effect many other students and educational institutions as well. The way you phrased your last email and the restrictions that have been placed on the program seem that this student version should only be used in the classroom, with no real physical implication. That may work for Landmark or Architect where many students do only work on their projects in the classroom with their professors. But for someone like my self using Spotlight every day in the class room and then attempting to send my plots off to a touring designer coming to my school, or sending it to the rental house to have gear pulled for the show, it just won't cut it.
I urge you to rethink your amendment to your program-

-Sincerely

Jeremy Lechterman
160 Hurley Rd.
Salt Point, NY 12578

[email protected]
(845)-709-0024


I encourage you all the write you own emails.
 
Very well worded letter, but I am willing to bet your argument proves their point. Their basic point is that if you are making money off their product, you should be paying more for it.
 
This is the response I recieved from them:
............................................
The decision was made based ................................ student version to produce professional-grade documents, which they were then profiting off of. .

Well I would hope you would be able to produce "professional-grade" documents. that is the point of the software after all.

Very well worded letter, but I am willing to bet your argument proves their point. Their basic point is that if you are making money off their product, you should be paying more for it.

I agree that it's possible the letter does prove their point, however, I feel there is a bit of a disconnect in their EULA. Now don't get me wrong, it would be hell having to compete with students, who were being subsidised by software publishers, whilst I had to pay full price for the same software. But, I feel this is a concession that needs to be made. On average Students are "working" they're are in school, maybe I'm being naive, but I've always felt the Student discounts were a bit of Altruism, a practice to help alleviate the financial burden already placed upon our poor students. \
Or something like that.
Nike gives shoes, uniforms, and gear to athletes, you'd think somebody would throw us a bone.
 
Oh, I don't disagree that students should get the discount. I know that I bought a copy while I was a student - when the rate was much higher than it is today - and was able to take advantage of the software at the time. I just don't know that they are going to reverse their policies based upon his thought process... But like I said, it was a very well thought out and written letter.
 
It is a very well written letter, though you may have stressed the fact that most of what you are using the program for is not making you any money.

I can understand Nemetschek wanting to have a little more security for themselves, but even AutoCAD doesn't cripple their student version that much. Sure you have a watermark on printed material, but anyone can open any file. It is a very valid point, if a student wants to send a plot to a mentor to review, what do they do? Do they make a VW Student Viewer?

Nemetschek has been so great for me in the past. When I bought the educational version a while ago everything came fine, but this was back in version 10.something. Literally like the week after it arrived version 11 came out, so I called and they sent out the new software, no charge. It was great.

It is acts like this from companies you trust that make it very easy to rationalize obtaining software in a less costly/free manner. It probably even makes more people do that.
 

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