HP Bundles Software:So What?

HP and Autodesk last week sent out a press release that puzzled me. The email from HP's external pr firm Porter Novelli starts off majestically enough:

Today at the American Institute of Architects Convention, HP announced a strategic relationship with 2D and 3D design manufacturer, Autodesk.

Autodesk is described as a "2D and 3D design manufacturer" -- why is it that CAD software companies disdain the use of "CAD" and "software"? Like Dassault now uses the term "mainstream 3D."

HP will be offering the latest version of Autodesk Design Review with the new HP Designjet T1100 and T610 Printer series, providing a new level of flexibility and productivity...

Here's where the puzzlement started for me, so I asked Porter Novelli's Tera Randall these questions, and received these answers:

Q: How is the DesignReview software bundled with the printer different from the software that anyone can download from Autodesk's Web site for free?

A: The Autodesk Design Review embedded in the new HP Designjet T Printer series is the same version available for download on Autodesk's Web site. HP has worked closely with Autodesk to specially optimize HP printer drivers for AutoCAD software, providing Windows ease-of-use with the performance of HDI. Having the software automatically installed offers users a streamlined set-up process with increased overall productivity.

Q: What is HP's incentive for adding this software to the printer's install CD?

A: To answer your second questions, HP wants to provide CAD, GIS and AEC professionals the opportunity to take their printing projects to the next level of print quality and dependability, reinforcing HP as the trusted choice in large format printing market.

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It's an HP habit to bundle a bunch of free and demo software with its hardware.

Why Does DWF Viewer Exist?

Along these lines, another puzzler: why does AutoCAD 2008 bundle the less-capable DWF Viewer instead of the better-for-the-end-user Design Review, which is also free? Indeed, one of AutoCAD's commands -- Markup -- requires the use of Design Review, and doesn't even work with DWF Viewer.

Comments

[R.K. McSwain]

According to Scott Sheppard, "AutoCAD 2008" shipped before "Design Review 2008", so DR could not have been included.

http://dwf.blogs.com/beyond_the_paper/2007/02/autodesk_design_5.html