What Exactly Is Creo? – Part 2

<< Part 1

Here is part of Mike’s slide explaining how different people need to use different tools for different jobs.

Today PTC tries to convince 2D users to move to 3D. CoCreate sales reps go to prospects and bitch about the pains of using a history based parametric system like Pro/ENGINEER. Likewise, Pro/ENGINEER people talk about the shortcomings of direct modeling systems like CoCreate. Creo is designed to change that. Mike told me, “We understand that different roles need different technologies and most companies need all technologies. The key is that those technologies must work with each other seamlessly.”

When CoCreate, Pro/ENGINEER and ProductView get mixed into Creo, apart from sharing a common file formats, they will also share a common user interface. The user experience across all Creo applications will be consistent. Even stuff like keyboard shortcuts will be standardized across all applications. This will help users of one Creo application to start using another relatively quickly.

It is important to note that Creo is not a rewrite. Mike told me, “We have not thrown away the 10,000 many years that have gone into making our products.” Another wonderful thing about Creo, especially for third party developers like me, is that PTC is creating an Open Partner Framework whereby Creo applications can be extended by means of plug-ins. Another thing. And this is important. Mike tells me that developers will be able to port their existing plug-ins to the new Creo framework with relative easy. A few partners have already done that.

This is what PTC’s design and visualization products look like today.

This is what they will look like in the near future.

So when will all this come to pass? The first beta of Creo 1.0 will be out towards the end of Q1 2011. By the end of Q2 2011, PTC hopes to ship Creo 1.0 to customers. Creo 2.0 is planned to be shipped at the start of Q4 2011.

In the next part I will discuss direct modeling in Creo.

Part 3 >>