As everyone knows the future of SolidWorks is 3D EXPERIENCE, probably via a cloud based log in system. I have no issue with this method of working - we do this for Office, Adobe, Fusion, Keyshot etc. But the one thing that is critical to this workflow is that the log in should always work and deliver on access.

So today I have been setting up a new PC with a totally clean Windows 10 system. Office is installed. Creative Cloud is installed. So next up I tried to install SolidWorks 2020 SP1.

So I log into my subscription services page, get to the download manager links, download and run it. All OK. (note I am LOGGED IN at this point).

I start the installer (as I have done 100s of times before) and I get this image:

Standard stuff. As this is a new install on a new machine there are no serial numbers pre filled. So I see the option to log in to pre fill the serial numbers. Nice. So I click the Log In button to be taken to the One Account - All Solidworks pop up. At this point I'm not clear what log in this is but I assume it is My SolidWorks so I fill in my logo in username and password. This fails. So I think OK, maybe I'll click on this reset password link to see if it was actually the MySolidWorks log in after all. So I click the link, get taken to a new page to reset the password and it all goes through:

So after the rest I think, OK I'll try logging into MySolidWorks again with these new credentials, and it goes through fine - see below. Note I am logged in.

So I return to the installer, try logging in again and.....nothing. The log in fails!

In the end it is no big deal as I copy and pasted a serial number from MySolidWorks to the installer and it is installing as we type. But the issue here from a user EXPERIENCE point of view is that this EXPERIENCE is rubbish.

Unfortunately, one thing that SolidWorks have shown over the years is that the simple task of logging in and staying logged in (be that on the forum, MySolidWorks or the customer portal) is something that seems to prove to hard to handle.

One log in should mean one log in. If I log in from the MySolidWorks portal in a browser the same log in credentials need to work when using the actual software - be that to log in to use it, or to install it.

The concern here for me is that this is a recurring theme with SolidWorks and Dassault (3D SWYM has exactly the same issues). This is kind of the fundamental process of the whole experience and it simply doesn't work well at all. So maybe next year's top ten list can include "ENSURING THAT THE LOG IN EXPERIENCE IS A GOOD EXPEREINCE AND NOT ONE THAT WANTS TO MAKE YOU THROW A BRICK AT THE SCREEN"?