X5 beta

[WendyWelton]

I would keep plans near completion in X4. Good candidates for X5 are projects that are in early stages and that do not have extremely tight time schedules - so you have time to learn new stuff.

I may nor may not be allowed to admit I've been using X5 for long enough that I can't remember what's new and what's not, dozens of projects on 5 full time workstations - with very few problems, none of them insurmountable. But you didn't hear that from me, 'cause it's classified.

I've seen one report in another thread of show-stopping problems on a network, but they seem to be unique to his setup. More importantly, they were obvious to the poster immediately, - not some sneaky surprise that would catch him with his mouse pad around his ankles half way through a project.

And - practice the Safe Six

1 - Always try a new version on a SaveAs file.

2 - Never disable your Chief backups. And periodically back up to a location separate from your main box. And then ideally store those off site.

3 - Always test all types of features that you use in a new version before doing billable work. My method is to do my work in the current version - and periodically hop over the new version to try each type of thing in the new one. iow, don't just do hours on construction documents, do a little dimensioning when you do some, then when you do some raytracing, hop over and try that... It's not about time, it's about hitting all the bases.

4 - Always review the available material before doing billable work - the videos, What's New, etc. Things change, settings get moved... You don't want to be under the gun and looking for the directions.

5 - Always practice good computer maintenance - virus updates, deliberate decisions about updating drivers (and know how to roll back if needed)

6 - Always leverage the value of your SSA. If you think it's broken and spend more than an hour trying to find the cure, you should be sending in a Support Ticket. First - you paid for that right, use it. Second - the rest of us need you to do that. If it is a problem, the sooner they know, the sooner it gets fixed. Sometimes you get an answer back that gives you a "doh" moment, but a problem solved is a problem solved.