Every year there are new versions of pretty much every piece of software and hardware you use to be an effective architect. Those new versions are exciting and sexy. You crave them. You must have them. Of course money gets in the way, so even though there’s a shiny new Macbook Pro you want, you probably just read reviews over and over again rather than buy a new one. But software is different. Many of us are either on subscription or the software is free, so it’s no effort to jump to the latest version on day one. Or before day one. Starting a new project in the newest release of ARCHICAD or Revit is fine. There might be a few hiccups, but in general I think it’s fine to start working in the latest version ASAP. But AFTER day 1, not before. Using Beta software is not intended for people who want the latest and greatest. It is for people who want to improve the next versions. And typically not by finding new features to add, but by finding flaws-flaws like crashes, incompatible software, glitches, lost data…bad stuff that needs to be fixed before everyone uses it.

Betas are unfinished. Betas aren’t just untested; they are the test. When you download a beta, you are not only a guinea pig, you are also the avant-garde. You are ahead of everyone else. And that means you are in uncharted waters. If you download a Beta-especially an OS beta-and use it as part of your production and design process, you are taking on a lot of risk. You might know more about how the OS beta reacts to ARCHICAD 19 than GRAPHISOFT does. That might sound cool, but it’s not. You are using unstable software as part of your business model. And you will be finding problems that others haven’t solved yet. You might be able to report those errors to GRAPHISOFT, but they probably won’t turn around and solve the problem for you on your timetable.

Got that? Good. GRAPHISOFT has this to tell you about the latest beta from Apple: OS X 10.11 El Capitan Beta and ARCHICAD compatibility. I’ll give you the short version: as of July 13th, 2015 don’t upgrade to 10.11 El Capitan Beta and expect to use ARCHICAD. Have a little patience. By the end of the year we’ll all be using ARCHICAD 19  on OS X 10.11 or Windows 10, but not today. Speaking of which, hold off on updating to the unreleased Windows 10 as well. GRAPHISOFT will let us know when it’s time.

I can’t write this enough. Whether you use ARCHICAD, Revit, or any other BIM application, that piece of software is the most important thing you own. Make all your hardware and software decisions based on maintaining the functionality of that program. BIM first, then everything else. If you use ancient versions of the software, you don’t get to buy a new computer or update your operating system. And you might want the latest OS, but you don’t get to use it until the company that makes your BIM software says it’s okay. To run ahead to the latest OS, whether it’s in beta or even officially released, without first learning what GRAPHISOFT or Autodesk (or whatever company makes your BIM program) thinks is stupid.

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