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> Seems like you are just comsol.

Maybe it isn't too clear, but Comsol is just one solver (depending how to look at it I guess), while the idea of FEATool is to be a fully integrated platform for "any" solver, and in the extension to be able to mix and match and combine them (plug and play so to speak). At present I have just been able to implement the built-in MATLAB based multiphysics solver, with interfaces to FEniCS, OpenFOAM, and SU2.

> Why FENICS and not DEAL.II or MOOSE (I don't know, I am just curious. I used to use FENICs but got frustrated because their input syntax kept changing on me.

No particular reason really, I just started with FEniCS as it is quite popular and I found the FEATool PDE syntax easy to convert to FEniCS Python scripts. The plan is to add more and more external solver options.

> As someone who does this 50+ hours a week in industry (although only structural modelling but frequently coupled with optics/heat transfer/) and is reasonably well versed in the up and coming research I have a couple of questions (or would have if I was a potential buyer).

Thank you, I really appreciate the interest and feedback. Unfortunately its kind of "not implemented/available yet" to all your technical questions, although FEATool technically can solve any system of PDEs, I haven't yet pre-defined and set up everything so it is easy for the end users. So as many things are possible to do by going down to the FEM matrix assembly syntax but from a users standpoint that is most often the same as it doesn't exist.

> Also really cool. I have been thinking about writing software in this space but more nichy for about the past year and am beginning to get started, any interest in collaboration?

Thanks again for the feedback, I'm certainly open to all and any collaborations (email in my profile). Yes, looking back I think starting in a niche would have been a better approach.

I am sceptical that you are going to find customers who are going to pay for using multiple solvers especially since they use the fortran routines on the back end and most fea solvers have been heavily verified by e.g. nafems. That said it might be a defining feature between choosing COMSOL vs. FEATool Multiphysics but I doubt it is a technical driver.

> Also if you want to ask me questions about my thinking as a user who thinks a lot in these problems space, feel free to email me (I will want it to move to a phone call, but don't want to post my phone number on hacker news).

Thank you for your offer, I could not find you contact info anywhere though, so I left my contact in my profile if anyone wants to get in touch for collaborations or anything at all really.

In the commercial space I always refer people to https://www.altair.com/inspire/ Which now uses SomSolid for analysis. From what I've heard (used to work there, still know people) it is way ahead of other FEA solvers. You can also find easy access to 3rd party tools through Altairs licensing model.

Yea, from the conversations I have had with the guys over at hypermesh, their tools are way more developed than the stuff MSC and Siemens put out. I am not well versed in the ANSYS or Abaqus.