New Free #D sketch program

[Leon]

It was brought to my attention that there is anew 3D sketch program available for down load and it is free. IT SHOULD BE FREE.

I suppose Autodesk has entered the ring with Sketchup. I down loaded the enormous file and installed the program. Lots of bells and whistles during install, typical Autodesk procedure.

I screwed around with it for about an hour and am contemplating removing the program. I would say at this point that 123D, the program that I am talking about, is about 8 years behind Sketchup.

I will say that this is a Beta program, 4.x and Autodesk is still asking for suggestions, wish lists, and wants.

I would have thought that by now some one would have wanted a dimension tool. Graphics are primitive, they remind me of pre Windows DOS graphics.

Orbiting is clunky at best, and works a lot like Google Earth.

NO shortcut keys! I know a lot of people like icons for drawing commands but I prefer a single quick keystroke for the actions that are repeated over and over. I like typing an L to draw a line, D to dimension, CTRL D for length, width, and height of a component. I would not want to be stuck with icons only.

There are some neat features, line distances appear at the cursor instead of a data, bar but I am not sure that is an advantage as it seems to clutter up the drawing in the spots that you are trying to snap to.

There seem to be darn few tool available so far and only a hand full of program tweaks.

So there you have it, I had a similar impression when Sketchup 3.x and

4.x were available.

[Leon]

Now Uninstalled

[Robatoy]

Once in a while, I will try a new piece of software, and I keep finding out that I want to stick to what I know. I'm always uninstalling.

[<upscale]

I didn't reply when you asked if I'd tried the program out. I should have said that I was waiting for someone else to volunteer as guinea pig.

Thanks!

[Larry Jaques]

I hear ya. I download all sorts of neat sounding programs only to find that it's either all bogus marketing (for a FREE prog, no less) and a crappy prog, or I didn't really want it in the first place. This trend makes me very careful in what I pay money for, too.

-- Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed. -- Storm Jameson

[Swingman]

There is also another directed at woodworkers in particular:

Trouble is, you rent it for $100/mo, or buy it outright for $2400, AND "Upgrades to improvements and developments - charges to be determined at the time of release".

While it might be the cat's meow in 3d woodworking software (it apparently has cutlist and proposal functions), this guy musta been a gummit lawyer/lobbyist/politician, or stood next to one too long ... it'll take more than a well designed website with pictures of big titted bimbos hawking the product (with a serious amount of personal information gathering), and much more actual information on the program, to get me interested in even trying it.

Another under 30 something thinking packaging _is_ the product? ... makes you wonder, in any case.

[Leon]

Prior to getting Win 7 I used a program called GoBack. I had been using it since Win 98 IIRC, 10+ years. I did not have to uninstall, I simply restored my computer to an earlier state. Viruses could be gotten rid of in the same manor although my virus SW took care of that. You could actually delete the Windows OS from the HD and have it back up and running in a matter of minutes. So, I would some times install 3-4 programs a day and then restore if I did not like them.,

I have not used it yet however I have been told from more than one reliable source that the restore program in Vista and 7 are both reliable and work.

The restore in XP was a joke, kinda like an icon you click that does nothing.

[Leon]

LOL Your dog!

[Leon]

Snip

Going back to re investigate, Missd the big titted bimbos....

[J. Clarke]

Uh, did you read the 123D site before downloading the thing? It's not intended to be a "sketch" program, it's intended to be a front-end for a MakerBot or to generate files for a service bureau that runs a similar device.

They certainly are not going to develop it into a full CAD program while they are trying to get four grand for AutoCAD.

[Swingman]

In heavy rotation with the photos of the ideal, handsome, computer saavy, laptop dude whose picture alone will make you associate with him and immediately buy the product.

You know, like those flags in the used car lots ...

[Robatoy]

he, he, he....he said big titted...he he

[Robatoy]

=A0 =A0 -- Storm Jameson

Like Karl said: "The package is the product" in many cases. And Clarke actually got something right this time too by mentioning that AutoDesk's weasels would never put out a product that would take away from their cash cow AutoCAD. In that light, SketchUp looks pretty damned good and since my biggest beef with it (interaction with the rest of the world) can be cured for a very reasonable $ 500 bill by going Pro, it is truly exceptional value. And nope, today I'm not going there...that it isn't real CAD...nope, not doing it, because I have decided that SU used at its maximum by a skilled user will do a better job than an untrained operator can eke out of a powerful CAD package.

Kinda sorta funny that AutoDesk again offers AutoCAD for the Mac... VectorWorks (works flawlessly on a PC too) must really be kicking the shit out of them... especially now that all versions of .dwg and.dxf, (3D as well), can now be handled seamlessly by VW. (STILL a funny story is that the architects who designed Bill Gates' house did so on a mac with VectorWorks...story is getting old, but still funny...)

..now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Tonight we eat the BEST Italian dish on the planet...PUTTANESCA!!!

[Leon]

Strange that the tools and materials and pre drawn objects are not what I would put into a service bureau category. Still it acts like Sketchup.

[Lee Michaels]

"Robatoy" astounded us with

Did hell just freeze over??

Robatoy actually said something nice about Sketchup.

I hope he is OK. No major health problems or anything.

[Larry Blanchard]

I know I sound like a broken record folks, but I get all sort of programs for free - I run Linux. And if you've got one or two Windoze applications that you just can't live without, there are (free) programs like Virtual Box that will run them under Linux.

When I first started running linux many years ago, you pretty much had to be a computer guru (I was) to get and keep it running. No longer. Anyone can download a copy of Ubuntu Linux and get it running unless they've got some really strange hardware.

Unfortunately, the one weak area is free CAD, so I've been resorting to TurboCad under Windoze. But I recently downloaded something called Inkscape that looks pretty good at first glance.

Give Ubuntu Linux a try - I think you'll like it.

[FrozenNorth]

I have a VM of Ubuntu running now, but honestly I really hate the Unity interface of 11.04, hoping they will reconsider and go back to Gnome.

[Swingman]

Enough drops of water will eventually wear away a rock ... :)

[Robatoy]

LOL.. hey, it is what it is. And that is: VERY useful to tons of people who ordinarily would have stayed away from that type of program. It is a wonderful bridge between the useless of entry-level "so-called CAD" and the expensive big guns like AutoCAD and VectorWorks, many who have very powerful CAD feature that hardly anybody will ever use.

For me, it has always come down to this: Many programs allow me to create a 3D model of a concept which is in my head and which I want to 'see'. THEN, after tweaking and tuning that concept, I want others to see and understand what it is I want and now with the cnc, I also want to be able to have *IT* see it too. So here I have created a model of a two-part U-joint (hypothetical for illustrative purposes), accuracy is very important, and so is the ability for a machine shop to 'see' it. Here's the path: Model, export to: a ) Rendering module or separate rendering software b ) High def graphics on screen or printer c ) OTHER software packages to edit, study same model. d ) Machining centres like a CNC flatbed or mill.

Here's the thing for me: I want the path of the model to the CNC to be as short/easy/accurate as possible. There are dozens of proprietary file formats for modelling software and clear paths to machining centres are always an issue.

So guess what? This 123D AutoDesk freebie does offer me a direct path to my router (.stl).. and it works. More to come about that software package that Leon so casually tossed in the garbage. (g,d&r)

Go figgur.

[Doug Winterburn]

I think you can pick the gnome desktop at login. After you select your ID and before you enter your password, there is an option dialog at the bottom of the window.