After graduating, my student version of AutoCAD expired, and I suffered from some bouts of computer design withdrawal. Thankfully, Google stepped in with a patch for my predicament. It's
Google SketchUp--a free*, downloadable CAD (computer aided design) program. It doesn't have a lot of the features that you may be used to if you use AutoCAD, but for about $4,000 in savings, I can do without them. SketchUp is a very user friendly application with great tutorials and an extensive library of pre-drawn components.
*Make sure that you download the regular version, not the pro version.
SU is not a (real) CAD system but a 3D modeler for making 3D sketches fast and easy.
ReplyDeleteProf. shop drawings, which AC is mainly made for, cannot be done.
Thanks for your feedback Anonymous! You're right, SketchUp isn't capable of doing many of the things that AutoCAD can. But, for the weekend DIYer, (or the recent graduate without $4,000 dollars to drop on a professional system) it is a great, user friendly resource. At $0, it's just in my price range!
ReplyDeleteThanks again!
Faith
P.S. If it makes you feel any better, I do still pine for AutoCAD from time to time. Press that offset button a couple times in my honor will ya'?