CAD for free!!! ( ? )

[murilo]

Hello, boys.
Look at this msg from another group and check, as I'm doing.
The score is now over 93,000. (time enough to 100k before aug/01)
Good luck! M.
------- Forwarded message follows -------

Did anyone mention the X-Cad 3d cad giveaway on http://x-cad.net ?
http://x-cad.net
They give away a 3d cad package IF 100.000 PEOPLE SIGN UP BEFORE AUGUST 1
Right now the count is at 89550 with almost two weeks to go it should be
possible to reach the goal

------- End of forwarded message -------

[Shane]

"Don't waste time on silly games. Use BRL-CAD which is 25 years of U. S. Army development. Totally Free, not counting our Tax Dollars."

http://www.brlcad.org/

From the same group - Shane

[ken_behrendt]

murilo...

Okay...I did it...I registered for my free download of the "full" version of X-Cad. They presently have over 93 thousand people who have registered so, since the cutoff is 100 thousand, then anybody who wants to participate better register as soon as possible.

I had a very bad experience with another free CAD program a few months ago that really turned me off to 3D modeling. Maybe this supposedly "easy to use 3D modeler" will change my mind.

I do not really need 3D models for the designs I explore, but I have to admit that the 3D models do look a lot cooler...

ken

[graham]

I had a very bad experience with another free CAD program a few months ago that really turned me off to 3D modeling. Maybe this supposedly "easy to use 3D modeler" will change my mind.

Ken can you give us a clue as to what the bad experience was?
Was it just that it seemed too complex to learn without instruction , or other.

I think wm2d is great but some of my ideas would be better simulated with a full 3D simulation.
Of course, I would have to learn how to use the program first before I got to actually create an accurate 3D simulation.

Graham

[ken_behrendt]

Graham...

All I can say is that I downloaded the "free" full version of that 3D CAD program and read all of the "simple" tutorials that came with it.

I then began to try making simple 3D shapes and pieces. Well, two weeks later, after putting about 1/2 hour a day into practice, I was still only able to make a few crude blocks that would not do what I wanted them to. I decided to stop banging my head against the wall and deleted the whole program in frustration...

How different my experience with WM2D was! After reading the 4 page, easy to understand tutorials, I was able to begin making interesting looking animations almost immediately.

Actually, one can make 3D mechanisms to a degree with WM2D if one can be content with not moving the final model so as to be able to view it from different perspectives. The secret is make one's model in layers so that part of the model is on one plane and other parts on adjacent planes. Then one can put connecting pieces between the layers so that a part in one plane will move a part in the adjacent plane. Yes, it requires a little creative work with the Object Collision / No Collision parameters, but it can be done so some extent.

ken

[jim_mich]

I might add to Ken's comments here that WM2D's limitations are that you cannot have movement in the third axis (toward and away from you) when you press the run button. But it does have depth in that everything is in layers and you can move objects to the front or to the back as you make the objects.

[ken_behrendt]

Well, I just got an email concerning the "free" download of X-Cad which is a product of Alibre Design Xpress. Reading through the email's fine print, I found:

All free versions of Alibre Design Xpress require an Internet connection and will display a banner of Google ads through a built-in web page. No third-party adware is installed on your system. If your Internet connection is lost we have taken steps to ensure that you can save your work. The Internet connection requirement can be turned off for a small fee.

I do not recall reading any of this when I rushed to be one of the first 100,000 to register for the 3D Cad program.

Now, I'm starting to think about passing on the whole thing...

ken

[trevie]

Well, what can I say Ken. You get never get something for nothing, Not in this lifetime. There is always a small string attached.

[ken_behrendt]

Here's the latest "problem" with my "free" download of the X-Cad program for making 3D models...

I finally received an email from Alibre Express, the makers of the X-Cad program. It requires one to go to their website and confirm one's email address, after which one can begin to download their "free" program.

Well, I followed all of the instructions and began the download. I then decided to check out the download progress on my Download Manager page and discovered that if one has a standard 56 kbps modem like I do, then it will take about 5 hours to download the 60+ megabyte program!!!

That immediately ended my efforts to download the program over our phone line. I sent them a return email containing my mailing address and said I was still willing to try their software, but they would have to send me a free copy of it on a CD.

Now let's see if anything shows up in my mail...

ken

[rlortie]

Ken,

Jim Kelly sent me the link on this Alibre program. I was hesitant at first but decided OH! what the heck. So I decided to down load it to a second hard drive and keep it separate of me C: drive. It took me approx 45 minutes with DSL including setup wizard and updating some required "Window XP updates.

Anyway I now have it, At present it is as useless as live boneless chicken. I have absolutely no experience with this kind of program. Today I drew my first sketch with paint and I sure ain't going to hang it on my refrigerator.

Not knowing about such things, all I can say is that it sure looks impressive. Now all I have to do is figure out how to open the tutorials :-)

Ralph

[ken_behrendt]

Ralph...

I was so very glad to read that you are giving the Paint sketching program a try! It's really very easy once you get the hang of it. You have a lot of good ideas, but you need to put them into picture form for the rest of us here.

I think you'll find that once you have mastered Paint, moving up to WM2D is the next logical step. Actually, you'll find that many of the skills you develop in using Paint will come in very handy if you decide to use WM2D.

Anyway, good luck with Paint...we are all looking forward to seeing some of your sketches. They do not have to be perfect...just clear enough so that people can get the basic idea of what you are envisioning.

ken

[ken_behrendt]

Well, I did actually receive a reply to my question about getting X-Cad on a disc from Alibre Express.

The answer is that, yes, they would be happy to send it to me...for a price!

Goodbye, X-Cad...

ken

[graham]

I think it costs about 900 bucks.
But then ; all of the CAD software doesn't come cheap. My daughter uses a program at her workplace . It's a 3D simulation software program called "solidworks" and goes for a whopping $5000 and change !!!

Graham

[Vic Hays]

You can try Bobcad. They produce an easy to use 3-d program and an inexpensive 2-d program. You can try them out free at http://www.bobcad.com/
I use version 20 in my business, but the old 2-d version is all I need most of the time. Version 20 has solids like solid works also.

You can also try looking on e-bay for them.

[jim_mich]

I have an older 1995 DOS version of BobCad which runs in windows OK except it hogs the whole screen. Most times I prefer to use it rather than my newer windows version 17 because I can make drawings a lot faster with it. It is the first 3-D version released by BobCad, though I never use the 3-D.

This old DOS version of BobCad (without the BobMill and etc.) is about 600 KB in size. If anyone wants a copy I can email it. Just send me a private message with your email address.