Another free CAD program teaser..
http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/ ... ee_ca.html
Any guesses?
http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/ ... ee_ca.html
Any guesses?
Another free CAD program teaser..
- Thread starter MilesH
- Start date
What the heck is Jon's problem? Is it just Alibre that he carps on or do other vendors get the same treatment?
It's quite possible that I'm missing his point as I'm self-taught at 3D CAD with modest needs compared to many users, but his comments sound like someone complaining that MS Word is a lousy product because it doesn't do calculations as well as MathCAD or Mathematica. To me, Word is the wrong product if you want to complex mathematical problems and Alibre is the wrong tool if you want to design car bodies.
Mike
Re:
Hi Volker,
This is the link: http://www.alibre.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2056
I doubt that there's any connection because they have only recently started developing this. Ralph says: "a well known name in the CAD industry", also: "...this company, older than Alibre.....".
Mike,
I think Alibre gets off pretty lightly compared to Solidworks - J.B. is a prolific poster on comp.cad.solidworks.....
volker said:
Hi Volker,
This is the link: http://www.alibre.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2056
I doubt that there's any connection because they have only recently started developing this. Ralph says: "a well known name in the CAD industry", also: "...this company, older than Alibre.....".
Mike,
I think Alibre gets off pretty lightly compared to Solidworks - J.B. is a prolific poster on comp.cad.solidworks.....
And what do you think of the articles comment:
With all these established and brand-new software companies launching free and not-free CAD packages, you gotta wonder what's keeping Microsoft from doing the same. It's just a matter of bundling a bunch of third-party modules together under a UI -- and don't forget to throw in the unique-sounding marketing spin.
Makes it sound like Alibre and all other free package were created by a third year computer science engineer at a second rate college.
wfpelletier
Senior Member
My Guess
I wonder if it could be UGS releasing some sort of 'Xpress' version of SolidEdge. If there is one thing Alibre has proved by releasing 'Alibre Xpress', it is that the release of a free version of a software can generate customers and publicity. I don't know about anyone else, but I haven't been hearing much about SolidEdge lately. Maybe its just me, but I tend to hear more about SolidWorks and Inventor than SolidEdge. Some sort of 'free' promotion could get SolidEdge more notoriety.
(It might also might subject them to 'troll attacks', but perhaps, that is the price of CAD success [or maybe any other kind of success for that matter]..)
wfpelletier
I wonder if it could be UGS releasing some sort of 'Xpress' version of SolidEdge. If there is one thing Alibre has proved by releasing 'Alibre Xpress', it is that the release of a free version of a software can generate customers and publicity. I don't know about anyone else, but I haven't been hearing much about SolidEdge lately. Maybe its just me, but I tend to hear more about SolidWorks and Inventor than SolidEdge. Some sort of 'free' promotion could get SolidEdge more notoriety.
(It might also might subject them to 'troll attacks', but perhaps, that is the price of CAD success [or maybe any other kind of success for that matter]..)
wfpelletier
wfpelletier
Senior Member
Re: My Guess
I never knew about 'Solid Edge Origin", but I did tried 'googling' the software. From the messages I saw on the usenet boards, I get the impression that is was significantly more limited than Alibre Express, in the sense that it did not allow assembly modeling, just parts and 2d drawings. I also got the impression that Solid Edge Origin was available about six years ago. I don't have any knowledge on how well this software issue worked for UGS and SolidEdge, but I wonder if they might 'dust it off' and try again..
Does anyone know if it is still available, and how much functionality it had?
wfpelletier
MilesH said:
I never knew about 'Solid Edge Origin", but I did tried 'googling' the software. From the messages I saw on the usenet boards, I get the impression that is was significantly more limited than Alibre Express, in the sense that it did not allow assembly modeling, just parts and 2d drawings. I also got the impression that Solid Edge Origin was available about six years ago. I don't have any knowledge on how well this software issue worked for UGS and SolidEdge, but I wonder if they might 'dust it off' and try again..
Does anyone know if it is still available, and how much functionality it had?
wfpelletier
6 years ago, eh? :shock:
I might still have the CD somewhere... I seem to remember that there was the free version and also a version for $500 dollars, or something.
It came out soon after Solidworks brought out Xchangeworks. The Part Modeller in Xchangeworks seemed easier to get the hang of, so I used that, mostly.
First thing...Everyone in almost every corner of Cad/Cam software knows Jon. Most of the times he will not be highly spoken of and has been banned from most forums.
He was banned from Bobcad forum just months ago. He causes arguments on any forum he decides is their turn to hear him rant. (I wonder how much he gets paid to do that? :wink: )
Anyhow I would not and most others do not take anything he has to say as more than the ranting of a loon. He apparently reads a lot and sounds very well informed but all he seems to do is try to get companies to hand him free software to shut up. I do not know his true motives but I suggest an ignore on any of his posts.
As far as the Solidworks free version....Well I have it and the sales rep that came by the shop didn't even know it existed. It is very simular to the Epress in its functionality and file format capability. Yes it is older than the new Solidworks but I am away from my job currently or I could tell you more of what it allows.
I actually got it from signing up for the free viewer or was it the Autocad translator for new DWG to older Autocad DWG importer? Anyhow they mailed it to me but other than using it to open some Solidworks files to get dimensions I have not messed with it too much. As I told the sales rep "Alibre does what I need and the cost is so much better".
My thoughts on this free CAD stuff is that it is pretty much a joke.
Over the years, we've seen Solid Edge Origin, Pro/Desktop, I think there was one time even a low end version of UG.
I seem to see the following - that usually kills the usefullness of the product.
1. Company looses interest and the product either dies on the vine or support goes away.
2. The software is so crippled that it is useless.
I don't see larger CAD providers like SW or SE giving away their CAD and in doing so, hurting their bottom line. Not much they can do about Alibre - except lower their prices on their flagship product.
Bill
Solidworks origin, I had that installed whenb it came out.
Yuo could model a part in it and save it, but you could not save the 2D drawing of it. I don't think you could export a file of it either.
Yuo could do assemblies but not save them either.
You couldn't export the assembly, or the 2D drawing.
You could pay extra for a 2D drawing save, and extra for assemblies but you pretty soon got up to the full SE price.
It was a pretty useless taster except as a SE demo.
Prodesktop (express) falls into the "vendor lost interest" category. Stability is a problem but it actually has quite a few functional advantages over alibre still. There are quite a few users bust most wouldn't advertise the fact out of embarrassment. when the express product was withdrawn there was a very hasty patch to give you 5 years of use before it shut down and not all users got hold of it in time and there was almost no way to buy the $1000 license to keep access to your data (and now there is none, except perhaps visiting your locval school!). Pretty poor from PTC really.
Alibre Xpress is the only useful currently avaiable free 3D engineering design software.