Where's that CAD thread?

We had a pretty good thread on CAD programs a while back that I can't find.

I've been using SoftPlan for years, but my system recently crashed and all the files were lost. Turns out there were multiple viruses residing in the data files, so I won't be returning to SoftPlan.

Additionally, I am now using a MAC, so I need a system I can use on it (unless I use the CAD system at my desktop PC, which is a possibility).

I primarily need a 2D architectural system I can do fast and dirty floorplans. Occasionally might do some mechanicals. If I had 3D I'd eventually learn it, but I need a simple, inexpensive, quick start, so I'd rather not make it more complicated than it needs to be. I'm not a big fan of Google Sketchup.

Any recommendations?

I know of people who use older copies of solidworks to sketch designs...older versions that can be bought second hand are cheaper.

THIS LINK is for a free trial of ProgeCad which I have heard of but never used.

There are good 2d dimensional sketching apps for iPad - not sure if they can be used on an actual apple machine or not.

Thats about all I got...

Solid Edge 2D is free and very capable.

Plenty of open-source/freeware auto-cad programs out there also.

I just started using Draftsight (a free program on OSX, windows and linux also available) and I think it's great. It's by Dassault Systems, the makers of Solidworks and Catia. It seems like a very good analogue to Autocad, I am about a week and a half in to using it and I feel like I'm operating at about 90% fluency compared to AC. A lot of commands overlap. I am using it so I can do some freelance work without having to lose everything I earn paying for an Autocad license, and I'm very happy so far.

http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/overview/

Does draftsight have a command line like autocad? Solid Edge 2D is just as capable (and I use it for 3d), but the no-command line drives me nuts. 2D stuff is slower without it.

ProgeCAD understand pretty much all the AutoCAD commands. It's your typical CAD program, and free.

Download it and see for yourself. It's eerie how Autocad-like they've made Draftsight. The biggest problem I have so far is that not ALL the command line commands are the same as AC so I keep using wrong commands or trying to use functions that DS doesn't have. DS also doesn't seem to have as many short name commands for tools as AC - L gets you line and a lot of the other basic ones are covered with one-letter commands, but you have to type out the whole word for things like trim, rotate, etc. I'm not sure yet if any of this is user-definable. Also, and I'm not sure why, the polar snap is always shutting itself off, which is annoying because I usually leave it on most of the time in AC.

Sign up for the cheapest class at your local community college and get the student version of solidworks for $100 a year

I've had it with community college classes. Waste of time.

Solidworks is very much not what you seem to be looking for. Draftsight is the more appropriate piece software from that company for your purposes, and what do you know, it's already free :).

Which one?

From: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1264&bih=816&q=grassrootsmotorsports.com:++site:grassrootsmotorsports.com+cad

Cheap CAD?

Beginner CAD

Best free CAD?

Oh yeah. Solidworks is great for parts and assemblies. Not so much for architectural stuff. Sorry about that.

Although, for what it's worth, if you do have a student ID you can get autodesk products for free. I have the most recent version of AutoCAD for Mac that I got for free from their education program.

What are the license agreements like on student AutoCad versions?

DO NOT use student versions of autocad if you're going to exchange files with architects/engineers who are using the full version. They use a virus-like method of watermarking the files. If a piece of linework is so much as copied and pasted from a file saved in a student version into another file, that file will become infected and will now print with the "student" watermark, even when opened on a normal version of the software. The person you send the file to or who copies over your linework may not even be warned of this until he plots the drawings and they all have student watermarks all over them. It's a very bad thing. So if you're not going to buy a full license, at least be smart and use a pirated version instead of infecting yourself with the "student" virus :).

I would only use them for personal use or for learning the software. Like Josh said, as far as I know, all CAD programs with a Pro and Student edition have the student watermark 'virus.'