Forced into new CAD System (could be a good thing)

[Boswell]

My daughter bought a Chrome book a few years back. She loves that and for $200. I was wondering if Fusion would run on one of those.

I don't know too much about chromebooks but I doubt that any serious CAD system would run on one or at least run well. I am sure that the Fusion 360 website will have the minimum system requirements somewhere.

There is always a threat of AutoDesk going back on their word but the advantages that it offers outweigh the possibility that it will not be available in the future.

RJ, I agree that you can never trust that any company will change how they market and sell their product in the future. I am paying for my seat with Fusion. I needed features that were not in the free version. It is a bit pricy but manageable. I also expect them to raise the price over time so at some point, I will no longer be able to afford it. Hopefully that will be far enough in the future to not be an insurmountable problem

 

[RJSakowski]

Sorry if this is a highjack.

I have a question on Fusion 360. I only have a 12 year old MacBook. It will not run Fusion. I do not have the funds to invest in a new MacBook. My daughter bought a Chrome book a few years back. She loves that and for $200. I was wondering if Fusion would run on one of those. I could swing purchasing something in that price range.

I use MasterCam2023 at work. However I really would like to have design abilities at home. Other suggestions welcome.


Cutting oil is my blood.

Fusion requires a 64 bit operating system. There are other requirements involving available RAM and video capabilities. You can view the system requirements on AutoDesk's web site.

 

[WobblyHand]

FWIW, I learned FreeCAD. Yeah, it is open source, but it's ok. It isn't as polished as many other commercial CAD offerings, but it works well enough for me. Runs on a Raspberry Pi, (64bit OS only), Windows, Mac, and Linux. Price is right. Tomorrow won't come and you find yourself locked out of your own drawings...

 

[pontiac428]

The operating system will limit your choices, even if both Mac and Android have been 64-bit since forever (1997 ish for the mac, 2005 for Android). Engineers don't use Macs. Visual artists and graphics designers do. What the heck do you think you'll be able to accomplish in the Acad environment with a one-button mouse? I shudder to imagine.

I've been on SolidWorks since version 2003. I've upgraded every two years since. I posess an apparently rare skillset that allows me to seek out data stores using one of the oldest systems on the internet called the Usenet. That has provided me with .iso files of the installation DVDs and the patches and keys needed to make the software work in deluxe mode without communicating with the mother ship. I am not using this stuff to make money and never have, so my conscience is clean. At least cleaner than a portion of clergy. The reason I'm even saying it is, those types of "trial" options still exist, if you know how to locate a .nzb file and use a Usenet client. Yea, though I extoll the virtues of testing software before you buy, I commit no crimes, for I know the copyright law walks with me. Some of you are like me, using a little bit of software that I can't afford to buy rent on a 1-year contract, not in business or making money in any way off its use. If I were a commercial entity of any type, I'd rent the license, but I'm not. And it is great software.

Maybe... just maybe... I have Solidworks 2016 (even though 2007 suits me just fine) that some people with some modicum of computer skills and the ability to manipulate your technology without explicit instruction (Read: No YouTube tutorials exist) may find useful. Yes, it is a "trial" copy and "unlocking" that trial is on the user's conscience. Interested parties can PM for a link, but don't bother if you can't edit a .bat file in windows (there has to be SOME cost to admission). I'm pretty sure the tested, working SW installers I have are 2003, 04, 05, 07, 09, 13, & 16. These are TRIAL copies with patches the USER can DECIDE whether to APPLY. No criminals here, these are not the users you're after.

 

[Boswell]

Everyone must follow their own guidance on licenses. I suspect that there is not a single software release that does not have a published way to get around paying. My personal deal with the devil was when I was just starting my own PC business in the mid 80's. I bypassed paying for most software. I told myself that once I got things going, I would pay my way and have kept to that arrangement for the last 30 years. I also have many friends that make a living off of intellectual property and that also impacts my personal choices.

 

[pontiac428]

That is rational and good; a very respectable position.

Solidworks was once easy to get a license for. I took an engineering drafting class in 2006 and got a student copy with cosmos for free. So the printouts were watermarked, big deal. They wanted to give you a copy, they wanted to teach you how to use it, and they wanted it out there. Then they sold out to Dassault, who started the whole BS subscription thing for thousands of dollars per copy per year. License was revocable at any time after 365 days elapsed, on any terms Dassault decided they were going to declare. That was the end of student licenses, affiliation licenses, and cheap single user joe-schmoe licenses. Now it's a corporate asset, out of your hands, not for you.

With my philosophy, I should be using Fusion360. It's a solid package, pun intended. I'm just in no mood to commit to learning a foreign language right now, when my solidworks user level suits me fine for my purposes. My purposes are designing, visualizing, and testing assemblies of parts that I make for my own self-perpetuating interests in my shop. I don't make a dime off of any of it, never plan to. I just shovel money in, so my wife can get rich off of my estate sale.

 

[WobblyHand]

FreeCAD is free, as in no cost to buy, or maintain, forever. No moral ambiguity there. No exposure to seedy websites, software underworlds, mining software, or virus pushing schemes. FreeCAD is meant to be downloaded and used - for free. I'm happy with it's abilities.

The FreeCAD user forums are very helpful to new users, pretty much just like here. If you ask an intelligent question, you get helpful advice. You can ask questions here, as well, in the CAD forum and get help too.