April 26, 2006

My days of feeling special are over...

Being a long-time user of SketchUp has always made me feel like I was a step above the common rabble. Then last month @last Software was bought by Google. What was going to happen to my most important app? And to my self-esteem?

Big doings. Google is giving SketchUp away for free! (Windows version, Mac coming soon.) Now any Tom Dick or Harry can be as cool as me. Well, not quite. The Pro version will still do a few things that the free version doesn't.

The big Google conquest-of-the-Galaxy plan is still mysterious and opaque, but this is surely a part of it.

(Here's what the SketchUp crew themselves have to say.)

Posted by John Weidner at April 26, 2006 10:03 PM
Comments

Heh, I downloaded it. I haven't been feeling well (and my computer has been acting weird) so I haven't had a chance to really try it out yet. I like planning imaginary home layouts (I work for a home building company so I have caught the bug), so I can't wait to play with it.

Posted by: Andrea Harris at April 27, 2006 08:46 PM

The SketchUp tutorials and movies are good.

A few tips, derived from things that frustrated me...

If separate objects touch, they will merge, which can drive you crazy. The thing to do is to "group" things you have made, which protects them from change, unless you chose to "edit" that group. Make a habit of grouping.

When you use the "move" tool, you don't have to place it on the selected object. Move it along a line that's on the axis you want to use, and it will infer that direction. The Shift Key will lock it on that axis. Move things along one axis at a time.

SKU is constantly trying to infer (ie; guess) what you are trying to do, and it will give you visual clues. You can usually "lock in" the inference with the Shift Key.

Posted by: John Weidner at April 27, 2006 10:18 PM

Thanks!

Posted by: Andrea Harris at April 28, 2006 03:53 AM

I thought you would find this amusing:

http://www.publish.com/article2/0,1895,1955213,00.asp

SketchUp is apparently now "brand new" and a "beta release."

Posted by: Lance Jonn Romanoff at May 1, 2006 11:14 AM

That's funny.

Actually, I suspect it is easier to learn SketchUp if you have NOT used a CAD program. You won't be fighting to try to make it behave the way you think it's supposed to...

Posted by: John Weidner at May 1, 2006 02:22 PM
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