Software reviews: Autodesk Software

Over the years things are always changing. I started out 30 some years ago as an Architectural Draftsman. It was hard. There was no such thing as Autodesk, and software was a word that had never been used before.

The transition from the old hand drafting to the new technology was thrown into the face of the architectural community that were working the hard way. We knew that this big transformation was coming and we had to roll with it. We didn't really know how it was going to effect us. We thought that the computer and software would be able to do all of the work that we were doing. Instead it just made that process more streamlined and easier to adapt.

In 1991 the company that I was working for finally acquired the latest version of a new software program AutoCAD 10. A DOS based program that was not very user friendly. I adapted. I talked to the only support there was available at that time, the company that the software had been purchased from. They were very helpful.

Over the years I have used this software immensely. I am now using AutoCAD 2006, and have been completely satisfied with it. The transition from the older versions to the newer was a challenge until I found that most of the commands did not change. The software has only improved over the years. If there is anything that you don't know how to accomplish the help section explains almost everything that you need. If not, the internet has many advice and example sites.

I think new users of this type of a product can learn the ins and outs of the different aspects just by playing around with it. But that is how most software is anymore. You play with it. You make mistakes. And click undo. Try again. Sometimes you will find features that you didn't know that it would do and then start using it. Learning and exploring is the fun part.

The other option is to make a career of using this type of program. By attending a 2 year technical school and become proficient in the operation of the software.

I would highly recommend the AutoCAD software to any design company that is still producing their drawings by hand. And in this day and age there are still some out there that haven't joined the twenty-first century.

On a scale from 1 to 10 this company gets a 10 in my book. Because of the innovative ideas that are always developing from the home office level. I will be updating my software shortly after the next version is released.

Stan Brodrick self employed owner of a local design and drafting firm.

Learn more about this author, Stephen Beardsley.
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