Cad Programs - some notes

Just a few notes on CAD programs
Firstly the free Turbocad download. This is the old Version 2 that they
are giving away as a sales teaser to upgrade.
Turbocad from V1 through to V5 had some serious faults with their DXF file
export format.
As a lot of the cheap end CAM programs need to take in dxf files you could
be having problems here.
It would be a shame to learn a program only for it not to perform at a
later date.

Also free is the old Ashlar Vellum drawing board. Small and simple program
that also handles parametrics.
Down load from ftp://ftp.mcesoft.com/pub/dblt/

A couple of people have mentioned Easycad.
This was updated about a year ago to Easycad 32 and has a lot more
functions added. It's big brother is Fastcad 32 which is a very powerful
and fast program and reasonably easy to learn.
Fastcad V7 which is a 3D program is due for release shortly. They have an
early adoption program on their web page at http://www.fastcad.com which is
a bit like the rhino beta program was. Take part and get a cheaper copy.
All the programs have a 30 day demo on the web site

If you are interested in any of the popular CAD programs have a look on
their web sites. They usually have a help forum. Look at the usual question
asked, how often they are repeated and what the answers are.
Some of these programs have bugs / faults that have remained unanswered for
months. Spend your money wisely.

If you are going into CAM at a later date it's well worth taking Fred
Smiths offer up on Vector cam as you won't need to learn another program
later to use the CAM and I believe he offers an upgrade path which is
always cheaper.

Solid Edge Origin has also been mentioned. Someone stated that you can save
the model but not the 2D drawing.
I have this and found that you can save the model and the 2D drawing. What
you can't do is save a drawing with any 3D elements in it. For this you
need the $400 upgrade.
[ Usual not connected with Fred or Vector bulls**t ]
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Regards,
John Stevenson
Nottingham, England