AutoCad

So, I mentioned here some time ago that I was going to do a course on AutoCad. In a previous life I was doing mechanical Design drafting, and it's still one of the best jobs I ever had. Wasn't that rewarding then financially, but a great job.

So, eventually I get onto a course, and it started this week Monday. # hours a night, Mon to Thursday, for 2 weeks. Then a Study session, and then a final test / exam, and then, I get a National Certificate. AutoCad 2011 certified! Awesome!

So we are 4 students in the class. A young Coloured guy, a young Indian guy (He has worked on AutoCad before, last time was v 2003), and a not so young lady, European. I am definitely the old guy in the class, but these days I seem to take the oldest person prize most of the time.

However, having said that, I seem to be the most comfortable in the session, with regards picking up the information quickly, and being able to understand it, and put it into practice. I still think drawing on a drawing board, with paper and pencils is more rewarding (almost like an artist), but this will e quicker, more precise, and obviously, what the market wants.

So the first class was spent going through discussions, and videos of what this package can do. Second night I was a bit pissed off cause the software ha not been preloaded on the PC's, so we spent the better part of the first hour installing it. Then it was down to brass tacks, and I had a lot of fun. Amazing that once someone shows you what each icon is for, and how to get around the instructions / commands, it's damn easy! This product has taken away from draftsmen, the requirement for neatness, and perspective. As long as you can type, you probably can draw!!! Well, not really, as you still have to be able to picture in your mind what you want to put down on paper, and / or understand the concept of the machine you want to design, as well as it's purpose.

The upsid of this course is that I am going to get a "free" copy of AutoCad 2011!!! (as well as the required crack to bypass the password requirement) AND, a copy of a product called  Autodesk Revit, which is an architectural design package. Easier to use than AutoCad when it comes to drawing house plans, etc, but as powerful. So we will have AutoCad for mechanical / structural design, and Revit for Architectural design.

Will post an approximate cost for these as I found on the net.
Revit Architecture $5495.00
Auto Cad 2010 $3995.00

Salagatle!