Some observations - the screen is small, but you read that from the specifications but while small it is very clear and bright if you load up all the SU toolbars you loose out on your drawing area my biggest models are 3 & 5 Mb, moving and zooming is a bit stuttery but simpler models are smoother 5)I wouldn't use it if I had a desktop to hand, but if I had to travel and use it without large models and do some simple sketching I would. You could always plug it into a larger screen (although I haven't tried this) or even use one of these! http://www.expansys.com/zoompic.aspx?type=item&i=173834 The keys are about 15mm square. I've small fingers so I'm OK with the keyboard, but I wouldn't want them any smaller. Anyway, so far I'm happy with it and I've got it to boot into Linux (Ubuntu) on a USB memory stick although I'm not sure what to use Linux for. It's certainly easier to carry than the old IBM ThinkPad!

How strange, that top one doesn't work with me. When inside the .kmz all I see is a klm file. But thanks a lot for the second one, works great, thankyou very much.

Thanks for that link, Jing certainly looks like a handy app.

Max was the second 3d program I learned after formZ. I must say that once you figure out where the tools are hidden, I'm guessing you will fly. A lot of the same principles apply as sketchup you just have more tools at your disposal and the software can handle high poly. I would go ahead and apply to the places you want to work even without the 3dmax qualification. Then go in and flat out tell them that just about anyone can learn the software but you have more passion and a better eye. Good luck and I hope that this bit of bad news allows you to grow into something that will really make you happy.

The logical and practical way to make something like this would be to build a laptop with a docking slot where the pad would normally go. Slot in your iPhone/iTouch and it docks, syncs, gets charged, acts as the trackpad/button(s) and maybe even as a security key (no iTouch, no workee). An advantage over typical trackpads would be the ability to display... whatever, some buttons or sliders for special purposes. If the phone is used, the audio would be channelled to the laptop sound connections. I'd like a similar deal for my car audio too. Slot in the iPhone/iTouch and use it as the store for the music, radio channel choices, nav. software, car service record, etc.

Thanks, Stan! Great links. Blender for architects is really taking off. Seems to be mainly in Europe. I guess a lot of its appeal and importance is because it runs on linux systems. The linux people have been deprived for a long time!

What a great idea, thanks Remus

A long boot time makes me also wonder if Windows is trying to locate something or other over the network from a location that it cannot access or that no longer exists. That is what happens in our corporate environment when the network is down. Also, for instance, old Word documents take an age to open if they have stored a reference to a nonexisting template file in an obsolete network location. Anssi

Im guessing thats an integrated graphics chip, and therein lies your problem. Integrated graphics chips generally have very poor support for opengl (the system which SU uses for displaying your models.) You can usually make everything work (to an extent) by going window->preferences->openGL and turning off hardware acceleration and/or fast feedback. This will make SU run very slowly but it is unavoidable unless you can install a new graphics card.

Too slow! http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=179&t=13321 Someones imported the linework in to SU on that thread, its worth a look.

Soon shown here Prog is named Ilovesketch

@solo said: Great way to run out of gas and have a flat. sharp!

Reporting back w/ my findings... I've been using what seems to be the latest driver as of this writing (178.13) for a couple days now pretty intensively and it's been working great for me. Basically the performance w/ AA enabled (I think I'm at x4) as my old driver was w/o AA. Beyond that I don't have the weird graphics issues I had before on my old driver w/ AA on. -Brodie

@unknownuser said: @thomthom said: Only thing I've heard of is that some AMD based machines end up in an endless loop of BSOD and restart. Happened with my brother. You might want to check your hardware if you got an AMD machine. That happened to me on my main workstation. In fact it is still down now because I have not had a day free to get it sorted. I have read it requires a full re-install My system runs an AMD 64 3200 My brother could not find a fix to it. And none of the potential fixes I dug up on the internet applied either. He reinstalled the system and blocked the SP3 upgrade. Strange that it should all happen to AMD machines. Hope there will be some fix out for the various problems along with an announcement so people know when they can install SP3 again.

@dofoogan said: I've already installed the most recent driver for my video card. if HP doesn't provide you w/ more recent drivers check if the Omega Driver might be a solution for this issue: http://www.omegadrivers.net/ hth, Norbert

Thats a pretty sweet machine youve got there spence, the stuff of (geeky) dreams.

Student edition is only £137 though takes of ranting hat

@unknownuser said: I'm using a mac wireless keyboard, bluetooth mouse and a 22" external monitor. I want to use the MacBook Pro as a cpu only, close the lid and tuck it away. So you are tucking away your macbook pro screen, and then want to hook up two external screens? Just out of interest, why not just use the laptop screen vs. hauling 2 extra screen around. Plenty big for pallets. If you want to get complicated keep your mac screen active but close it, then maybe can use another computer (any computer sharing network connection, and use screen sharing), I have fond there isn't much lag on local network. Or wait to weeks and get tablet mac? Then you can have pretty screen without the keyboard, Maybe?

Found an answer in case anyone else has run into this wall. http://www.devalvr.com/paginas/productos/qtvr.html Works perfect. I am still using the cubicpano plugin within sketchup and then opening the .mov file with the above program. Scott

The first try (I believe your adress don't works for somebody who is not loged This is maybe better(maybe [image: TUFH_testga.jpg]