I need help purchasing sketchup pro - as in a miracle
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Hi! My name is Christopher Kelly and I'm a physically disabled individual that simply doesnt make the kind of money that empowerws me to pay the standard $500 price tag that you've put on the pro version which is honestly the only way to go if your serious about using it. If you need proof I am as disabled and destitute as I claim I can provide it but as I said Im a disabled individual - a spassdic quadreplegic that only has two talents -- writing poetry and use of a wacom tablet to being things that i see behind my eyes to life. Im nearly 28 years old and I make exactly $600 a month in SSI benefits. I was wondering if you guys would be gracious enough to sponsor me and in return id plaster my wheelchair with Google stickers and advertisements in
exchange for a never ending pro licensee or if your not in a sponsorship state of mind perhaps you'd give me the opportunity to buy a student license of the product - which i could afford. I don't officially attend any online degree seeking program but im an avid user of lynda.com which is a training website meant to teach people programs that they need to learn at the level necessary to pass certification exams... They don't call themselves a school but they have been gracious and bent over backwards to give me their top level account class at a discount. Id be able to pay the revolving price of the educational account class without problems and would be willing to buy into it at the pro level immediately... otherwise all the high-end control systems Ive come up with for driving cars for disabled folks that only have one good arm are never going to see the light of day as 3D models, which is the only format all the american car companies are interested in... i know because I've written all of them, just as I'm writing you... You haven't the slightest idea what a truly viable one handed control system complete with a full time on-dash HUD display would do for a cross section of the disabled community that has never and probably will never know the thrill, rush, and the closest thing to freedom we wheelchair bound folk will ever get even partially close to through the sensation of driving a vehicle. I've wanted to be a test driver for audi and lexus ever since i was a little kid, because they wont let cripples get close to an indy car no matter how well we drive our chairs. When your as disabled as I am your electric wheelchair becomes an extension of your body and if anybody deserves the right to the freedom of driving a car its me. Whether or not it'll actually happen begins with the compassion from the top technology companies in this country, and their willingness to prove that we can make a car an extension of our very bodies with all the possibilities I have in my head... But getting them from my head into a 3D model is entirely up to folks like you. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how excited I am for your reply. At the same time, I realize if you make an exception for a peon like me and somebody finds out about it everybody is going to want a break, but I've been waiting to drive my whole life - and folks with my circumstances don't usually make it past high school before they die, and I'll be thirty in less than three years. That means I have two things - the courage that only manifests in a true warrior spirit, and the strength to endure simply because that same SpiritFire simply demands that I must. Heck - if you have to, look at it like this -- it'd be one of the greatest underdog success stories of the decade, and it will have started with the company that started with two college kids with the brains and a dream. I may not have their brains but I've got more heart than a majority of the disabled population combined, and my beliefs and record back that up in spades. The ability to change the future is nothing - the will to act in the name of changing the future into the present is everything. (And the press opportunities are greater than your fight to trump Microsoft - easily).Most Respectfully,
Christopher Kelly
Boca Raton FL. USA
shadeofgrey@gmail.comp.s. REGARDLESS of your decision, bravo creating google. Its my home page on all 5 of the browsers I use, and am a master at finding stuff online because of it. And if I could afford to drop At&T and go with the android cell, I would in a heartbeat. Im a mac man to the core but the Iphone is over rated - I know - Im stuck with one, and disappointed as well as unable to afford the price and the monthly bill associated with the 3G version, which STILL fails to impress me...)
p.p.s. I may have put this in the wrong place but the email google about sketchup purchasing form wouldnt accept my contribution because it was too long. If I am indeed barking up the wrong tree - if the powers that control this forum would please forward this request made in desperation I'd certainly appreciate it. I can only type with a single hand and 3 fingers on that single hand at that - meaning that i put a hell of a lo of time into making this request what it is. Again, if proof of ANYTHING i claim is true is required it can be provided at a moments notice.
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Christopher.
Firstly welcome to SCF.
In all my time posting on forums this is probably the most uncomfortable post to make as I do not know the right response, however there are a few things that must be said.
Firstly I noticed you do not currently have SU installed, not even the free version, I find that strange as you are requiring a pro version without even trying the free version that has all the capabilities of the pro version except the export formats, dynamic component creation and layout. These additions with the exception of the export functions are intermediate functions that you will probably not need for a while as you learn SU, if you ever need them at all. The majority of the users here function with the free version, even some commercial users suffice with the free version.
My advice would be to start with the free version, learn it, learn how to use all the free plugins, create amazing works and then consider your need for the pro version.Secondly, the uncomfortable bit, as sympathetic as I am to your situation which I really am, I feel you using it to accumulate sympathy and favor, you spread it too thick my friend.
The disability is one thing, the lack of income another, but the reference to your mortality is just a little too much IMO.
I am probably going to get lambasted for being frank, sorry if I have offended you in any way as that was not my intention, I just wanted to respond as I felt neccessary.Good luck with the SU pro request, however consider my point about the free version too.
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If you do require access to the pro version have you tried your local college? Or, you yourself may be eligible for an educational license.
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@unknownuser said:
..pay the standard $500 price tag that you've put on the pro version which is honestly the only way to go if your serious about using it
regarding the pro vs. free
i'm a pro user (meaning i make money using sketchup) but the only reason i have the pro version is because my company pays for it.. if it wasn't for that, i'd use the free version and be just fine..
what exactly do you need out of the pro version? sure, some people more or less need the pro version but i'm wondering why you do...
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Solo - Your post was spot on IMO.
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I think he didn t know that exists a free version...Maybe he think that after few hours of work Sketchup will stop working....
If he s smart,with additional plugins can make the free version for 10 times better than the pro version ..IMOElisei
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Not to sound callous, but
Fredo uses the free version.... He turned out ok
There is really very little need to buy the pro version. Just try the free software out, then decide if you need the upgrade.
Chris
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Well, I still haven't found a valid reason to buy the Pro version, and I use it every day, for real work.
I don't need LayOut because I compose my presentations in Scribus.
I don't need exporters because all render plug-ins I've tried work fine with the Free version, and you can always export
to any format via DoubleCad XT -> Blender (both free).All ruby scripts I've tried work with the free version, too.
The Pro version won't give you any additional content: The 3D Warehouse is free for everyone.
And I still haven't figured out why I could need Dynamic Components.
If your reason for wanting SketchUp Pro are the little animations possible with Dynamic Components, you can do much better ones with Proper Animation, mover.rb or SketchyPhysics (all three are Free).
Here's the link to download the free version:
http://sketchup.google.com/download/gsu.html -
Another vote for giving the free version a chance. Given your intended use i think you'll be fine, as the only thing you really get in the pro version is layout, exports and DCs. I cant imagine layout or DCs would be a lot for use for designing cars, and there are workarounds for the export problem.
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@unknownuser said:
Solo - Your post was spot on IMO
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Okay - okay ... Chaulk one up for ignorance and call it a night. As a wacom tablet user I assumed that skipping from free to pro would guarantee I had everrythihng needed and that there would be no time limit to its functionality. NOW my only problem is that the only rendering peripheral by logitech thats got good mac support is the space navigator for notebooks. It'll max out my "miscellaneous" purchases for two months securing one because i need to start getting my credit card dw to zero (less than a grand to go and ive got a Fico of 810 out of 850 -- ill eassily be able to get whatever limit i ask for) so whats the general consensus for the best control system for sketchup that negates the need for multiple hands? Ive already got the top of the line wacom tablet - can those be used in conjunction with the above logitech peripheral or should i spend money on a wizbang mouse like the logitech MX revolution? Im asking because my first generation macbookpro is almost 42 months old. Its time to buy a new system and if Im going to get into rendering I need to know what kind of horsepower graphics cards and controllers are best suited to single handed use? I found sketchup on lynda.com so learning the program is a matter of slogging through 15 hours of online video that i have full access to until my membership runs out in mid 2010. Nobody hires cripples without a miracle regardless of ourcredentals so ill be going into business fir myself and ifIm going to take the plunge Imay as well get myself a new machine... Im already certain of what i want to do during the day as my job from home - because Ive already proved to be good at it. Im going to offer photo-cleanup, full digital remastering of huge collections of 3x5's, negatives, and even slides from old slide projectors, as well as custom written poetry addeed into the negative space of an image that hs major signifigance for a given client should it be requested. My original plan was to go with a 17" macbookpro and a single 30" display with dsplay port functionality (my current pick is the dell 3008wfp ultrasharp) -- but going with the mobile plaform means only on dual DVI connector and thus a macpro with 12 gigs of ram, a 15,000 rpm SATA boot drive with all my apps and my boot partition, and a secondary terrabyte storage drive for all my data plus 2 nvidia 150 graphics cards so i dont have tokeep messing with cables when i want my to use my tablet and my 30" display at the same time is well ithin my buying power.
SO:
If I want to do everything i do now PLUS my photo business AND sketchup rendering whats the general consensus:
17" macbookpro w/ 30" dell display and my wacom tablet plus a space navigator for notebooks and an MX revolution mouse along with a custom unicomp keyboard w/ apple standard function keys rather than windows keys...OR
An eight core macpro with 12-16 ig of ram, the same harddrive configuration, plus two Nvidia 150 graphics cards so i dont have to mess with cables when wanting to switch between wacom tablet and dell 30" display plus all the peripherals listed above? It'll take me a lot longer o pay for but guarantees 4-7 years of use because they finally refreshed it with the new really fast intel processors that are actually the same guts as the macbookpro - i simply gain a graphics card and convenience if i go with a desktop. Switching out DVI cables may seem trivial to you but done correctly and safely it currently takes me 35 minutes to complete.
It my sound dumb to want so much computing equipment, but its the only thing i have to spend money on besides a new wheelchair and my insurance graciously paid dearly 6 months ago for a 41k set of wheels that replaces the decade old unpowered chariot I trusted with my life for a decade. My new one will recline me so im comfortable at my desk 10-15 hours at a time, and when i feel like it i can make it stand me up on two wheels and be able to look people in the eye during conversations. And no Im not kidding. Good electric chairs cost more than BMW's becauser they are regulated by the FDA and are classified under the same blanket as pharmesudical medication -- so the manufacturers can charge whatever they want.
Bottom line - Im looking to you for guidance so I buy a machine capable of doing everything i donow plus handle sketchup without a problem. The only requirements are the two dual DVI connections and 30" display plus the unicomp keyboard (typing one handed is easiest on a buckle spring keyboard and they make variations of the oldschool IBM M monster of days long gone) Im looking to you for guidance on peripherals and controllers for sketchup that minimize the absence of two hands for control. THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR YOUR GUIDAANCE.
And just for the record - I wasnt asking for a free ride with pro simply on the merits that im a cripple, and Im unthinkably offended by those that have suggested otherwise. True, I was ignorant in assuming that pro was necessary to b productive but you wont catch me asking wacom for my tablet which im still paying for or logitech and unicomp for the keyboard and controllers necessary to render properly. I've made $600 a month for over a decade because social security hasnt adjusted the cost of living variables since FDR signed the program into law in the 1940's and social stigma of modern day america dictates that cripples dont get jobs in todays job market. Those that dismiss what I know is true should go to their local mall, borrow a wheelchair at the recerption desk - then go into any store you like and try to get a fair chance at even an interview and application. Roll around and watch people stare at you like your ruining their day simply by being there, and watch parents yank their kids out of your path like you have Ebola. Spend the day pushing yourself around on two arms bearing in mind that I only have one that does anything - then when the day is over and you return the chair and walk to your car - look to the sky and thank God over and over that you gt into a wheelchair and had the luxury of being able to get back out of one whenever you chose. THEN come back here and tell me i was leaning on my circumstances. Ive been stuck to a wheelchair for all 28 years of my life and every single best friend ive got will verify that i keep it real regardless of what it takes or where we go. Thats because I have genuine courage and dignity -- and both were paid for in blood sweat and circumstances I didn't ask for and made the best of regardless!
Sincerely,
C.R. -
Chris, if you want to do renderings in SketchUp, there are a few things to remember:
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SketchUp does not do renderings by itself.
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There are free programs that do renderings from SketchUp. The two most popular among these seem to be Kerkythea & Indigo. As a Kerkythea fan, I recommend you to visit http://www.kerkythea.net
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Your graphics card is completely irrelevant when it comes to rendering. The only thing that matters for rendering is the CPU, even more than the amount of RAM. Most of the time Kerkythea + Windows XP (and all those background running apps) use less than 1GB RAM in my PC. Regarding which CPU to buy, I currently use a Core 2 Duo, but the general consensus is that the Core i7 920 has the best price/performance ratio right now. I know nothing about Macs, as I'm not cool enough to own one.
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You don't need a subscription to any video site to learn SketchUp; all the official tutorial videos are free in Youtube, and you can watch them in the official help site:
http://sketchup.google.com/training/videos.html
You will also learn a lot in this forum, and through browsing Youtube for SketchUp-related videos.
But if you're really looking for a design program that can be 100% used with a tablet without touching a keyboard, you might want to consider MoI instead:
http://moi3d.com/ -
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@ecuadorian said:
- There are free programs that do renderings from SketchUp. The two most popular among these seem to be Kerkythea & Indigo. As a Kerkythea fan, I recommend you to visit http://www.kerkythea.net
Since Chris already have mentioned that he's using Mac, Indigo is ruled out leaving only KT if you want to pursue the free-road...
Indigo is only available for Windows and Linux...
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Carreful Moi (Moment of inspiration : zen nurbs modeler) is only for PC Computer and is not free!
An infinite demo exist but without save!
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Hi Christopher,
Your post has special interest for me,
I live and work in the UK, a large part of my work involves designing adaptations to properties to allow people with all manner of disabilities to live and function within their own homes and to be as independent as is possible.
I use Sketchup for this, It allows me to quickly explore all the design options in order to meet a disabled persons needs and then present the options on my laptop in their own homes, I can’t tell you how rewarding it is for me when I show someone visually on screen how an adaptation, sometimes simple, sometimes complex is going to increase their independence.
I know Sketchup is great for designing all manner of things, but for me it really shines in the work that we do and by ‘we’ I mean myself and the disabled, for they are far more important in the design process than me or sketchup, the one thing I have learned from my work is to never make an assumption about a persons level of disability.
From my experience the vast majority of people in this position do not want sympathy they just want a little help and a chance to participate and live as normal as is possible.
I admire your spirit and attitude and hope to see some of you designs on this forum.
(Come on Google you can afford it)
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@unknownuser said:
so whats the general consensus for the best control system for sketchup that negates the need for multiple hands
Hi Christopher,
I can't advise the best system because I have not tried them all, but I am a one handed user of SketchUp.
I have a Logitech MX Revolution mouse which makes it far better because i can map many of the commands to the 11 different buttons. For example I have move, rotate, pushpull, delete, esc, shift, ctrl, etc all on my mouse which saves using the keyboard and some of the more used icons.
I notice the difference when I use SU at work with a normal mouse. I am always going to press buttons that are not their! I must invest in another one for work.
Definately give one a try if you can afford it, because apart from just SU, it is a fantastic mouse period. -
Fortunately, these days Macs are nothing but pricey PCs. They use the same type of hardware (Intel CPUs, nvidia GPUs) and are thus able to run Windows. The only difference is that Macs come with a paid brother of Linux preinstalled, called "Mac OS X"
.Here's how to use Windows on an Apple-brand PC (aka "a Mac"):
http://www.apple.com/macosx/features/bootcamp.htmlAnd here's how to install Apple's OSX on a PC you can assemble yourself:
http://lifehacker.com/348653/install-os-x-on-your-hackintosh-pc-no-hacking-required
Linux can be installed in both types of PCs: Those Apple manufactures (aka "Macs") and all the rest.
So no matter what brand of PC you happen to prefer (an Apple or any of the rest), options are still open.
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Best of luck to you. As you can see most are willing to help. There are a few here that showed their age. Don't be thrown by it, stick with it. There is for sure a way for you to make some money. Work hard, stick close to the forum.
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@hebrides said:
There are a few here that showed their age. Don't be thrown by it, stick with it.
a quick google search reveals this same scenario being pitched around the interweb for the past couple of years.. once for a 30" cinema display and again for adobe creative suite.. it looks like it worked out for the creative suite (seeing how he has dreamweaver) but maybe not so well with the hardware.. the same sticker spiel was used in the past too and i hope adobe doesn't get mad when their stickers are covered up with google stickers..
i'm not at all claiming christopher is f.o.s and trying to scam people but come on man... that mac oct he's thinking about is ~$5,500 without a display or periphreals.. i don't get it. -
hebrides wrote:
@unknownuser said:
As you can see most are willing to help. There are a few here that showed their age. Don't be thrown by it
Not sure who you are refering to, but I assume it's me as I was the first to question the original post, I suppose I do not wilt to every sob story or believe everything I read without question. I tried to be as respectful and sincere as possible.
Had I intended to be mean I'd question the fact that a person living with a certain condition for all his life with clearly a good understanding of grammar and writting could not spell his condition correctly "spassdic quadreplegic", but I'm not mean and won't.
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