http://www.dxstudio.com/

I don't know much about this field, but have you tried DX studio? free and pro version, I have managed to get SU models into it with no problems.

I charge the same daily rate regardless of complexity.
It is all your time, if you charge less for this job then theoretically your losing money because you could be making more money doing something else.

Your standard rate is what it will cost you to do it.

Thanks Lewis

Hi Lewis

Good Work, I knew SU on Ubuntu & Wine would work eventually. Good to see Google are showing some support to Linux too. Please can I quote your text at Linux Outlaws and the Lug Radio forum? There are members there that will be interested in this.

That error message greets me daily. I'm pretty sure it is a sketchy physics error, I cannot get sketchy physics to work on Vista no matter what I do.

I'm no architect either, I studied Spatial Design then did a degree in Museum and Exhibition Design but I have mainly worked for and with architects since then doing visuals, planning apps, drafting etc. I'm not sure how to define what I do but I'm happy.

Hi Roger

MIT, Tufts and some other universities do offer free open source learning courses but Susan is an individual trying to make a living.

Hi Dolphus

I have the exact same problem but I have no immediate or urgent use for SP so I've done nothing about it. I'm running Vista which I expect could well be the problem.
If anybody knows how to fix this I'd be interested.

Ah good point Mike

Interesting thread,

I actually wrote a really long reply a few days ago but my internet connection died and I lost it so here is an abbreviated version:

Susan, as a former college tutor myself I can completely understand your annoyance that people are attending class without paying the course fees! They couldn't do that in a physical college so I agree it isn't fair that people are exploiting you over the net.

No you don't have the "classroom" overheads, but that's irrelevant, college students don't get 1 to 1 tuition, their lucky if there is less than 30 in a class. Also as you are an experienced architectural professional I'm sure your course is more beneficial too.

The critics in this thread should consider that a teacher is only getting paid when their with their class. To deliver one hour of quality teaching takes an average of two hours preparation - producing learning materials, setting objectives, writing schemes of work and most importantly - evaluating quality. I stress the last point because it's a business like any other.
There is a big difference between the boss that stand's behind a student to evaluate the quality of the training and the cheap, lazy boss that thinks "Great, free training for my whole workforce".
There is a saying that goes something like "a student only understands and remembers 70% of what they see but 95% of what they do". The quality and reputation of your training is seriously diminished by the adhoc crowd that stands and watches behind the one paying student. When the freeloaders get back to their desks they will have only a superficial understanding of the subject.

I don't know how you solve the problem Susan but I just want to let you know I can understand how infuriating it is. Bloody freeloaders!

He's an old fashioned english eccentric which is so popular with us brits. It'll take at least a year before people start to scrutinise whether or not he's actually any good.

whaat

That is great. To be able to do this natively in SU will be very useful. I've tried a few poly reduction apps but haven't had reliable results with SU models.

@unknownuser said:

What in the world is "Vertex"? "Whitedune"?

I have no idea, it sounds fantastically obscure.

Yeah Linux has it's advantages but the apps available aren't going to attract designers for some time yet. Incidentally have you heard of React OS? I'm actually typing now in an internet cafe on a react os system which seems pretty good, very similar to Windows but really minimal.

At the end of the day I love Sketchup so I'll be running windows for some time yet.

edit: I expect Mike Lucey to comment now and advise all us luddites to just get a mac.

Thanks for the info Lewis, Wings 3d will probably get uninstalled today.

hmmm,

Rhino 4 sounds interesting, I was using Rhino v2 years ago but I moved away from it and went through a naive snails-pace "Only Autodesk for everything" phase.

Has anybody tried Wings 3d?, I downloaded it the other day, it's free, certainly simple to use and looks like it could be pretty useful.
http://www.wings3d.com

I really like the feel of MOI, the interface is great but I don't think it is that straightforward to use.

Remus originally wrote
@unknownuser said:

Id really like to find soemthing thats better for producign plans than SU and layout.

I am constantly hunting the evolutionary missing link - a 2d cad handshake with Sketchup. It pains me to say it but I still think AutoCAD or a flavour of Intellicad (such as ProgeCAD) are hard to beat for this. I tried Spirit but I didn't understand it at all.

Name: Jon

Surname: Wood

Age: 33

City: Kingston Upon Hull

State/Province/County: East Yorkshire

Profession: I'm not sure what my title should be. I do quite a broad span of architectural/ design related stuff as I work freelance but I'm not an architect so I don't do structural stuff. Currently work includes: "urbanism" (cityscape modelling for local government), CAD, planning applications, visualisation, commercial interior design, landscaping etc...

About yourself: I did a degree in Museum & Exhibition Design (graduated in 98), but only very briefly worked in that field. Spent some time as a product designer, kitchen designer, interior designer and a spatial design college tutor and then ended up working in interiors and architecture in about 2002. I worked in an architects practice full time from 2004 - 2007. Now I work mainly through an agency with a few of my own jobs as well.

My degree was old-school, no cad, all drawing boards and hand drawn perspectives. I learnt AutoCAD, Photoshop and some 3ds Max after I graduated. I think I discovered Sketchup around 2002 and now it is used for 99% of my work. Learning Kerkythea - going ok.

Hobbies: Allotments, photography, running, drawing.

Meetup interests: If we agree on a place I'll be there.

Discussion / Meet up topic:
"Integrating Sketchup into the workflow". I know it is a very very broad topic, maybe too esoteric, but I think addressing how we can use SU in a BIM type way for instance would be a useful direction. But I'd be happy to talk about anything SU related.

Solo,

I know where you are coming from, there is more power out there. But the eee is a very affordable option if you need to work mobile.

Lewis wrote

@unknownuser said:

I do like the Linux 'buntu available for this, but as long as I can't get SU or Rhino or the equivalent for some distro I'm happy

I don't think Google will ever release a linux SU version as they seem to be moving towards online applications such as Google docs, so they aren't primarily interested in the future of desktop operating systems. Personally I think this is a shame as XP is a bit bloated for a device like the eee. Have you looked at AdvoCADo (link to it on the freeware board)? It is clearly a linux attempt at an SU-type modelling tool but it isn't a useable app yet. The demo is interesting though.

@unknownuser said:

I have this notion of writing my own quirky CAD-type app (I prefer to think of it as a "Gonzo-Design Program" or GDP).

Very very interesting idea! I'm not a programmer but if there is anyway I can help at all let me know, for instance I know of quite a few open source design software advocates/eggheads. The open source CAD project website (link to it on freeware board) would be a good starting point.

@unknownuser said:

I need to go find a Starbucks table to monopolize somewhere, like a good little yuppie

Trains are best - free electricity, comfy seats, a range of refreshments and an ever changing view from the window

Lewis that is fantastic! Now I know can SU work well on the eee I'm getting one. At the moment I have a nasty 2 hour commute 3 days a week and my Toshiba Satellite 17" laptop makes it much worse. What Cad program are you going for?
Have you tried LiteCad? It's a tiny Acad clone.

I used to work in the design studio for a product and packaging firm. One day a colleague of mine dropped a scalpel on her leg while she was making a model. She incurred a scratch. The company health and safety officer went nuts that we had craft knives in the building and tried to insist that we used retractable box cutter knives instead. We explained they wouldn't be sharp enough and we kept our scalpels much to his annoyance. But the same guy was not at all bothered that the extractor on our airbrushing booth did not work so every day we had red eyes and headaches from the fumes.

My point? I'm not sure, but I haven't met a consistent Health and safety officer yet.

Great idea Remus, I can contribute too, I have plenty I've photographed/created myself, so no copyright problems