@petercharles said:

Don't install a new version until the first service pack is out!

SP1 for Inventor R2009 is out!

@kwistenbiebel said:

I have tried Spaceclaim a couple of hours (some months ago)just to get an idea and the 'feel' of the software.
Their 'annual' license system scares me though.
I am much more in favour of a 1 time purchase to use the software for an unlimited time, perhaps paying an extra for a new release.
Buying software by subscription is a 'faux pas' to me. Not done, at least in my case.

@unknownuser said:

The list price for perpetual licenses is
SpaceClaim Professional 2008 - £1,500.00
Support Services for SpaceClaim Professional 2008 - £500.00
3D Data Exchange - £300.00
Support Services for 3D Data Exchange - £100.00
Sheet Metal - £450.00
Support Services for Sheet Metal - £150.00
Total first year £3,000.00
Subsequent years £750.00

That's buying isn't it?
Or is it the £750/year support that concerns you?

@unknownuser said:

Have you heard of CoCreate? It might not be what you are looking for but it looks impressive, alledgedly easy to use and there is a free version.
http://www.cocreate.com/products/pe2/ModelingPE2.aspx

The free PE version doesn't do sheet metal so it's no use to me.

I don't normally bother as the gallery is mostly buildings. But just for you ...

@unknownuser said:

The suicides have already begun... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26641652/
This really is just sad that people will by into this "big bang" theory thinking it is going to destroy the earth...

This is an example of Darwinism, clearly not fit enough to survive.
(or maybe she just wouldn't marry the groom selected for her so honour dictated...._

How about a petition to classify those who made this decision as traitors, and as traitors "to be hanged by the neck between heaven and earth as not being worthy of either".

@unknownuser said:

an idea of the price of Inventor?

Varies, Inventor Series or Inventor Professional, can you screw them (you're thinking of buying SolidWorks ), say £4-5,000 per seat.

@watkins said:

Dear Peter,
(the attached exploded view - all done in Sketchup -shows part of a machine). I find that my Inventor models are cleaner and better constrained if I start the design work in Sketchup.
Bob

Bob, here's something I posted long ago done in SketchUp -
http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=1841&hilit=+mechanical

My initial gut feel is that SpaceClaim is a much easier modeller for initial concept designs than Inventor. That's why I currently use SketchUp for some work.

I think that Inventor might be better once you know what you want and are doing detail modelling.

On cost

The list price for the annual lease is
SpaceClaim Professional 2008 - £995.00
3D Data Exchange - £195.00
Sheet Metal - £295.00
Total per year £1,485.0

The list price for perpetual licenses is
SpaceClaim Professional 2008 - £1,500.00
Support Services for SpaceClaim Professional 2008 - £500.00
3D Data Exchange - £300.00
Support Services for 3D Data Exchange - £100.00
Sheet Metal - £450.00
Support Services for Sheet Metal - £150.00
Total first year £3,000.00
Subsequent years £750.00

Edit
Programming seems to be done in C#

Spaceclaim installation completed quickly and easily (unlike Inventor)!!

Initial thoughts
Feels SketchUppy.
Slightly easier to move, copy, rotate edges and faces than SU.
Exceedingly quick and smooth (well I am using an M6300).
AutoDesk could really learn something from this for Inventor.
Imports Inventor files but can't export them, have to use IGES or SAT.

Worth an enquiry about cost!

When you get Inventor you get Mechanical Desktop and the ability to display this as plain old AutoCAD. Why??
Well for me, the drawing side of Inventor is a bit lacking and some drawing things I need to do can't be done in Inventor. Crazy as it might sound, on a current project (creating a special dxf file for laser cutting) it's 30% done as a macro in the Inventor drawing, 20% manual work in the Inventor drawing (because these bits can't be automated), the final 50% is by macro in Inventor passing an initial dxf to ACAD where the dxf is finalised and saved by an automatic ACAD macro. Hard work, the only saving grace being that both Inventor and ACAD use VBA for their macro's.
As for the cost of AutoDesk products, all I can say is I'm not having to pay!

I use Inventor, it's not easier than SketchUp.
Annual updates are fine, but there's no backwards compatibility. There's also the regular bug fixes (sorry service packs). Don't install a new version until the first service pack is out!
I can afford to buy SketchUp, Inventor - no chance!
I can programme Inventor, but for me SketchUp is harder as Ruby is different to VB which I already know (and can use in ACAD, sorry Ruby fans).

I'm looking at SpaceClaim as it might be easier than IV (harder than SU?), but more powerful than SU. Only time will tell.

Currently installation date on the M6300, which also has IV2008, is next weekend (the installer is already on there ready to go).

@toxicvoxel said:

PeterCharles
I look forward to your full review at the beginning of October!
.

First, find a suitable PC (probably a Dell M6300).
Second, get approval to install it
Third, actually try it out

So beginning of October is a bit optimistic I think

Got my instructions by e-mail today and downloaded the installer so that's a good start!

I'm told that if you want to see stupid British people live on tv then tune into "Big Brother"!
http://www.channel4.com/bigbrother/

Personally I think it joins the rest of the tv soaps as "the opiate of the masses".

I've applied for the 30 day trial and got an e-mail back saying

@unknownuser said:

Thank you for requesting a trial of SpaceClaim.  A SpaceClaim representative will contact you.

That was yesterday so lets see how quick, if at all, they respond as I'm currently working under BST on the east side of the Atlantic!

Just checked it again, it's fine for me

@unknownuser said:

• 1x arm & +1x leg...
  or even BOTH arms and Both legs.

But seriously, after watching all the video's I'm going to apply for a 30 day trial.

Alternatively, for the bored....
http://sponger.fr33webhost.com/BORR/castcrew.htm

I've just looked at some of the video's and it looks very, very interesting to me as a mechanical designer! I'm even tempted to apply for the 30 day trial.

But what really annoys me with stuff like this is, "WHERE'S THE PRICE!!!"

What I picked up on was that the good old "British Bulldog" would be of no use at all in bull baiting these days, and that some breeds cannot mate or give birth unaided!
Appalling!