There is something wrong in this world when we spend billions on finding answers to problems that don't exist when real issues go unattended.

@unknownuser said:

My experience with Autodesk is that it drains your wallet, is utterly complex to a very frustrating level.

My experience exactly.

As with Sketchup a few years ago I am now fearful that Autodesk will buy out Spaceclaim.
Not sure if anybody noticed, they recently bought out Ecotect from Square1. When I first read the speculation about the aquisition I wondered if this would not be a very shrewd and long overdue assault by Autodesk on the Sketchup market. (While Ecotect is a powerful building analysis applications it has similar graphic output compared to Sketchup.)

• Would they do the unthinkable and make ET a free release? Of course not!
  They immediatly increased the pricing from about $500 (if I remember correctly £350 Sterling) to $2,499!
  http://www.squ1.com/
  .

Kwisten,
I know what you are saying. The selected topic heading was selected in the hope of sparking some debate and comparrison with other artists.
(You may have noticed the question mark.)

If we agree that not all artists are equal , then it follows that there will be a small group on either side of that spectrum that vies for the position of 'worst' and 'best' based on whatever criteria you apply. The measure of that status relies heavily on the observer's knowledge and understanding of what represents 'good' or 'bad' in order to measure it, and where this falls short we tend to judge intuitively , sometimes wrongly based on our personal frame of reference. What I considered to be 'good' in my twenties I now think of as 'mediocre'. The object has not changed but my values and perception of it has.

So yes, the perception of quality is based on whatever personal measure we apply. The point is that our nature dictates that we gravitate to making comparrisons and we express that response in the value that we attach to the work and skill of individual craftsmen, artists and even sportsmen. To deny that such a response exists is to deny human nature itself.

@unknownuser said:

(maybe the best forum in the world?

Pilou
There is no such thing as the best forum, only forums...
.

Bruell
You misquote me. I made no reference to backward compatibility.
[What more can you expect from somebody working for Autodesk! ]
.

@unknownuser said:

I don't think he will be named most when the entire population would be asked to vote.

Come on Kwisten, that's a silly argument.
If on the other hand, if his piers that work within the same genre were to vote, he may come pretty close:
http://www.ballisticpublishing.com/articles/craig_mullins/

gaganraj,
Thanks for the links, - some of which I don't know.
Hopefully there will be more posts highlighting artists (which we like!)
.

I think you'll find some are 'liked' more than others.

@unknownuser said:

How can someone be the best digital artist in the world?

If we reason this way then how can there be 'good' artists, and how can there be 'bad' artists.
And so our differing intuitive response to art or the 'skill' of a craftsman cannot be relied upon because it cannot be rationalised, and what we 'like' becomes self deception.

Looking at the work of many, many digital artists over the last twelve months I keep returning to look at this bloke's work.
While his realistic work is very good it is in his impressionistic sketches that his genius is exposed.
I do not think there is anybody that blurs the line between traditional and digital media to this extent.
http://www.goodbrush.com
.

@unknownuser said:

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

I'll be watching out for your feedback.
.

You've gotta be joking Bruell, a competitor to Sketchup?! Easy to learn? - Compared to what, Blender?
In software years Inventor is ancient technology.
Autodesk pricing, support and upgrade policy disqualifies this as a serious option for me personally.

[Your'e working for Autodesk right? ]
.

http://www.deskeng.com/articles/aaajxm.htm
.

Things are getting even more interesting:
http://www.deskeng.com/articles/aaaksk.htm
.

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

@unknownuser said:

Tremendous app for mechanical design, but for architecture though, don't you want more detailing for 2D production drawings?

At this point I do not think that there is an application that offers the complete package (despite what the software houses tell us). Savvy design-led architects will opt for setting up a customised work flow with a number of applications specialised for various aspects of the design/presentation/documentation work flow, rather than choosing for jack-of-all trades 3D/render/CAD solution that offers strong integration at the expense of flexibility. This is where Sketchup fits in and I think this is also how Spaceclaim is positioning itself as a specialised modelling element alongside other primary design applications. Thinking about it more, there are many situations where working with Sketchup doesn't quite make it (I think of faceted curves and faces that are an approximation and therefore not accurate when working on smaller elements),- where I could do with a secondary modeller that can handle small knuckles and details that are tedious to construct and execute in Sketchup. From this point of view Spaceclaim begins to present a compelling option.
[- But page layout/annotation/dimensioning in Spaceclaim does not look that shabby either!)

But like many I'll wait for 7 and see if bigG has raised the bar...(Did somebody say mid September?)
.

They now have an LT & LTX version in the high sub $1000 bracket which isn't cheap but compares well with apps such as Rhino and very well with offerings from Autodesk considering what you are getting.
http://www.spaceclaim.com/News-and-Events/Press-Releases/09-January-2008.aspx
.

Plot-paris,

• And I would suggest that you not use this thread to express your recommendations in this regard. PM the moderators with your recommendations or start a sepparate thread if you wish. Your post is completely innapropriate in the context of the topic of this thread.

You may have noticed that there have been more than a thousand hits on this thread before posting your complaints. The posts (which are reports accompanied by images rather than gallery images showing individual work) are not any more inappropriate in this context than those stating your objections gentlemen. I would assume that it would be more appropriate for the moderators to move the thread (renders et al.) in it's entirety once the initial release interest is over, rather than have the self-appointed forum police hijack the topic for their own satisfaction in this way.

I'll PM the moderators and ask them to remove/move the thread on your behalf.
Happy?

Juju,
Haven't you got anything better to do?
Seeing the results of testing a new SU compatible product in context with this thread is justifiable and of interest to a lot of people, if not to you.
In a few days the news would have moved on, so relax and avoid this thread if it irritates you that much.

There is a level of control and pecision here coupled with an intuitive UI that I have not seen in any other tool.
But do not misunderstand me, I'm only saying I wish the folks at SU HQ will raise the bar and add some of what we can see here in future versions.