# Google SketchUp



## S Bolton (Mar 5, 2007)

Can anyone indicate whether they have had good success with Goggle SketchUp? High learning curve?

It appears to be in my price range (free).

Any input is welcome.

Thanks

sb


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi SB

I for one have a hard time with it many of the members have said it's easy to use but I find it hard to use... 

They all say use the built in help with the program but I still have a hard time with it...

But that's just my 2 cents, and just one add on note I can't get if off my machine it pop up a error and that's it, it's stuck on my machine and just taking up room...I just hate junk software.... 



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S Bolton said:


> Can anyone indicate whether they have had good success with Goggle SketchUp? High learning curve?
> 
> It appears to be in my price range (free).
> 
> ...


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## S Bolton (Mar 5, 2007)

I can't load paint.net on my computer and you can't remove Sketchup. Weird.

I think I will stay away from any program I can't remove.

Thanks

sb


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi SB

You didn't say what OS you are using, it must be XP or higher to use Paint.net

You can still use the Old Paint in windows it will not have all the tools as Paint.Net but it's OK for most things..

The quick drawing below was just done with the old Paint in windows.
Just a note DON'T save the drawing in the BMP format save it in the JPG format BMP sucks...and is a hog for room on the HD...
The one below is 8.4 kb in the jpg format and in the bmp format it would be 160kb.

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S Bolton said:


> I can't load paint.net on my computer and you can't remove Sketchup. Weird.
> 
> I think I will stay away from any program I can't remove.
> 
> ...


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## Drugstore Cowboy (May 17, 2007)

S Bolton said:


> Can anyone indicate whether they have had good success with Goggle SketchUp? High learning curve?
> . . .


I too have heard how great and how simple Google Sketchup is -
-and I too have had VERY LIMITED success with it. 
And I consider myself reasonably computer savy. 
I spent almost 10 years doing end-user support as manager of a computer lab -- and the last 8+ as network manager for a library. 
I've taught myself everything I ever needed to know from DOS to Server 2003.

*SOMETHING about Google Sketchup just locks up my brain. *
So I would say the learning 'curve' for me has been more like a CLIFF.

My favorite design tool (which is basicly free since it is included in Office) is the drawing toolbar in MS Word. It is object oriented -- that is once you draw a line or a square or a circle etc -- you can move it and manipulate it as an obect -- not just a disjpointed collection of dots. I can draw a square, for instance -- of any size -- then just type in the dimensions I want and bingo its there.
I can't spin things around in 3d like in Sketchup or Autocad -- but I can do pretty decent perspective drawings.

To get it into a jpg file -- I just do a screen dump and open it in Paintbrush.
If I need to do any dot by dot editing -- I can do it there -- then save as a jpg. Any sketches I have posted here have been done this way.

I haven't tried to delete Sketchup -- I am too stubborn -- ONE DAY I am going to master it. But for now -- when I actually want to DRAW something -- I use the tools in MS Office.

Hope some of this rambling helps.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

There is a learning curve. Some folks take right to it.. others like me struggle  I have removed it twice... If I had a lot of time I could probably figure it out. Others get it from the beginning. It's a good program and can do alot and the price is right! I too had problems getting paint.net to download on my XP. Not sure why. 

Corey


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Here's me still struggling with paint.net, but I am improving, albeit only slightly.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

harrysin said:


> Here's me still struggling with paint.net, but I am improving, albeit only slightly.


Harry, your doing pretty good with that... really great for an old guy ...    

corey


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

Drugstore Cowboy said:


> And I consider myself reasonably computer savy.
> I spent almost 10 years doing end-user support as manager of a computer lab -- and the last 8+ as network manager for a library.
> I've taught myself everything I ever needed to know from DOS to Server 2003.


Hi Drugstore...

I have a lot of computer experience also... and also find Sketchup more on the 'hard to get' side... I will learn it one day, though.

I get by with Paint... I don't try to get fancy like Harry does... I stay in B&W and I keep it simple like a typical mechanical drawing... front, top, end views. I have a basic template (starting screen from which to work which has a Ruler going across all sides of the screen... with simple techniques like Copy/Paste, a lot of shortcuts can be done... I seldom draw circles...

Right now, Paint seems to be the fastest way to get my needs satisfied.

I guess, with Sketchup, one can define all of the parts, then just move / copy them into their places... a very sophisticated program... I admire the programming job... BUT, to me, the main objective for any program, is for it to be easily used WITHOUT A MANUAL... If a manual is required, the program isn't doing what it should do... That's just me...


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