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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>August, Wrenches:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I cannot operate without a true 3D cad program. I cannot operate in the environment I am in using third party software. I really like the idea of leasing. I would out $525 for 4 years of AutoCAD, about the same for owning a lesser program. Granted, AutoCAD has a steep learning curve, but that never stopped me from trying anything in life.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I will continue to use Visio for many tasks. Nothing creates a better block diagram more easily or more attractively.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Thanks everyone for the input.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>William<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>August Goers<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 12, 2014 7:38 PM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Autocad<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Hi William,<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>We use AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT in our office. Although Sketchup is pretty awesome for the reasons others have already mentioned, it really doesn't compare to AutoCAD for heavy duty design drawings - especially single line electrical drawings. We're about 50%+ commercial at this point so we need to interface with architects and other trades so need AutoCAD. That said, AutoCAD LT is probably sufficient for you unless you want to do 3D and it costs about $1,200. You can download it right from the Autodesk website. I like Bill Brooks' idea of leasing it too! I haven't tried TurboCAD but I've heard that there can be compatibility issues between it and AutoCAD if you're sharing files back and forth. It is quite a bit cheaper. We used to use MS Visio and it took about a year to get up to speed with AutoCAD. But once you get used to all the shortcuts in AutoCAD is is quite fast. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Best,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>August<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Luminalt<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><div><div><p><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>August Goers</span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Principal</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>Luminalt Energy Corporation</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>o: 415.641.4000</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'>m: 415.559.1525</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Century Gothic","sans-serif"'><a href="http://www.luminalt.com" target="_blank">www.luminalt.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Wed, Mar 12, 2014 at 6:46 PM, Exeltech <<a href="mailto:exeltech@yahoo.com" target="_blank">exeltech@yahoo.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For line drawings and other 2D illustrations, Libre CAD reads and writes DXF files. There are versions for Windows, Apple OSX, and Linux.<br><br>It's also F-R-E-E. Simply download and install.<br><br><a href="http://librecad.org/cms/home.html" target="_blank">http://librecad.org/cms/home.html</a><br><br><br>Dan<br><br><br><br>--------------------------------------------<br>On Wed, 3/12/14, Bill Hoffer <<a href="mailto:sunengser@gmail.com">sunengser@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><br>Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Autocad<br>To: "RE-wrenches" <<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>><br>Date: Wednesday, March 12, 2014, 7:43 PM<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br>William <br><br>I second using Sketchup and Layout for $500 . I have seen the add on Roof Pro Plug in and Skelion ( $199) demo that lays out the array and links to PVwatts for power analysis. Plus Combined with google earth , does great shading analysis I. I think you can do a quick design in an hour and Autocad would be days! Stay away from Autocad unless you really need it for large commercial jobs and like Jason said it is required to interact with other trades! Plus Solar Energy Engineering is starting a web based training for using it for solar projects. It really is pretty cool and a lot more flexible than overpriced and overly complicated Autocad. Autocad light woudl be my first choice, no way you need the full blown<br>version.<br><br> Bill<br><br><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br><br>List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>Change email address & settings:<br><a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List-Archive: <a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List rules & etiquette:<br><a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm" target="_blank">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br><br>Check out participant bios:<br><a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>