Design packages running in Vista

[The Restorer]

Hi folks,

I've had to replace my PC in the last week and now have a funky new one running Windows Vista. Most of my old software has taken ages to set up as you'd think Vista was a new thing! :roll:
Anyway, my problem is i used to use Autosketch to produce designs for clients and to use in the workshop as working drawings. The Autosketch i have V.6, doesn't run in Vista and i can't find a driver on their website (i can't find a way of contacting them either, as most of the e-mail links are dead ends).
So if i replace Autosketch, what do i replace it with? I've read most of your post on Sketch up, but that too doesn't appear to be able to run with Vista :x (according to the purchase area info.) also at £315, it's a bit steep :shock:

So any ideas?

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

The Restorer

Sketchup is free and it runs with Vista in XP mode.

Probably Autocad does the same.

Have a look here.

Cheers
Neil

 

[tnimble]

No company should forse you to use and probebaly buy products because of their requirements, limitations or changes. Just continue to use the OS you used on your other PC you have evry right to do that and would have no problems what so ever.

Its a known problem of Vista to have incompatibilities because of changes Microsoft made to the system to be able to restrict you an control what you can do on your PC.Not only some software cannot be run, not all hardware can be used with it, you're being monitored and controlled in what you do, and are actually not using an operating system you own, you're actually kind of renting the right to use it for a period of a few years. All at the cost of no improvements other than limitations, higher system requirements and a slightly different look.

No wonder even Dell decided do recontinue selling Windows XP with their PCs and in fact face legal charges for doing so.

 

[The Restorer]

Neil,
isn't it just a trial version of sketchup that is free? I checked with their support people and they said "They can't currently support Vista, but hope to do so in the next week or so"
Interesting to see that some people have installed it on Vista.
Can you use sketchup images as workshop drawings i.e. they show dimensions?

tnimble,
i was advised by the retailer, that if i remove Vista from the PC and install XP i will invalidate the warranty.
If you want to get away from big bill - get a Mac!

Thanks

 

[tnimble]

Neil,
isn't it just a trial version of sketchup that is free? I checked with their support people and they said "They can't currently support Vista, but hope to do so in the next week or so"
Interesting to see that some people have installed it on Vista.
Can you use sketchup images as workshop drawings i.e. they show dimensions?

The google Sketchup is completely free and has everything needed for designing furniture. The Pro version does have a free trail but has only things added architects and landscapers need. Except for the print function that is more power full and produces nicer high resolution prints. But I find that not enough of a reason to get the Pro version.

tnimble,
i was advised by the retailer, that if i remove Vista from the PC and install XP i will invalidate the warranty.

Utter most bullsh*t from the top shelf.

If you want to get away from big bill - get a Mac!

That is debatable, but indeed one of the easy ways to get a fair amount of distance, however mr. Gates has his 'claws' around some part of the mac also.

 

[The Restorer]

OK, i've tried to download Sketchup and get a message to say that the operating system is not supported, so it fails to download.
I have e-mailed the Sketchup people and they sent the following reply;

"Hi Stephen,

Thank you for contacting SketchUp.
At this time, we're unable to support Windows Vista. Our goal is to be compatible with the latest operating systems for both Mac and Windows so please check our website periodically for updates. The changes that were made to Vista were extensive and our team is still working to implement the updates necessary for compatibility. We can't guarantee a timeframe for the maintenance release, but it is a huge priority for us so we hope it is ready within the next week. Please check our website periodically for updates."

So looks like i'll have to wait a while.

Autocad's latest release v.14 will support Vista but cost nearly $700. Intellicad by autodsys will also run on Vista at a more respectable $249.
At the moment i'm going to wait as long as i can and see what Sketchup come up with.

tnimble - your coment with the expletive, was that aimed at me, suggesting i'm in someway misleading? You've obviously got a bee in your bonnet regarding Vista.
The statement from the supplier of the PC was that Visat is the operating system and if that were removed and XP installed, the warranty and business support would be invalid. They are quite within their rights to specify limitations to warranty.

It would appear, that for some reason, software designers have failed to respond to the release of Vista, despite it being common knowledge that a new system was coming through.I don't know all of the ins and outs, but i suspect Microsoft blame the software developers and the developers will blame Microsoft.

Thanks especially to DaveR for the PM's he's sent me.

 

[Adam]

It would appear, that for some reason, software designers have failed to respond to the release of Vista, despite it being common knowledge that a new system was coming through.I don't know all of the ins and outs, but i suspect Microsoft blame the software developers and the developers will blame Microsoft.

Actually, you wouldn't believe how much each beta release version of Vista changed. We were working to fairly much the latest Beta release as it came out. Problem was, features and functions (power management stuff, driver handling etc) that worked in one release, were disabled in the next, then re-enabled in the next. It causes absolute havoc.

Adam

 

[tnimble]

Autocad's latest release v.14 will support Vista but cost nearly $700. Intellicad by autodsys will also run on Vista at a more respectable $249.
At the moment i'm going to wait as long as i can and see what Sketchup come up with.

tnimble - your coment with the expletive, was that aimed at me, suggesting i'm in someway misleading?

I wouldn't dare doing that. Was amied purely at the both MS and the manufacturer of hardware.

You've obviously got a bee in your bonnet regarding Vista.

Most ppl dealing technically and / or legally side with Vista will.

The statement from the supplier of the PC was that Visat is the operating system and if that were removed and XP installed, the warranty and business support would be invalid. They are quite within their rights to specify limitations to warranty.

In no way could a warranty of a PC which is hardware be voided by any change or useable of software. Software including the OS has no way of damaging the hardware of a PO in any way. Installing or deinstalling programs or Operating System or creating documents, moving files could only lead to data loss which is already excluded from any warrenty on a PC. In the extreme case hardware does get damaged by something caused by a software program or operating system the hardware had either a design or manufacturing flaw which had come up somewhere later down the road anyways. As long as you don't damage your PC in any way by dropping it, spilling liquids, connecting things that are not intended to be connected, opening it, ... you will have warrenty.

It would appear, that for some reason, software designers have failed to respond to the release of Vista, despite it being common knowledge that a new system was coming through.I don't know all of the ins and outs, but i suspect Microsoft blame the software developers and the developers will blame Microsoft.

I'm with Adam with this one all the way. Never MS did make a mess like they have done with recent products with Vista at the top of the list. And now after the release there still are doing so in some extend. They're currently in full damage control mode and in a denial of failure campaign.