The New Google SketchUp 6, AutoCAD 2008, and a Viewpoint on Wikis

Coming close to 18 months after its last release, the new SketchUp 6 is particularly significant as it is the first release of SketchUp since its acquisition by Google. In that time, Google has already released a free version of SketchUp, which has boosted its popularity even further. While Google did this primarily to encourage more users to develop models for its Google Earth application, it also benefits the AEC industry by putting a quick and easy-to-use 3D modeling tool in the hands of any aspiring designer, student, or practicing architect for free. This should help to nurture a whole new generation of architects that will start working on design ideas by modeling rather than drawing. BIM is then only one step further, putting an end, once and for all, to the "dumb CAD drawings" era. The free availability of SketchUp must, no doubt, be causing angst to some AEC vendors as it will hasten the demise of their CAD applications; yet ironically, the 3D mindset it nurtures will benefit some of those very vendors by enabling the entire industry to transition to their BIM solutions more easily.

AECbytes starts this month with a detailed review of SketchUp 6, followed by a closer look at new release of the venerable CAD application, AutoCAD 2008, which has returned its focus to 2D drafting and the improvements it can engineer for those users who rely still heavily on creating drawings for their professional AEC work.

The Viewpoint series returns this month with a look at the emerging technology of Enterprise Wiki and its potential for addressing the communication problems in the AEC industry. The Tips and Tricks section features Newforma's Project Center software for the first time, with a look at how it can be used to create animated GIFs of before-and-after changes in drawing sets. We also have the first article of a three part series which looks at optimizing Detail creation, referencing and cataloging in ArchiCAD.

Last but not the least, don't forget to visit the AECbytes Blog to share any of your thoughts, comments, and questions related to AECbytes articles, and see what others have to say.

Thank you!

Lachmi Khemlani

Editorials > March 2007