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After deciding on the criteria that would be used, the small group of draftspeople has turned the project over to Joshua Cochran. Each of the three CAD design software will be thoroughly assessed pertaining to the pre-established criteria. Upon review of Joshua Cochran’s evaluation, the recommendation will be presented to the board of directors for further deliberation.
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*Figure 2.1: SketchUp* Pro 7 Rendering
SketchUp lets you get inside your model with a set of simple navigation tools designed to give you a first-person view. First, click using Position Camera to "be standing" anywhere within your model. Use Look Around to turn your virtual head. Finally, switch to Walk to explore your creation on foot; you can even climb and descend stairs and ramps, just as though you're playing a video game. Using SketchUp Pro 7, drawings can also be exported into AutoCAD for editing. There are two price points which make SketchUp enticing. The first is a free, scaled down version which has less features and there is also a full licensed version for $495.
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*Figure 2.2: Revit* Rendering
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Figure 2.3: AutoCAD 2009 Rendering
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The SketchUp Pro 7 package offers Google Earth compatibility and a low price point, but with its limited industry use, I would wait on a full version purchase until more companies pick it up. The Revit software is the way of the future due to its “intelligence” factor; however, with the highest price of all three choices, I would wait until all of the bugs are worked out. AutoCAD offers a plethora of features and is compatible with just about every other software package in the industry. The fact that just about every company worldwide uses some version is also a plus.
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Figure 2.4: AutoCAD 2009 Modelspace...