Shopsmith Forums

Pro level on Sketchup for about $100 per year verses $300 per year for Fusion 360 from Autodesk. Kind of a no brainer. As for all this "Cloud based computing" just more ways to force people into a very expensive regime.

I moved to Autodesk Inventor a couple years ago for 3D printing. I get it through my employer. There was a big learning curve as it is a very different approach to CAD compared to Sketchup. For woodworking design purposes, I can still see the benefit to Sketchup, so keep it installed.

I don't like the cloud based services (since I love in the boonies with satellite internet I try not to have to use) so haven't done much with Fusion 360, but I here an aweful lot of good things about it. But for the same reason, I'll just keep the now old free version of Sketchup.

tenbears wrote:Pro level on Sketchup for about $100 per year verses $300 per year for Fusion 360 from Autodesk. Kind of a no brainer. As for all this "Cloud based computing" just more ways to force people into a very expensive regime.

But unless you are using Fusion 360 commercially in a business over $100K a year it is free. That is a no brainer also!

I may be confused but the only Free about Fusion is for either a 30 day trial or "FREE SOFTWARE FOR EDUCATION
Get a free 3-year software license for students and educators. Make anything with help from Autodesk Education."

From the Autodesk website... Annual subscription is $300/yr or $40/month for their standard program and way more for the Ultimate version. I'd love free software that always worked with whatever operating system was out there after continual operating system updates requiring changes to software packages by the developers.

tenbears wrote:I may be confused but the only Free about Fusion is for either a 30 day trial or "FREE SOFTWARE FOR EDUCATION
Get a free 3-year software license for students and educators. Make anything with help from Autodesk Education."

From the Autodesk website... Annual subscription is $300/yr or $40/month for their standard program and way more for the Ultimate version. I'd love free software that always worked with whatever operating system was out there after continual operating system updates requiring changes to software packages by the developers.

They also have a free registration for hobbyists and those commercial users that make less than $100K a year. I registered my copy yesterday and the 30 day count down timer went away. It is tough to find on the web site but it is there. I am on my way out the door but I will find it when I get back.

Read the Notices and Legal Agreements carefully. Read them all.

Just Google Fusion 360 and follow the instructions that appear when you click on Free Trial. A page comes up with a tag that reads "You may qualify for free use"; a small circle around the letter i). Hover on that and follow instructions.

What is being offered is indeed free (to qualifying subscribers) but only for a year or until AutoDesk chooses to terminate the agreement.

What happens at the end of one year "Startup" as a hobbyist is not defined.

dusty wrote:Read the Notices and Legal Agreements carefully. Read them all.

Just Google Fusion 360 and follow the instructions that appear when you click on Free Trial. A page comes up with a tag that reads "You may qualify for free use"; a small circle around the letter i). Hover on that and follow instructions.

What is being offered is indeed free (to qualifying subscribers) but only for a year or until AutoDesk chooses to terminate the agreement.

What happens at the end of one year "Startup" as a hobbyist is not defined.

After a year, you re-confirm that you're still not a business making over $100K using Fusion 360.

roy_okc wrote:

dusty wrote:Read the Notices and Legal Agreements carefully. Read them all.

Just Google Fusion 360 and follow the instructions that appear when you click on Free Trial. A page comes up with a tag that reads "You may qualify for free use"; a small circle around the letter i). Hover on that and follow instructions.

What is being offered is indeed free (to qualifying subscribers) but only for a year or until AutoDesk chooses to terminate the agreement.

What happens at the end of one year "Startup" as a hobbyist is not defined.

After a year, you re-confirm that you're still not a business making over $100K using Fusion 360.

That is a hopeful ending to the story but I was not able to find that written anywhere. Maybe I missed it.

For Now, I will stick with free Sketchup until it is free no more.

Besides, I don't believe I have what it takes to climb the learning curve again.

Speaking of learning curve, this thread has caused me to download the 2017 make version and embark upon that curve once again. Seems simpler to me than before(I hate picture language for options/functions).

roy_okc wrote:

dusty wrote:Read the Notices and Legal Agreements carefully. Read them all.

Just Google Fusion 360 and follow the instructions that appear when you click on Free Trial. A page comes up with a tag that reads "You may qualify for free use"; a small circle around the letter i). Hover on that and follow instructions.

What is being offered is indeed free (to qualifying subscribers) but only for a year or until AutoDesk chooses to terminate the agreement.

What happens at the end of one year "Startup" as a hobbyist is not defined.

After a year, you re-confirm that you're still not a business making over $100K using Fusion 360.

Dusty is correct and so are you Roy. That is what I found. I just couldn't find it quickly this morning before I had to leave the house. It is not very obvious but it is there.

I have the Shaper Origin hand held CNC router coming next month and Fusion 360 is what they recommend although not required.