How about making it "Portable"

[GrumpyGrizzly]

I carry a thumb drive with PortableApps loaded on it. It's full of all kinds of programs that I can use on any computer I come across. Familiarity is a huge plus here even though it's not the "Standard" software folks use. My thumbdrive has things like Firefox, Gimp, and a bunch of other programs that I use all the time.

It's be nice to be able to install Freestyle in a portable format so I can use it wherever I go. If I'm at the library, pop in my thumbdrive and run it right off there, no installation or anything. Just plug it in, load the program and start drawing.

Autodesk doesn't make any programs like this that I've seen. The closest is Sketchbook for the IPhone. Ohh, and there's Autodesk Fluid as a free IPhone App but, I haven't found a use for that one yet.

For the freestyle, I'm not talking about an App for the IPhone (although.... not a bad idea..). Hang on, why not talk about it as an App? I've always looked for a program I can pull up a drawing with to look at certain areas. Ever since I've carried my first handheld computer, HP something or another, I've always looked for a decent drawing viewer.. If it comes with the ability to make notes or redlines, that's major bonus points!!

Anyway, first make it portable, then make it an App..

[GrumpyGrizzly]

Wonderful, an hour after I post this, I see there's an App for my IPhone called GoBIM. http://go-bim.iankeough.com/wordpress/

You can now view Revit models on your IPhone!!

I'd still like to see Freestyle there some day..

[ipselute]

You're so funny Grizzly! Have you ever seen a portable app from Autodesk? Maybe when the hell will freeze over.

[GrumpyGrizzly]

Obviously you haven't seen the Sketchbook App for Iphones, and there's also Autodesk Fluid app for Iphones.

I think you might want to start packing a jacket..

Also, that GoBIM program I mentioned has a program that installs in Revit so you can write the GoBIM file format. GoBIM isn't owned by Autodesk (yet) but, Revit is. Edited by: GrumpyGrizzly on Apr 2, 2010 7:27 PM

[gomura]

Apparently Autodesk's Sketchbook is one of the most downloaded apps for the iPad. Seems like Freestyle would be a great one for the iPad as well. CAD on the iPad really should come from Autodesk.

[crounsl]

All great ideas!

So lets talk about delivery. What if Freestyle was a SaaS app - you could use it online and save your drawinsg somewhere online? Interesting to you or do you think that its important to work offline?

Do any of you use tablet PCs or plan to use one in the future?

[GrumpyGrizzly]

Online apps don't work very well when flying in airplanes or in places that don't have wifi. When I lived in Alaska and worked in remote villages, you were lucky to have 28k dialup available and that was bounced off a satellite to make that happen.

No plans to use a tablet but, I do have detailers that are testing them out on jobsites right now.