Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Have some feature requests, feedback, cool stuff to share, or want to know where FreeCAD is going? This is the place.
Forum rules
Be nice to others! Read the FreeCAD code of conduct!
User avatar
Kunda1
Veteran
Posts: 13434
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:03 pm

Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by Kunda1 »

'Back of the napkin' thoughts that I'm jotting down here for discussion:

Target Audience: users abandoning expensive proprietary solutions like onshape, solidworks, catia, sketchup etc...
The guides will first and foremost educate:
  • What FreeCAD is and is not (AKA we're not trying to be like any proprietary solution...we are our own unique solution)
  • What is parametric modeling?
  • The FreeCAD learning curve..why and how to overcome it;
  • Similarities and differences between FreeCAD and proprietary_software
  • Common complaints about FC (we have countless threads on the forum with great constructive feedback to vindictive demeaning vitriol. I think we should showcase some of them :lol:
Each guide will be written by folks familiar with one or more of the above software AND by folks that are skilled with FC.

We can take inspiration from Joko Engineering who has done some comparisons already with SW and Onshape:

phpBB [video]

phpBB [video]

phpBB [video]

phpBB [video]

phpBB [video]
Alone you go faster. Together we go farther
Please mark thread [Solved]
Want to contribute back to FC? Checkout:
'good first issues' | Open TODOs and FIXMEs | How to Help FreeCAD | How to report Bugs
openBrain
Veteran
Posts: 9034
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2018 5:38 pm
Contact:

Re: Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by openBrain »

For me, the base problem is that it looks like most people complaining here that pretend to be "professional designers" actually aren't able to figure out the mechanical modeling concepts out of the proprietary software they use. This is somewhat as they actually learned "how to do things with this expensive software" but never "why and what for do this or this operation".
So they are very proficient with their known software, but totally lost with another one.
I would just tell that FreeCAD is 'more AND less than other (proprietary) CAD softwares'. It has its own approach but all common expected fundamentals & paradigms of 3D modeling are there, so the limiting factor is very probably your skill. :P

EDIT : Joko videos look impressive. Will look at it later on.
chrisb
Veteran
Posts: 53919
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 9:14 am

Re: Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by chrisb »

What would really help are dedicated tutorials which help users of another system, who are accustomed to their workflow, to learn how to do it the FreeCAD way.
A Sketcher Lecture with in-depth information is available in English, auf Deutsch, en français, en español.
vocx
Veteran
Posts: 5197
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2018 9:18 pm

Re: Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by vocx »

openBrain wrote: Fri Jan 03, 2020 1:44 pm For me, the base problem is that it looks like most people complaining here that pretend to be "professional designers" actually aren't able to figure out the mechanical modeling concepts out of the proprietary software they use. ...
I agree with this. You aren't entirely proficient if you don't understand basic concepts. If you only memorize the usage of tools, then that means you are only a trained monkey, not a thinking person.
Always add the important information to your posts if you need help. Also see Tutorials and Video tutorials.
To support the documentation effort, and code development, your donation is appreciated: liberapay.com/FreeCAD.
User avatar
Kunda1
Veteran
Posts: 13434
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:03 pm

Re: Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by Kunda1 »

Maybe a place to start is to make a table glossary of terms, each column will be dedicated to a different CAM/CAD solution and it's equivalent term in FreeCAD
Alone you go faster. Together we go farther
Please mark thread [Solved]
Want to contribute back to FC? Checkout:
'good first issues' | Open TODOs and FIXMEs | How to Help FreeCAD | How to report Bugs
User avatar
Kunda1
Veteran
Posts: 13434
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:03 pm

Re: Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by Kunda1 »

Any thoughts on this? :point_up_2:
Alone you go faster. Together we go farther
Please mark thread [Solved]
Want to contribute back to FC? Checkout:
'good first issues' | Open TODOs and FIXMEs | How to Help FreeCAD | How to report Bugs
Celica_Supra

Re: Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by Celica_Supra »

Kunda1 wrote: Mon Jan 06, 2020 2:04 pm
Any thoughts on this? :point_up_2:
Hey Kunda, I started something like that comparing FreeCAD and SolidWorks long ago. I think I still have the document, let me dig around and see if I can find it.
Celica_Supra

Re: Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by Celica_Supra »

Hey Kunda, I started something like that comparing FreeCAD and SolidWorks long ago. I think I still have the document, let me dig around and see if I can find it.
[/quote]

Found it, but admittedly I'm not very good on using this forum. Any chance this thread will let you upload ~5mb file?

OK looks like my file is too big to attach to this comment. Here is a link to get it from my cloud:

https://mega.nz/#!Sjo12aLJ!by_225sSADVn ... IGGOdt-a3A

This was made in Microsoft Word, BUT edited in Libre Office. I'm sure the formatting has been messed up, but the content should be there and it's a rough start.
User avatar
Kunda1
Veteran
Posts: 13434
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 9:03 pm

Re: Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by Kunda1 »

Celica_Supra wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2020 1:00 am Found it, but admittedly I'm not very good on using this forum. Any chance this thread will let you upload ~5mb file?

OK looks like my file is too big to attach to this comment. Here is a link to get it from my cloud:

https://mega.nz/#!Sjo12aLJ!by_225sSADVn ... IGGOdt-a3A

This was made in Microsoft Word, BUT edited in Libre Office. I'm sure the formatting has been messed up, but the content should be there and it's a rough start.
Thanks Celica_Supra (aka Joko Engineerring) admittedly this is daunting task. But it's worth undertaking. I've started a wiki page named:
Transitioning from Solidworks to FreeCAD. I'm not certain how detailed it should be. But it is there and ready to be populated. I think initially there should be some overview concepts explained then some tips. Perhaps a glossary. And then I was going to just feature a bunch of your Joko Engineering clips.
Alone you go faster. Together we go farther
Please mark thread [Solved]
Want to contribute back to FC? Checkout:
'good first issues' | Open TODOs and FIXMEs | How to Help FreeCAD | How to report Bugs
Celica_Supra

Re: Anyone willing to collaborate on writing guides for users coming from other CAD/CAM solutions to FreeCAD?

Post by Celica_Supra »

Kunda1 wrote: Thu Feb 06, 2020 1:34 pm
Celica_Supra wrote: Wed Jan 22, 2020 1:00 am Found it, but admittedly I'm not very good on using this forum. Any chance this thread will let you upload ~5mb file?

OK looks like my file is too big to attach to this comment. Here is a link to get it from my cloud:

https://mega.nz/#!Sjo12aLJ!by_225sSADVn ... IGGOdt-a3A

This was made in Microsoft Word, BUT edited in Libre Office. I'm sure the formatting has been messed up, but the content should be there and it's a rough start.
Perhaps a glossary. And then I was going to just feature a bunch of your Joko Engineering clips.
Nice. That gives me a few more ideas for videos that I can work on after I finish the Corsair up. I can provide some screenshots of the SolidWorks ribbon that highlight the commands and where to find the equivalent in FreeCAD
Post Reply