Easy to use CAD / architectural design sw suggestions?

[Jim Kuzdrall]

On Tuesday 08 August 2006 07:42 pm, Bruce Labitt wrote:
> I need to make up a set of scale drawings for a workshop I'm setting
> up.  Does anyone have some experience with architectural drawing
> package that is affordable / cheap / free ?  I used to have an
> ancient copy of Generic Cadd that ran on DOS.  It was quite powerful.
>  Anything available for Linux?  I need a big step up from pencil.

    I have been using Qcad for several years to do all my circuit 
diagrams, block diagrams, and mechanical drawings with it.  I recently 
added a format to it which allows isometric drawings, which I use in OO 
Presentations.
    Qcad has all of the basic drawing tools you need, from splines to 
repeated copy.  However, there are packages that directly target 
architecture, such as TurboCad.  I used TurboCad for many years before 
I switched to Qcad.  It is Windows only, and I have never gotten it to 
run right under wine.

    The key that makes these simple packages as "powerful" as the more 
elaborate ones is the use of "blocks" saved in block libraries.  I made 
a library which contains dozens of standard schematic symbols, for 
example.  If you think some part you draw will be used again, put it in 
a library.  (You are welcome to copies of my libraries and templates, 
if you like Qcad.)

Jim Kuzdrall