free 3D CAD

[radicalwood]

Hi all,

Just found this on another site thought you might find it of some use .


A company called X-Cad is offering a free 3-d CAD and modeling program to the first 100,000 who sign up. They claim that the version they are giving away will be the real deal and not just a trail package. This remains to be seen. The package is scheduled for release Aug 1.

I signed up for it since I am a sucker for anything that is free and am currently without a full functioning CAD program.

I just thought id pass this along to my fellow creekers since there might be others out there who want to give it a try.

Their web site is at www.x-cad.net


Not sure if the link will work or not.

All the best

Neil

 

[wizer]

I have to say that I do not trust this at all. I just smell a rat. Seems like a ploy to get your email address.

 

[MikeW]

As in all things web related, be cautious.

With that said, according to several CAD forums and one or two CAD-related magazines, they all say it is legit. A couple magazines have investigated, discovered who is behind it and while saying it is legit are also keeping it secret.

This marketing scheme has been done before to good effect.

If in doubt, create a new hotmail or other email account and keep it active until the offer period is up.

 

[Chris Knight]

All they want is an email address - if you are leery of using one you value, make up one for the registration process - once you have the software, you can throw that address away. In any case there are faster and cheaper ways to harvest email adresses!

I have signed up - and thanks Neil for posting this. I hope enough people do sign up for the release!

 

[Alf]

Yep, I've signed up with a "disposable" email too - thanks, Neil. 'Course it dawns on me I probably won't be able to get it anyway 'cos it'll be too big to download via the Damp String. #-o

Cheers, Alf

 

[Argee]

A search for info on the web page address returns the following:

Organization:
Donna Fallin
Donn Fallin
4001 Cherrywood Rd.
Austin, TX 78722
US
Phone: 469-212-5100
Email: [email protected]

Registrar Name....: Register.com
Registrar Whois...: whois.register.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.register.com

Domain Name: X-CAD.NET

Created on..............: Sun, May 22, 2005
Expires on..............: Mon, May 22, 2006
Record last updated on..: Wed, Jun 22, 2005

Domain servers in listed order:

DNS23.REGISTER.COM 216.21.234.82
DNS24.REGISTER.COM 216.21.226.82

Which, in turn, gives:

OrgName: Register.com, Inc
OrgID: REG
Address: 575 8th Avenue
City: New York
StateProv: NY
PostalCode: 10018
Country: US

NetRange: 216.21.224.0 - 216.21.239.255
CIDR: 216.21.224.0/20
NetName: RCOM-1BLK
NetHandle: NET-216-21-224-0-1
Parent: NET-216-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: DNS1.REGISTER.COM
NameServer: DNS2.REGISTER.COM
NameServer: DNS3.REGISTER.COM
NameServer: DNS4.REGISTER.COM
Comment: ADDRESSES WITHIN THIS BLOCK ARE NON-PORTABLE
RegDate: 2000-06-28
Updated: 2003-08-04

TechHandle: CK296-ARIN
TechName: Kleban, Chris
TechPhone: +1-212-798-9100
TechEmail: [email protected]

OrgAbuseHandle: CUSTO-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: Customer Service
OrgAbusePhone: +1-800-899-9724
OrgAbuseEmail: [email protected]

OrgNOCHandle: NOC207-ARIN
OrgNOCName: Network Operations Center
OrgNOCPhone: +1-902-749-2488
OrgNOCEmail: [email protected]

OrgTechHandle: NETWO55-ARIN
OrgTechName: Network Engineering
OrgTechPhone: +1-212-798-9100
OrgTechEmail: [email protected]
-------------------------------------------
Ray.

 

[Anonymous]

Yep, I've signed up with a "disposable" email too - thanks, Neil. 'Course it dawns on me I probably won't be able to get it anyway 'cos it'll be too big to download via the Damp String. #-o

Cheers, Alf

This is somewhat off topic, however, there is a site called mailinator.com. You can put anything you like in front of mailinator.com as an email address. For instance you can out [email protected], [email protected] or [email protected]. The email address will be valid. You can then go to www.mailinator.com and see what emails have been sent to the address you specified. There is no password protection so therefore anyone can see the emails sent to any specific address. If anyone requests an email address and I am not sure if I should give it on not I use something like [email protected]. I can always check the email for messages or pass codes etc. It means you do not need to muck about setting up hotmail accounts etc.

Gareth

 

[thomaskennedy]

A search for info on the web page address returns the following:

Organization:
Donna Fallin
Donn Fallin
4001 Cherrywood Rd.
Austin, TX 78722
US
Phone: 469-212-5100
Email: [email protected]

Registrar Name....: Register.com
Registrar Whois...: whois.register.com
Registrar Homepage: http://www.register.com

Domain Name: X-CAD.NET

Created on..............: Sun, May 22, 2005
Expires on..............: Mon, May 22, 2006
Record last updated on..: Wed, Jun 22, 2005

Domain servers in listed order:

DNS23.REGISTER.COM 216.21.234.82
DNS24.REGISTER.COM 216.21.226.82

Which, in turn, gives:

OrgName: Register.com, Inc
OrgID: REG
Address: 575 8th Avenue
City: New York
StateProv: NY
PostalCode: 10018
Country: US

NetRange: 216.21.224.0 - 216.21.239.255
CIDR: 216.21.224.0/20
NetName: RCOM-1BLK
NetHandle: NET-216-21-224-0-1
Parent: NET-216-0-0-0-0
NetType: Direct Allocation
NameServer: DNS1.REGISTER.COM
NameServer: DNS2.REGISTER.COM
NameServer: DNS3.REGISTER.COM
NameServer: DNS4.REGISTER.COM
Comment: ADDRESSES WITHIN THIS BLOCK ARE NON-PORTABLE
RegDate: 2000-06-28
Updated: 2003-08-04

TechHandle: CK296-ARIN
TechName: Kleban, Chris
TechPhone: +1-212-798-9100
TechEmail: [email protected]

OrgAbuseHandle: CUSTO-ARIN
OrgAbuseName: Customer Service
OrgAbusePhone: +1-800-899-9724
OrgAbuseEmail: [email protected]

OrgNOCHandle: NOC207-ARIN
OrgNOCName: Network Operations Center
OrgNOCPhone: +1-902-749-2488
OrgNOCEmail: [email protected]

OrgTechHandle: NETWO55-ARIN
OrgTechName: Network Engineering
OrgTechPhone: +1-212-798-9100
OrgTechEmail: [email protected]
-------------------------------------------
Ray.

Yup, My thoughts exactly :shock:

Ta, Tom

 

[Argee]

Tom,

Perhaps it was a bit too subtle, but what I was hoping to highlight was that the "organiser's" e-mail address was, itself, a Hotmail one.

However, the info might come in handy later if it is revealed as a scam.

Ray.

 

[Anonymous]

Howdy All!

I google mapped the address in Austin and found a hit. I live only about 65 miles away and go to Austin occasionally. I've put the address and map in my car and will drop by to see if it looks legit the next time I'm there and report back.

BTW: I signed up too.

BobH

 

[Anonymous]

Howdy (again) Y'All!

I found this url on the Australian Woodworks Forum.

http://www.givemepower.de/FelixCADlt.html

I downloaded the software and received an activation key but haven't done the tutorial or tried it yet. It downloaded very quickly on my cable modem connection and 3.2 gHz system.

HTH someone
BobH

 

[Ed]

Hi all,

I did a little looking around this as I was initially suspicious as well. Looks like the general consensus on the net is it is from Alibre (http://www.alibre.com).

Some of the initial registration confirmation emails that were sent out indicated that they were sent from an Alibre mail server. As soon as this was reported in some CAD news groups they changed the mail server.

As was mentioned earlier - there are many easier ways to get a list of emails addresses.

I signed up using a hotmail account anyway.

Something else I turned up when looking into this was: http://www.emachineshop.com

They let you download their CAD software for free. The software will automatically cost the machining of the part and if you like the price, it will submit the design electronically and it will turn up in the post a few weeks later. Quite an interesting concept I though. (I have no idea if they are competitive prices though).

Cheers

Ed[/url]

 

[Johnboy]

I signed up for this and it was indeed Alibre. I have downloaded it (79 meg, sorry Alf) and after a bit of trouble installing it (very helpfully sorted out by their support team) have had a bit of a play. So far it seems excellent. I am used to using a full 3d modelling system (SDRC-Ideas) and this is very similar. It is still available for free download (but not with all the features that the first 100,000 got) from their website.

Any one else who signed up had a go yet?

John

 

[Johnboy]

No one else tried this yet then?

I have had a go at modelling the chest of drawers I am planning. Easy to model and even easier to modify. I just modelled the drawer front once and then copied and just modified the dimensions , took about 15 mins to do all the drawer fronts.

Wireframe picture

Shaded model

If you have registered for this and not downloaded it you are missing out on a piece of serious software.

No connections to Alibre etc.

John

 

[Chris Knight]

I signed up early and got a copy which I tried. The interface is almost identical to Solidworks - except for the ads(!) - which is what I am most used to in 3D software. For anyone without access to expensive 3D Cad, Alibre has to be a very good solution.

Once I saw the interface I didn't persist for very long so I can't say where Alibre may have very nice functionality or contrariwise, restrictions, compared with Solidworks or similar programs.

I would probably do better to stick to one program and really master it but at present I hop between Sketchup, Solidworks and Turbocad, depending what I want to do.