Yes. Yes I am. Viva les Cavedogs!:p

I've found that both ACAD and Inventor have sharp learning curves. I was unable to learn Inventor in the six weeks I spent on it last year. Perhaps part of my problem was the Command-line-oriented method that has become ingrained. CAD is usually harder to attain proficiency (particularly in 3D-modeling)

One can make nearly any part necessary in either AutoCAD and Inventor, but Inventor makes the placing of the parts easier. Also, it allows for a bottom-up approach, rather than drawing everything in one file, or creating large, inefficient arrays of XRefs.

Having used both Inventor and AutoCAD with Mechanical Desktop, I prefer AUtoCAD. The MD extensions allow you to do everything Inventor does, but you retain the command line, and you can do up quick, accurate drawings without a lot of pain. Plus, the dimensions are SO much easier in MD: You dimension once by picking the view and dragging all the dimensions at once, whereas Inventor (and SolifWorks!) have you dimension once to make your sketch the right size (while my MD one was DRAWN accurate!) and again to make the prints (and I dislike dimensioning intensely)

I hate Auto Cad because it's mainly command-line. I prefer Pro Engineer because it's easier, non-typing (much), and it's more on a render-friendly scale. Some frames take a while to load, but that is when you got like 50,000 surfaces.

I like AutoCAD /because/ of the command line. Having to move the mouse out of the drawing area every command to hit a toolbar is a waste of time, and the toolbars rarely are configured the same between two systems. The command line is also much easier for inputting parameters for commands, as the spacebar is a lot easier to hit to enter the next field then the tab key. AutoCAD offers dialogs for commands that may be unfamiliar, but most can be power-used with the - operator.

There is a happy medium between AutoCAD's command line and Pro/E's mouse menus.

I, too, like AutoCAD's command line. The keyboard is so much faster (to me at least) for entering certain commands, as opposed to fumbling through flyout menus and moving the mouse all over the screen. Pro/E does let you create mapkeys which speeds up the process. I've created over 60 Pro/E mapkeys with rough AutoCAD equivalents (type RD for redraw or DIST to measure distance). This lets me get to the command quickly, but the mouse still outperforms the keyboard for things such as zooming, rotating the part, etc.

SOunds like the AutoLISP scripts that I use to furhter accelerate my AutoCAD using. Its a wierd feeling when you use a machine without the scripts after a long period of using them. ("Gosh, darn it, everyone knows the u45 turns the UCS 45 degrees!")

so where exactly can you get Pro- Engineer?

Rules...

By clicking the Agree button, you warrant that you will not post any messages that are obscene, vulgar, sexually-orientated, racist, hateful, threatening, or otherwise violative of any laws. THIS INCLUDES THE DISCUSSION OF WAREZ, FILE-SHARING PROGRAMS, CRACKING, AND ANY OTHER WAY OF STEALING SOFTWARE OR ANY OTHER COPYRIGHTED MATEIRAL.

Go to www.ptc.com. It'll run you about $5000, though. Unless your sponsor uses Pro/E and can give you access to a copy, I'd suggest going with something a little simpler. PTC also makes a free product called Pro/Desktop that's not nearly as big and complex, but hey, it's free.

Actually, if you don't have something like this that your sponsor uses, the best solution would be to use the copy of Inventor that Autodesk gives out. It's a good program, and you can't beat the price. For solid modeling, it's a pretty powerful package. Not as much so as Pro/E, but Inventor is more than enough for a FIRST robot. Besides, there's even a contest you can enter for Inventor.

As with a lot of expensive software, there is usually a free demo you can get from the maker. Like he said, this Pro/Desktop program. By contacting the manufacturer directly, you may even be able to secure a limited demo, perhaps with which you could make a pitch to your school to acquire a seat.