I have previously mentioned Project Cooper on this blog, but now we have given it a more formal name. We asked you to name Project Cooper (Project Cooper - Give it a New Name - Between the Lines) and so after feedback it has now been named AutoCAD Freestyle.

(Blog post from the Autodesk Labs Blog Project Cooper: New release and now called Autodesk Freestyle Technology Preview)

Why is it named AutoCAD Freestyle, that is pretty simple answer from my perspective. AutoCAD Freestyle is a precision drawing tool based on the well known AutoCAD code and Freestyle was a name that people liked and described some of the new concepts added into the product. AutoCAD Freestyle is for the consumer and hobbyist not needing all of the power of full AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT products, but still requiring the precision drawing abilities as well as being easy to pick up and use.

This is a very easy and simple 2D design product allowing you to setup and get to drawing fast. Some of the concepts like the sketching which which smoothes the sketched curves is great for sketching out ideas. There is also what you would expect such as standard geometry like lines arcs and circles, as well as layers, dimensions, object snaps, hatching (fills) and symbols (blocks).

Based on the Project Cooper feedback received at Autodesk Labs we have also added DWG import to the product and the native format of AutoCAD Freestyle is the DWG format.

There is an easy wizard setup for a drawing as well as some sample drawings to check out.

AutoCAD Freestyle Video Create Precise Drawings

I hope you enjoy AutoCAD Freestyle as much as I do. I am working on a quick floor layout so that I can install wood flooring myself in my home.

I am “Freestyling” at 35,000 feet above Chicago currently while returning from a visit to Ford in Dearborn Michigan with Lynn Allen. The Ford employees were so very nice and showed us what they do, all I can say is amazing people, amazing technology, amazing engineering and amazing products. We visited the design and research studios as well as the Livonia Transmission plant. The transmission plant is where all Ford 4 speed and 6 speed rear wheel drive transmissions are manufactured and assembled in a 5.2 million square foot building. If you own a Ford 4 or 6 speed chances are I saw where your transmission was manufactured.

In the evening had dinner with Betsy and Jeremy from Techsmith and discussed Camtasia and Snagit as well as an assortment of fun topics, Betsy even gave us cool Techsmith titanium sporks! This was the first trip I decided to leave my “LaptopZilla” Lenovo W700 weighing in with adapter about 20 pounds at home. I brought only my sleek and sexy MacBook Pro running both Mac OSX and Windows 7 via Parallels 5. My shoulder is not cramping from carrying all that extra hardware, and I felt slightly more hip and cool.

Cheers,
Shaan

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