PowerCADD Forum

I started using PowerDraw 3 in 1990 on a Mac Ci and a 12” colour monitor, a lot has changed in the following 30 years and up until the last couple of years PowerCadd has kept pace with the changing world but that is no longer the case.

I have been the hold out in an office that uses Acad and is now switching to Revit, the future of Architecture is in the world of 3D and I am very proficient using SketchUp, in my perfect world PowerCadd and SketchUp would work seamlessly together, unfortunately I don’t live in a perfect world.

I am now choosing to move into the 3D world fully and refusing to use Revit I am staying with SketchUp which has the simplicity and elegance of PowerCadd but it’s 2D version Layout leaves a lot to be desired but that is where I am going and I shall make the best of it and in the process offer feedback to SketchUp in the hopes of Layout becoming more robust and PowerCadd like.

I must say that I am very disappointed in Todd Stanley, his long promised 64bit upgrade is nothing but vapourware, nowhere to be seen and I am one of a few that knows what the real problem is.

Todd, if you read this, be a man of integrity and find a new home for PowerCadd where it will have a future, you and your parents created a truly elegant program and it is time to let go of it, do it for all the loyal users and for the legacy, if PowerCadd dies it is you that shall carry the shame. I am aware of there being a possible new home for it where it can truly be brought into the 21st century.

I am writing this because I care about PowerCadd and it’s future, as a 30 year user I know what it’s potential is, if it could be integrated with SketchUp nothing would come close to the combination. I am doing my part, what about you?

In March of this year Todd Stanley wrote that PowerCadd 10 would be released in late 2020 after working on the changeover since 2014, six years ago. Six years‽

Not a word since. No updates, not even a teaser. Busy yes, but taking 10 minutes to keep loyal (decades long) users informed isn’t asking much.

Many others have already voiced resentment at having to use an OS that is one or two versions behind. Besides not keeping current this holds me back on many other things.

Against my better wishes I have purchased Vectorworks as a Plan B and will slowly migrate in that direction. My hope is that PowerCadd becomes current soon. Whether this is done by the Todd Stanley or another new owner with greater resources doesn’t matter but it needs to happen soon.

In past, I have always recommended PowerCadd as the premier drafting solution and would like to be able to do that again.

Please do the right thing. And quickly.

You are 100% correct and justified in your comments!

nametabb wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 19, 2020 2:43 pm

Against my better wishes I have purchased Vectorworks as a Plan B and will slowly migrate in that direction. My hope is that PowerCadd becomes current soon. Whether this is done by the Todd Stanley or another new owner with greater resources doesn’t matter but it needs to happen soon.

In past, I have always recommended PowerCadd as the premier drafting solution and would like to be able to do that again.

Please do the right thing. And quickly.

I admit to running Vectorworks alongside PowerCadd, been doing this since it was MiniCad. Although I am proficient in Sketchup, I find it to be ultimately cumbersome in certain instances, such as showing extensive detail in 3D. Meanwhile, VW has awesome rendering capabilities, and soon I will further explore its building information modeling capabilities. Meanwhile, for me, PowerCADD remains my office workhorse for construction drawings.

My goal is to continue to use PowerCADD on my current iMac and to retire before the next code cycle, which is January 1, 2023 here in California. I might just coast into the finish line with this plan. I had researched using SketchUp/Layout, but I have so many details and shortcuts in PC, that I’d have a hard time making the shift this late in the game.

Oof, I disagree. Go Todd go, you've got this! (just get us that 64-bit upgrade)

A while back, maybe 3 years ago (maybe more), I suggested a buyout of the entire PowerCADD company. It appears that may be a discussion point from the post above. I had suggested our loyal users form a committee to study this and see if there was any interest. I was met with a call from someone suggesting to keep that thought on hold. That PowerCADD was being rejuvenated and would become a new and improved company.

I do respect Todd and Alfred for their work. We are here because of them and Bill Stanley. And, I greatly appreciate them.

What would it take to bring a number of users together and make this an owner/user company? A similar type of business plan like a employee owned company. We would all own a part of the business and all be users.

Just a thought. Interesting concept and not sure completely how this would work.

But, if we want to revive PowerCADD, this may be the one of the ways to do it.

I'm open for a conversation and suggestions.

Remember Steve Jobs and the Pirate's flag that flew over Apple when he was relegated to developing the Mac in a separate unit? This could be our Mac!

Thanks - Frank

PS: If someone else buys PowerCADD, what would happen to it? If you want to control a company you need to own it. And then what happens to the talent that brought the program this far? And one other thought, right now we aren't paying for anything, so, PowerCADD is not only a great drafting program, but, a very reasonably priced one. I'm wondering how Todd and Bill are sustaning themselves financially trying to write all of the code. I'd also like to know how many current users there are that would upgrade. And, the big question is: what will be the cost for the new upgrade once it's complete?

Frank,

Bill Stanley died over 4 years ago so this only affects Todd.

Ralph

Thanks Ralph, I was aware of Bill's passing. I was paying trubute to his contibution to PowerCADD.

Thanks Ralph, I was aware of Bill's passing. I was paying tribute to his contibution to PowerCADD.

And, my comments above are not to throw stones or be a revelotionary. They are to envoke a dialog as to how and when to bring others into the process to continue PowerCADD operationally well into the future. I'm almost 65 and I plan on continuing my practice well into my 70's, 80's, 90's and hopefully beyond (my family has longevity )

Using PowerCADD is just like being part of a family. How ofter can you communicate directly with the actual owner/developers? Not often if ever.

Have a great weekend!