Free Software

dmoc · Post by **dmoc** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:05 pm

Came across this yesterday - free CAD software. Looks a genuine offer, no spam involved and checked by people in the CAD industry. If it's from the company suspected then it could be a good app to add to your arsenal...

http://www.x-cad.net/

GedB · Post by **GedB** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 12:51 pm

Very strange.

The count is at 55144 and is not moving.

If they don't get another 44866 by tomorrow, then nobody gets anything.

Is 100,000 a realistic market for CAD. It's not what you'd call a mass market product.

I've signed up out of sheer curiosity.

dmoc · Post by **dmoc** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:10 pm

When I registered yesterday it was at 53333 so it is moving. And what time zone are you in? August 1st is the deadline :P From what I've read on CAD related forums, apart from a clever marketing move (I refrain from using "trick" as it is supposed to be genuine) they may be trying to lower the entry price for high quality CAD from ~$5000 down to ~$1000. I can see their problem and hence the reason to try a novel approach considering the dominance of AutoCAD and a few others. This is similar to what recently happened in the 3D modelling sector where prices have reduced significantly (down to zero for me when I gave up Lightwave for Blender :P ). There's nothing to lose so get all your friends to sign-up, it may even up new career opportunities.

Edit: PS - it's 55299 now

dracflamloc · Post by **dracflamloc** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 3:26 pm

Interesting... ANyone have multiple email addresses?

DarkDragon · Post by **DarkDragon** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 4:25 pm

dracflamloc wrote:Interesting... ANyone have multiple email addresses?

I can have 300 in a few minutes.

Post by **Dare2** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 4:25 pm

How much would 100,000 valid and current email addresses be worth?

As a direct sale of qualified prospects in a specific area?

Indirectly, through target marketing?

Just curious.

dontmailme · Post by **dontmailme** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 5:17 pm

This sounds like the 'other' BASIC offer recently...... Give away an old version for free and then get some of the users to 'upgrade'.... at the same time collecting the e-mail addresses of the interested parties.... and get some good publicity.

eevee · Post by **eevee** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 5:38 pm

Thanks for the link, most interesting

The domain holder (Donna Fallin of Donn Fallin located in Austin Texas) is using a hotmail email address as the contact addr. the phone number given has a Dallas area code 469 (should be 512 for Austin)(Dallas is 195 miles north up route 77.)

Marvellous way to collect 100k email addrs all interested in cad and i am sure they are highly prised considering the cost of cad.

Have I said I think its a scam.
Hope I am wrong.
I guess it doesn't matter considering the amount of spam out there.

Perhaps some of our American friends can tell us more.

dmoc · Post by **dmoc** » Mon Jul 04, 2005 5:48 pm

checked by people in the CAD industry

blueznl · Post by **blueznl** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 12:28 pm

yeah, but who are those people in the cad industry? a husband and wife working in the print shop where the cd sleeves are printed?

dmoc · Post by **dmoc** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 1:36 pm

First, I'm not promoting it at all except after spending an hour or following x-cads own publicity links and doing my own searching it "appears" to be genuine, hence the post here. The people commenting are AFAIK totally independent and well known (respected?) in the CAD industry. At least one has managed to track down the actually company and speak to the CEO on the telephone. Of course all this could be ellaborate bull but the commentators did exist before the offer appeared and so far there has been no spam involved. At the end of the day if you would like (even the chance) to own a "proper" CAD program *for free* then this offer looks a no-risk no-brainer. It just so happened that I was using Blender to design some decking and realised my life would be easier if I used a CAD program for proper measurements and to get a parts-list at the end of the exercise. If you have no interest in CAD then don't sign up but if you know someone who is then pass the info on to them.

eevee · Post by **eevee** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 2:41 pm

Yes, although my original reaction was one of suspicion, some digging around suggests it is a genuine offer.

I think there is enough comment on the Internet for the company (which is legitimate) to have taken some action by now, against someone else using their name.

The intrigue then, is why they have choosen such a strange promotion through a third party.

dmoc · Post by **dmoc** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 2:49 pm

The intrigue then, is why they have choosen such a strange promotion through a third party.

got people discussing it and not in the usual annoying brain-washing ways.

Post by **Dare2** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 3:49 pm

I've also been trying to learn more and decided it is probably ok (and probably from reading the same three web pages you did, dmoc!).

Also good point, eevee.

And it has got people discussing it!

But I am still not 100% sure yet. I might try a "safemail" approach.

Then if that email addy is sold to the porn/viagra/wannabeRichQuick types, I can ditch it or use a little trick.

dmoc · Post by **dmoc** » Tue Jul 05, 2005 5:19 pm

Jeez, I get "porn/viagra/wannabeRichQuick" spam no matter what... and I very rarely give out my email address :P Hmmm, I wonder if it's Fred supplementing his income (or lack of it from PB) :P