Freecad Learning Curve?

Have some feature requests, feedback, cool stuff to share, or want to know where FreeCAD is going? This is the place.
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thomas-neemann
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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by thomas-neemann »

paddle wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:46 pm ...
Another example of too many commands ...
in my opinion you can work with fewer commands than in the other cad programs. it is arguably needed less often parametric than is generated. In my opinion, this is because "only" parametric methods are offered "everywhere". you can e.g. work very quickly and easily with draft and part with very few commands
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GeneFC
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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by GeneFC »

paddle wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 1:46 pm Another example of too many commands
Perhaps we need a FreeCAD for Dummies version. :lol:

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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by jbraun »

My signature proudly shills for JokoEngineering.
The first installment focuses on Part Design Workbench and that's a great place to start.
For English help on youtube check out Joko Engineering or Mango Jelly Solutions.
Look for recent videos, this software is updated at a rapid pace.
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adrianinsaval
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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by adrianinsaval »

I'll have to agree with paddle on the distance/horz/vert and coincidence/point on object constraint, I remember in the early days I had trouble getting used to those.
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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by drmacro »

I, on the other hand, think it makes perfect sense to have specific icons for specific tasks.

:mrgreen:

What is intuitive comes from your experience...my intuitive comes from mine. 8-)
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan: Spock: "...His pattern indicates two-dimensional thinking."
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paddle
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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by paddle »

drmacro wrote: Fri Aug 19, 2022 9:37 pm I, on the other hand, think it makes perfect sense to have specific icons for specific tasks.

:mrgreen:

What is intuitive comes from your experience...my intuitive comes from mine. 8-)
It has nothing to do with intuitive or not. It's just the more commands, the more difficult it is to get used, and extremely annoying everytime you launch the wrong command by mistake.
Hence the steep learning curve.

But there you have examples of what I meant in my post. Experts being condescending and short sighted to their ownselves. I mean "Freecad for dummies". Right.
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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by GeneFC »

paddle wrote: Sat Aug 20, 2022 11:08 am and extremely annoying everytime you launch the wrong command by mistake.
Hmm. I do not recall ever mistaking horizontal and vertical. :?

The issue is that FreeCAD may not always make the correct "intuitive" choice. How does the user overcome that if all the operations are buried in some automated AI function?

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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by tonyaimer »

Boy I seem to have stirred up the proverbial hornets nest with many recognized experts chiming in.

I understand all the points of view that have been expressed but I would not like to see FreeCAD getting bad press anywhere for a perceived impossibly steep learning curve. Hence restricted menu options would allow a new user to expand the menus as they grow without feeling overwhelmed. I don't want to suggest taking anything away from the growing power of FreeCAD.

I believe a structured learning program is also a good approach. I do not really think books are very useful because they get too far behind very quickly. The best book I have seen so far is from 'sliptonic' which was helpful in the beginning and I still refer to on occasion. Chrisb's sketcher lecture of 76 pages was also very helpful in the early days but was really for 0.18. I also like Joko Enginnering videos. There also some bad videos around but who am I to be critical of folk who make the effort to try and help.

Chris - how about updating that document to include new additions for 0.20? I know you do a lot already especially on the forum.

I have been using AutoCAD 2D since 1987 ( that's 35 year now! ) and still use an old DOS version as I do not like doing my design in a Msoft window but that is a personal preference.

I have found the Wiki articles accurate, but not written with beginners in mind. I also know that these are written by volunteers and would love to be in a position to help but I found the instructions on how to do so totally intimidating. Maybe in the future.

I also recognize that 3D is orders of magnitude more complex than 2D but I need to continue to provide 2D drawings for the people I work with. I have not yet figured out how to get a drawing with my title block / style onto my A0 size HP plotter from my Linux machine. I can print to my photocopier OK but that limits me to A2.

My personal application for 3D is machining is in my home workshop and will include CNC in due course.

Will just keep plugging away. I may be too old to learn to design in 3D as I have developed a 3D capability in my mind designing in 2D bur that is a different issue from what we are discussing here.

Let FreeCAD continue to grow and develop!

Regards


Tony Aimer
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thomas-neemann
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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by thomas-neemann »

tonyaimer wrote: Sat Aug 20, 2022 5:19 pm ...
I am currently preparing a web seminar for freecad beginners. I could create a configuration suitable for this, just with the icons needed to get started. that would be a very reduced surface. If you want I can upload the configuration here
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Re: Freecad Learning Curve?

Post by chrisb »

tonyaimer wrote: Sat Aug 20, 2022 5:19 pm Chris - how about updating that document to include new additions for 0.20? I know you do a lot already especially on the forum.
It's in the queue, but I want to write some other things first.
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