Free CAD software for Windows 7?

[Jon Whitney]

I have been using TurboCad LE, and I'm perfectly satisfied with it, but we got a new computer last week running Windows 7 and I can't even install it due to operating system incompatibility. Does anyone have a favorite free CAD program they can recommend that works on Windows 7? I'm not going to be spending any money on one anytime soon.

[Charlie Schultz]

Sketch Up is free, not sure if it'll import the files you need it to though.

[Louie Atienza]

You can try the free versions of alibre or a9cad; I run an older version of alibre and like it. Autodesk also has a free cad as well, worht a look though more geared to the 3d printer crowd.

[Patrick Kirkham]

I've used Qcad for it's cross-platform, Windows / Linux versions and its Autocad file output, but only because I'm used to it's simplicity.
I haven't tried it but theres a new,Free, cross-platform Autocad workalike with .dwg output, Draftsight.
http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/overview/ Looks intriguing. Free is always the right price.

[Allan Mackay]

You could try DoubleCadXT which comes from the same people that do TurboCad, IMSI.

Version 3 is the current one and if I remember correctly you get to use the Pro version for a short time before it reverts to the free version.

I'm on Windows 7, 64 and DoubleCadXT works fine on that.

[Paul E Buerk]

I've got DraftSight and have been kicking the tires for a bit. It is cross-platform so I can use it on the Mac in my home office and the Win7 machine on the bench, using DropBox to host the projects. It's OK, but I find it very non-intuitive compared to Rhino and Visio which I'd been using for 2D work previously. But as mentioned previously, free is good.

[Ryan Mazzocco]

I also use DraftSight and I really like it. I have AutoCad too, but find myself using DraftSight to do my drawings instead. It saves your drawings as .dwg files so you can use it in AutoCad and vice verse.

[Nelson Palen]

Hello Jon,
You should be able to use Windows7 "Program Compatibility Troubleshooter" to install your older software. Do a search for it in windows7 help. It will let you run the setup file in compatibility mode. Worked for an old version of Autocad anyways.
Nelson

[Jon Whitney]

I installed DoubleCadXT and it seems like that will be the easiest learning curve for me - plus it looks like it can import all my old TurboCad .TCW drawings. It lets you use the full version for 30 days, then it reverts to the free version unless you pay. So after 30 days if it still has the features I need, I think I'll stick with it.

Nelson - thanks for the tip about the compatiblity troubleshooter. I'll look into that.

[Don Williams]

It's not free, but BobCAD has come a long way and is a great integrated CAD/CAM package that you can usually buy for around $650 or so. I'm sure Alibre has better 3D stuff, and it's possibly parametric(?) which can be a big advantage. Still, BobCAD is a great value if you're a beginning cnc person on a limited budget.

[Veronica Merryfield]

Jon, install VirtualBox and then use an older OS as the guest OS and run TC LE.

[Andrew Porter]

I just found ProgeCAD, charityware (part of the proceeds go to Drs w/o Borders) ~$400 and there is a FREE version for non-commercial use. ~95% of the functionality of AutoCAD. So far I haven't found anything that AC can do that it can't. It produces DWG output and can be loaded on Windows 7 after jumping through a few hoops.

To download:
http://progecad-smart-free-dwg-cad.soft ... 4AodJBuWzw

Hoops for Win 7
http://support.progesoft.com/smart/index.php?topic=69.0

[Tristan Williams]

I've been using progeCAD as well, since I haven't been able to get my copy of AutoCAD 2005 working nicely on Win7. The beauty is that progeCAD is a direct clone of AutoCAD, so my >10 years AutoCAD experience does not have to be thrown out the window.

That said, it is still clumsier than AutoCAD.