Is Architectural Desktop any good?

[Chris Collier]

I work at a very design oriented architectural office. We use AutoCAD
R14. My team has an opportunity to try Autodesk's Architectural
Desktop. The office has used Softdesk's add-on to ACAD R12 in the past.

I wondering if anyone has experience with Architectural Desktop and can
tell me if it's worth trying out. Is it any good? Will it work for a
design-oriented firm? Will it really make things more efficient?

Thanks very much.

[John P Souza]

sorry but I do not run architectural desktop but if it's at all like
mechanical desktop go slow and easy. my experience with mechanical desktop
tells me that if your organization upgrades there is no going back.
drawings created in mech. desktop are not usable in r14 and the learning
curve is about 1-3 months depending on the draftsperson. the benefits of a
program that is aimed at your discipline might keep you from being able to
communicate with your business partners with out them also upgrading. also
I did not purchase autodesk's VIP plan but would recommend it if you do go
forward with the purchase, due to the projection of yearly new releases.

[John Morris]

>my experience with mechanical desktop
>tells me that if your organization upgrades there is no going back.
>drawings created in mech. desktop are not usable in r14 and the learning
>curve is about 1-3 months depending on the draftsperson.

John.... since we currently use plain vanilla R14
at work for mech design..... and are thinking of
upgrading to Mech Desktop 3.... I find your post
interesting. <G>

Can you explain how drawings created in Mech
Desktop are NOT usable in plain R14?

My hope was to have one seat of Mech Desktop
(me)..... use it to create models..... "pull"
drawings from the model.... and let everyone else
use plain R14 to look at or change the "flat" 2D
drawings. Can't do? How so?