WOWOW - new to SolidWorks from AutoCAD - HOLY SMOKE BLOWN AWAY

The first thing I think of is how much time I've wasted trying to bend AutoCAD 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, and 2011 into doing what SolidWorks was born to do.

The second thing I notice is the incredible, whopping, unbelievable speed increase of SW over AC (all versions), all other things left as equal as possible.

The third thing I notice is 1/10th the memory consumed by SW vs AC (all other things left as equal as possible).

Fourth, I'm blown away by the shocking speed of possible changes to the model. Fifth, I'm blown away by the dramatically increased interconnection and features - especially "Assemblies".

I should go on but won't. When what took us two years to accomplish using AC was replaced --literally, and without exaggeration-- in two days in SW, that kind of difference is criminal.

I wish we had found SW years ago. I'd be a younger man.

One question I haven't found answer to yet: I prefer the middle mouse button to pan always, never (what AC calls) orbit or (what SW calls) 3D ROTATE. SW has this "backwards" from what I'm so used to in AC, and I'd sure like to not relearn such a habit. Is there any way to make SW always pan with ONLY the middle mouse button (and to never require CTRL key) ? Many TIA.

Welcome Michael. Glad you are enjoying SW so much!!!!

You can customize your user interface, mouse gestures and keystrokes fairly easily. What version of Solidworks are you guys using? by going to Tools>Customize you can change any of the functionality of your buttons. Let me know if you need some more specific instructions. Im not sitting in front of a computer with SW at the moment.