#@$%&^& Cad,

[f700es]

Standards? We don't need no stinkin' standards around here! Now get back to work the lot of you or it's half rations and no grog tonight!

I whole heartily believe in standards, that is why I always use my own

[MichaelH27]

No fellows, I just checked, there is one station with me sitting behind it. On the computer there is Cad 2003, 2008, 2012 and 2012 Map 3d. 4 unlicenced versions of Cad on one computer. No one else here needs cad. The owner had this brilliant idea to introduce drafting and mapping services to his current clients. I had told him numerous times that in order to produce anything or make money doing this, He will need a licence. $5k for 2012 Map 3d. He looked at me like I was joking. Where did these 4 versions come from? I asked a guy before he quit because of the stupidity that happens around here where the versions of Cad came from. He told me that 2 of them were already here before he came on board and he installed 2 student versions himself which he got them from school. I had also found out that the GIS department here is using ARCGIS "student versions". The GIS guy that sits 2 feet behind me and is probably watching me type this, has constant problems with his student version. He cant do his best because of the lack of features in his program. I have spent the last 2 weeks fighting, arguing, headaches, back aches and cross eyed syndrome to produce a dwg that he can take to his current client and offer them mapping plans. I finished the plan, It was 100% hack job. It looks really good but was created very poorly, no time to do it properly. When it came time to make prints, "autodesk educational purposes only" is stamped all over the paper. How did cheap dick work around this? He tapped 8 pieces of 11 x 17 around the edges of the paper with painters tape and stood at the printer feeding each individual piece of paper into it. When the print came out, the stamp was printed on the painters tape. I had the priveledge of removing the tape from each piece of paper. 1 1/2 hours later, We had 8 very **** poor prints. I made $45 for the time spent printing 8 pieces of paper.

Now to my question. Because nothing is legal or licenced, If I start creating templates, linetypes, blocks... ect. ect... Will the autodesk stamp infuse itself into anything created? I dont really feel like spending hours, days, weeks, creating cad stuff only to have it not be usable. Any comments?

[f700es]

I'd honestly start looking for another job, really! If this guy would do this he will do anything. Run, do not walk, away!

[Lee Roy]

Any comments?

Quit.

I'm with f700es, I would leave and not come back.

Shoot, I'd preface it with "If you don't buy licensed software, I'm outta here." and see where that goes.

[CyberAngel]

Because nothing is legal or licenced, If I start creating templates, linetypes, blocks... etc. etc... Will the autodesk stamp infuse itself into anything created? I dont really feel like spending hours, days, weeks, creating cad stuff only to have it not be usable. Any comments?

Sorry you're so frustrated.

The educational stamp will indeed be added to anything you create with an unlicensed version. If you're only interested in the result, you might consider another CAD package. DraftSight, for instance, is free and works very much like AutoCAD. The disadvantage is that, if you ever send one of your drawings to someone with AutoCAD, they'll get a warning that the drawing isn't "trusted," that is, not from a genuine Autodesk product.

[MichaelH27]

I can't use a different version of Cad. Because he wants me to use the information from the GIS department, I need Cad Map. It imports shape files properly. He also wants the dwgs to be imported into GIS so that clients can view pdfs. I really dont know what the hell is going on around here. At the moment he is off at a meeting with the client, showing them the 8 tapped up, ripped pieces of paper, in hopes of getting work. So I have some time to drink coffee, smoke and look for another job.

So to create ANYTHING.... is a waste of time? Unless I want to peel tape off of paper in the future?

[MichaelH27]

Another question and comment, He wants me to create templates, blocks, linetypes, basically a drafting/mapping department. I am very new to this part of Cad. On top of that he wants me to collect field data using Trimble GPS equipment and also train the field staff on how to use the station and collect the data. I told him a while back what kind of salary I would expect from this. The look on his face told me he was about to puke. What is the going rate or salary for something in this field? currently I make $15/h and I know I am being taken advantage of.

[MichaelH27]

He would shake my hand, Tell me good luck, and send me out the door. Its an evil world in the oil and gas industry.

[ReMark]

With all that on your plate nothing less than $50/hr. would be satisfactory. It sounds like he wants you to take on multiple responsibilities at basically slave wages. When you have the first opportunity to bail on this guy do it. Then report his sorry a$$ to AutoDesk and any other company (Microsoft?) he stole software from.

[MichaelH27]

ReMark, He has been reported for not following labour laws, saftey violations and whatever else I don't know about.

I do plan on letting Autodesk know about this. Save the next poor sap from dealing with all of this garbage.