Subject:
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Re: Site change suggestion
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.cad.dev.org.ldraw
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Date:
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Wed, 28 Jun 2000 16:56:02 GMT
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Viewed:
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675 times
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In lugnet.cad.dev.org.ldraw "Travis Cobbs" <tcobbs@san.REMOVE.rr.com>
wrote:
> Despite the fact that ldraw.org is a site about ldraw, the fact is that any
> new user trying to build models would almost certainly be better off running
> MLCad than LEdit. It's user-friendly, and Michael keeps adding more cool
> new features. It's my personal feeling that the Getting Started section of
> the site should note that most new users will most likely want to use MLCad
> to do their modeling (or some other brick-based modeling program: MLCad is
> the only one I have used at all yet).
Good thoughts.
> As it stands, new users are left with the impression that the community at
> large uses LDraw and LEdit as their primary tools. MLCad is listed on the
> software page which is linked at the bottom of the getting started page, but
> for people who are in a hurry to get started, it's easy to overlook
> initially. While I personally have only recently started to pursue my
> interest in LDraw, it has certainly seemed to me based on postings to these
> newsgroups that MLCad is the preferred modeling software, not LEdit. Am I
> way off base, here? Are these views heretical? :-)
I am behind you here. The thought has crossed my mind a little to
change the site's focus to more of MLCad, but I haven't had the time
to impliment it. After Kidvention, I plan on inserting the site
entirely into Macromedia Dreamweaver on my PC, to make it easier to
manage. At that time, I believe the menu system will be redesigned to
be a 4.0+ browser active drop down thingie - making it easy to update
and still visually pleasing. Then, I can work on developing a new
focus on the site - but it all depends on time, because I'll be doing
the dreamweaver thing half to learn how to use it, for a project
coming up real soon for me.
> I'm posting this message partially based on posts I have seen made by
> newbies eager to get started who are diving into LEdit head first. To all
> but the most tech-savvy, this can be akin to diving into an empty swimming
> pool head first. It's a very powerful program, and it (along with LDraw)
> has spawned great things, but it's hard enough to use that most users will
> feel highly frustrated. The excellent article by Jonathan Knudsen titled
> "Drawing Lego Models" seems to echo the views I have presented here (quoted
> from the article):
>
> LEdit and LDraw are good tools, but it takes some time to learn how to use
> them. LEdit, in particular, has a pretty steep learning curve.
> The important legacy of LEdit and LDraw is their file format, which we'll
> examine next.
>
> It then goes on to recommend using MLCad for modeling and L3P/POV for
> renderings, but once again, people (especially new users) can easily
> overlook this article.
Yep.
> Is this just an oversight, do other people disagree with my claim that new
> users can easily overlook MLCad, or have I somehow missed something
> important?
I believe you've touched on a key issue to the use of CAD at this
point in time. Let me add that in my demos at Kidvention, we will be
talking a lot about MLCad and showing them how it works, for the sake
of introducing new users easily into what they're most comfortable
with. Right now I have about two weeks' worth of work to do regarding
Kidvention in one weeks' time before I fly out. And I'll have another
week's worth once I'm out there at Mike Poindexter's - so I can't
address this head on right now. But I totally agree with you, MLCad
should be more publicized on the site.
I would value Mike Lachmann's input on this as well.
-Tim
http://www.zacktron.com
http://www.ldraw.org
AIM: timcourtne
ICQ: 23951114
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: Site change suggestion
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| (...) Well, I still use LEdit as my primary editing tools, and switch between LDLite and L3Lab and L3P for rendering. I'm sure I'm not alone, either. (...) Urk. I'd recommend keeping the site LDraw-centric, but increasing the exposure of MLCad in (...) (24 years ago, 28-Jun-00, to lugnet.cad.dev.org.ldraw)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Site change suggestion
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| Despite the fact that ldraw.org is a site about ldraw, the fact is that any new user trying to build models would almost certainly be better off running MLCad than LEdit. It's user-friendly, and Michael keeps adding more cool new features. It's my (...) (24 years ago, 28-Jun-00, to lugnet.cad.dev.org.ldraw)
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