There was a previous posting "Free Version of SketchUp" on 4/27;
however, I'm starting a new thread because I think woodworkers who have
any experience with diagramming software or CAD may not have realized
the significance of the event: Google making available a free version of
SketchUp and the fact that Google is behind it. (Maybe there always has
been a free version and it just didn't catch my attention? Any rate,
with Google associated with it, this is going to have some staying power.)

I was unaware of SketchUp until three days ago and have spent several
hours exploring its capabilities and the Ruby API to determine what may
be possible with Google's free version. Basically, I've concluded this
offering by Google could be a significant event for woodworkers who are
computer literate and connected to the Internet. I believe this is one
of those programs where collaboration by woodworkers could prove to be
something pretty significant and give Google a "Bravo!" for making this
available in conjunction with a repository for sharing work.

What I'd like to do is determine how many people who read this newsgroup
are actually interested in using SketchUp and collaborating on building
some common components. By collaborating, I'm thinking of things such
as have small components, e.g. mortise-tenon joints, dovetail joints,
profiles of router cutters and other basic type components to create
models from. One project that comes to mind very quickly is taking a
lumber cut list in Microsoft Excel and having the final cut pieces
automatically generated in SketchUp for assembly; and possibly,
vice-versa -- design the components/model and then export them to Excel
for a cut list.

If you think you might be interested in SketchUp and designing in it,
would you please email me with the subject line: "SketchUp
rec.woodworking" and a brief comment on your impressions with SketchUp
and if you do any programming and would be interested in discussing what
stuff could be created that caters to woodworkers. I'd really like to
know if there are only a handful of people whom this might interest, or
if the numbers go into the tens, or even possibly hundreds. I'll reply
post to this thread with a count of responses as may be appropriate.
Please ignore this request after June 30, 2006.

Email to: subject line: SketchUp rec.woodworking

Hope I'm not alone in being excited about this significant event, I've
been thinking about a software package to design with, I used several in
the early 1990s and just found them to be too cumbersome, so this was a
welcomed "freebie", especially since I can collaborate.

John Poole