Software

I am having a dilemma. I hate auto cad and it's monopoly on the drafting industry and it's ridiculous license renewal fees.

I dropped mine in 2008 and am starting to fall behind in the area.

I have looked at Micro Survey which seems to be the most appealing and I have also looked at Traverse PC which is an issue because you have to literally import a cad file while MS just opens them and vice versa.
Oh, Carlson is completely off of the table.

My biggest problem is time and the learning curve. I desperately want to put auto cad in my rear view mirror. The other solutions are feasible, however the language they speak does not make it an easy enough transition.

I would stick with AC but they do not have a solution that I want. Every time a sales person calls me I ask them if they have a solution for surveyors and they say yes they do, Civil 3d. I promptly tell them that I have had CD3 for 4 years and have never used it and never will and that it does not have a practical purpose for what I do.

They just keep trying to sell it to me insisting that I must surely use it if I have it and once again I will tell them that I have no interest in updating a program that I will never use except for a small part of. It's very irritating and totally pisses me off that the people calling me have zero understanding of what it is I do and how CD3 has no purpose for me and my business.

So here I am 4 years later, I am to busy to learn something new but I have to or do the upgrade with the beast.

I recently became acquainted with a survey drafter that I think may be up to par with my standards. I am considering throwing him a majority of my drafting and then drop back and learn the Micro Survey. It's an option I am considering.

All will tell in time, however right now I hate being behind.

Make it a great week surveyors.