Technology is fascinating. Watching those science fiction movies thrilled me so much as a kid. I always had a vision of myself becoming a designer. I would design complex machines like vehicles, planes and even flying robots.

In my college, I was very fascinated by current technology trends. I came to learn of a software called AutoCAD that one can use to design anything. I could use the same software in my final year project to realize a killer idea that could stun the world, or at least the whole campus. I was excited and decided to join AutoCAD tutorial classes that were offered after normal class hours.

Something ran through my mind when I saw the welcome screen of AutoCAD software for the first time, “This is going to be really tough”. I opened a new tab on the task bar, named Drawing 1. A young tutor stood beside me, grinning and, despite his numerous assurances that it was going to be easy, my eyes had seen it all: the interface. This was never going to be like a computer game.

The interface looked overcrowded. The menu bar with so many drop-down menus, with each having a list of options that can cover the drawing panel view from top to bottom. The ribbon across the top with a whole strip of palettes of icons plus three more task bars at the bottom of the screen and to cap it all, the top one is a command line. I did not know the names of all these things I have mentioned. It was during my second year of study in electrical engineering.

Of course it was easy. The objective of the whole tutorial lesson that day was to make us understand how to draw a line! Only two tools were applied here. The ‘Line’ tool and the ‘Poly line’ tool. After saving the project, I tried using the ‘Line’ tool to draft something simple. It was a challenge drawing perpendicular lines or lines that meet at a specific angle. I pondered on my mind how much more training I would require to at least carry out a simple project.

My journey with AutoCAD has been that way. The desire to have more skills, and the drawback of the software’s complexity.

I was not alone. The world has changed. Albert Einstein’s days of dwelling on the complex are long gone. People want to accomplish things on the go. Ease and convenience is the major consideration when one wants to use a software product. That is why many people are afraid of AutoCAD, because of its ‘complexity’.

However with AutoCAD, there is no alternative for designers? You either enhance your skills or you will be left to oblivion. Luckily, I found an easier way to perfect my skills in AutoCAD and I would recommend it for anyone who uses AutoCAD: SkyTOP’s DemosCAD.

DemosCAD will help you as a designer to enhance your skills in AutoCAD by offering more than just the how-to. With this amazing software from Skytop Technologies, you can work seamlessly with AutoCAD as you view demos of how every tool works.

For beginners, you can download .dwg files derived from the demos you have viewed to carry out similar exercises in AutoCAD. These and more features of DemosCAD are meant to help you to have a comfortable journey in becoming an AutoCAD expert.

You can get the web version of DemosCAD software from this website: www.demoscad.net The software is also available as a mobile application on Google Play Store where it is supported on Android 4.0.3 version and above.

Written by John Macharia