New to Digital Cartography? Software General Information

[Joshua]

I started out with CC3 and Adobe Photoshop (since I already had it). Since joining this site, things are changing a bit. I'm still using CC3 (I find it to be a really cool program the more I get into it) but I also got a Wacom tablet. Now that I have it, I'm starting to use Photoshop more, but as I read more and more things here, I am thinking of switching to GIMP and also tinkering in Inkscape. I'm considering this since the version of PS I have is CS3, and I'd rather have new software to better use the tutorials around, but I can't afford an upgrade of Adobe products.

Just to put it out there, the more I use the Wacom, the more I love it!

[Aurynn]

Hello everyone, I am new around here and have to say that I admire the community and resource and knowledge base you have built here.

As to the discussion - for those who would like to use CAD, but are not willing to pay the ridiculous prices of AutoCAD and similar I have an option - progeCAD. I am using it at work for years now. The full version is priced at less than 1/10th of the AutoCAD and they have a free non-commercial version with 2D only that is called "progeCAD SMART!". It shares commands with AutoCAD (it is built at IntelliCAD platform as is AutoCAD) and the only difference I have found is that it uses the interface very similar to AutoCAD 2007 compared to the newer AutoCAD versions. I am using it in combination with Inkscape as it can be easily printed to .pdf via a built-in printer.

Good mapping to all. :-)