The Cellar - View Single Post - Google's latest toy

tw · 05-20-2006, 07:42 PM

Been trying to understand the underlying purpose of Google Sketchup. If used as a preliminary package to enhance existing or future Google products, then I understand why Sketchup would be free. For example, use MaggieL's 30th Street Station as the preliminary sketches to design a building (and maybe it's decorating) AND then feed that data into a decorator software package or an AutoCAD architects package. But Sketchup does not seem to do that. It features a proprietary data file.

Sketchup does not seem to 'feed' other products. It does offer some connection to import from Google Earth. But I don't get it. What is (or might be) Google's intent with this free software package?

05-20-2006, 07:42 PM	#7
tw Read? I only know how to write. Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 11,933	Been trying to understand the underlying purpose of Google Sketchup. If used as a preliminary package to enhance existing or future Google products, then I understand why Sketchup would be free. For example, use MaggieL's 30th Street Station as the preliminary sketches to design a building (and maybe it's decorating) AND then feed that data into a decorator software package or an AutoCAD architects package. But Sketchup does not seem to do that. It features a proprietary data file. Sketchup does not seem to 'feed' other products. It does offer some connection to import from Google Earth. But I don't get it. What is (or might be) Google's intent with this free software package?