Bad News for Architects in the next ver. of Google Sketchup

[Gaieus]

Well, those are almost a hundred bucks each.
Yet I can imagine that the price can be justified (especially if works better than SU native importers/exporters).

[TaffGoch]

Anyone have experience(s) with AutoDesk's "FBX" converter?

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/in ... id=8224926
http://area.autodesk.com/fbx
http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/a ... -guide.pdf

While there's an AutoCAD plugin, the "FBX Coverter" is a standalone program (free download) that reportedly has COLLADA and DXF conversion capabilities (import & export.)

[thomthom]

I've used their FBX. Been trying to get FBX files from Revit into either 3ds or dwg format.

[kinesis]

I always have appreciated the philosophy of Google and they have been good to make all kinds of useful information belong to people, not to corporates(in terms of their mission statement). I think they are making efforts to make the exclusive format of DWG more universal. This is just start. For those who want to make this world better, they need to participate and put up with the inconvenience along the necessary change.
A corporate can easily dominate a market with their enormous money and sometimes the method that the company takes along their profit is not necessarily good for the majority of human kind. Once it happens, it is really hard to make it back. I believe Google is the one of those corporates with good will. I value their idea that they try to bring the result of one's effort back to the creator(3D model and its information to the creator in this case). There are many ways to work around; you can stick to the previous version, you can buy or download a DWG import/exporter ruby plugin, or just buy the Pro version. I have benefited from all the things Google provides for free. May be, this is one small thing that I can participate to support their philosophy, having patience and shifting from old habit to new one.