Issued by: Direct Distribution Services


MLB Architects in Cape Town (formerly Meirelles Lawson) have been using Vectorworks, represented in South Africa by Direct Distribution Services, since the mid-1990s.

"We opted for Vectorworks originally because we were avid Mac users and it was the best package available for Macs at the time," explains the firm's Quinton Lawson. "But there are only a few Macs left in the office now and we're still with Vectorworks."

The major advantage of Vectorworks, says Lawson, is its ease of use. "We looked at Autocad and did some courses, but eventually decided it was far too onerous to learn and still be architects," he says. "It can take months to become proficient in Autocad and most architects never use half its capabilities anyway; with Vectorworks it's a matter of weeks. In fact, many of our staff who were previously trained in other CAD packages have really taken to Vectorworks after only a few weeks of use."

Partly as a result of this simplicity, says Lawson, "we think our drawings are a lot clearer than most of the drawings produced by other CAD programmes. The information is clean and Vectorworks produces very good-looking drawings, especially in the latest 3D versions."

Vectorworks has much of the power of rival programs despite its much shorter learning curve, says Lawson. "We use some of the newer features like viewports a lot, especially for repetitive projects like housing developments," he says. "We think it is as good, if not better than Autocad's referencing system."

The office has experienced no compatibility problems in sharing drawings with other professionals, he adds.

Vectorworks' low price is another selling point, he says. "We're a relatively big office with nearly 25 workstations; cost is definitely an issue. We use Vectorworks for just about every type of project, including page layout and design - it's very easy to import pictures, create and format text and move it all around on a page. It's a real multitasking tool for us."

Editorial contact
Direct Distribution Services
Ivan Shamley
Tel: 021 552 2654

Visit our PRESS OFFICE: Direct Distribution Services (www.directservices.co.za) is a supplier of world-leading software & hardware for the creative, publishing, web development & enterprise markets throughout Southern Africa. DDS is the official distributor for Macromedia, Corel, VectorWorks, Wacom, Microtek, LaCie and other brands. Contact us on info@directservices.co.za.- more....

[5 Jul 2005 09:10]

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