Trimble To Acquire Google SketchUp

yoink! writes "It looks like Google is selling off SketchUp or, conversely, Trimble is acquiring it. Despite several indications there will continue to be a free version of the 3D modelling software, users are unsure about what this will mean for the SketchUp community at large as indicated by the comments on the official Google SketchUp Blog post. They are, however, rejoicing that they will be freed from Groups for SketchUp discussions."

Comments

Another affirmation of Google narrowing its vision

[siphonophore]

To the detriment of all of us

Taking all bets!

[Anonymous Coward]

Who wants to guess how long it'll take before Trimble decides to nix the free version? (or perhaps to move basic tools into the non-free pro version)

Re:Taking all bets!

[Overzeetop]

In 6 months, the free version will become a viewer.

Re:Another affirmation of Google narrowing its vis

[Anonymous Coward]

Another affirmation that lifetime of any Google service is always in question.

Re:Another affirmation of Google narrowing its vis

[TheGratefulNet]

learn the lesson!

don't ever depend on 'cloud things'. and google is a cloud thing maker (heh).

to invest time and learning in things that can be taken away with almost no notice is lunacy.

one of these days, I expect to see a google service removed several days before its even launched.

oops

[Reverand Dave]

This is exactly right. There is no guaranteed lifespan for any google app. It's best to not get too attached to any one of them.

Re:oops

[Reverand Dave]

That sounds incredibly lazy and unsecure. I hope your company doesn't handle sensitive information. I'd love to outsource all of my administrative tasks too, but as it turns out I don't want a 3rd party vendor, especially one with questionable privacy practices, to control my information or that of my customers. So, good luck with that.

Your statement however does not refute my statement that there is no guaranteed lifespan for any google app and any one could be dropped at any time with minimal notice.

If it doesn't have ads, it's outta here.

[Animats]

This is Google concentrating on their core business area - ads. If it doesn't have ads on it, it's going.

What does Google have left that doesn't have ads, or collects data on users to support ads?

Sketchup is an awesome tool for set designers

[dmatos]

I volunteer at a local community theatre, fulfilling a wide range of different roles from time to time. Recently, I worked as a Technical Director for a production, which included the necessity of doing the set design.

Previously, another enterprising TD had created a Sketchup model of the interior of our back-box theatre space, and used that to do set designs. Let me tell you, apart from some annoying UI issues (trying to convert 2-D input into 3-D input), Sketchup is absolutely fantastic for designing and visualizing different sets and audience creation. I highly recommend it to anyone out there for creating 3-D models of their sets, once the 2-D sketches are completed.