Hi, i am Arild Eugen from Norway. I am an architect by profession, but industrial designer and graphic designer by practice for 50 years. I am now 78 years old.
I have used SketchUp since I bought my first copy at MacWorld I think it was in 2000, when it was first introduced.
After returning from living 3 years I Kenya as a companion to my wife who worked at the Norwegian Embassy taking care of the Peace Corps, in 1987, I joined a team developing software for architects for the new Macintosh II. I had used Macintosh in Kenya from the beginning but it was like heaven for me to see 6 of the newly introduced Macintosh II lined up in the offices of the Norwegian company Orbit Creative Computing where I started working on the program called Jonathan CAD System.
I was the only architect on the small team and the link to the users. I instructed the developers what architects needed, with feedback from our clients world wide, mostly in Europe. I held courses for architects in Norway and all over Europe. Our program was a competitor to Autocad that I think originated from development in Sweden. We introduced Jonathan in Boston MacWorld in 1988. We managed to get some clients in the US, but most of our clients were in Norway and the rest of Europe.
It was a hard competition with other software from much wealthier companies and we had to stop developing in 1990. Then I was dragged along with my wife and children to go to stay in Tanzania for another 3 years. When I came back from Tanzania I joined a group developing a design program for the Norwegian Railways. I was in charge of visual elements and sign systems and used Jonathan CAD and Adobe Illustrator in addition to manual drawings on a drafting table, to design these elements and the manuals.
Our Jonathan never made it to 3D, although we were talking to French, Hungarian and Japanese developers for the addition of 3D. It never really materialised before we shut down. By the way, the program is still in use for maintenance operation for public buildings since all areas were measurable and could be used in tables of areas of walls, ceilings and floors and outdoor spaces. I think it was the best drafting program ever developed. Alas, I am not able to use it any longer on my newer Macs (Mac Studio M1 Pro).
So my really first experience with 3D was SketchUp. I remember I noticed it passed by the stand, but found it a bit expensive before I saw it in action. I quickly realised that this was a milestone, not to be missed, so I bought it and have used it ever since. I was then living in Bangladesh (yes, with my wife and only the youngest child, out daughter who was 17 and went to the American School in Dhaka).
Even if I «retired» 11 years ago (the retirement age in Norway is 67 years) I am still going. This morning I enjoyed yesterdays Live 3D modeling of the Steam Clock in Vancouver with Tyson. I have the latest (almost) of all gadgets and tools and in addition to designing books and exhibitions, I made 3D printing objects mostly designed in Fusion360, laser burning with my Beamo and making pens, fountain pens, ballpoint pens and pencils on my Shereline lathe. In addition I make leather products, wallets and bags.
