Think3 recently released its 2D CAD tools for free under the name free2design. Check out http://www.free2design.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=45
From the website:
Yet another tool to add to the arsenal! (If anyone tries it out, please post a review here! I won’t be able to for a while…)
If someone tries this could they please post a screenshot… Cant find one anywhere. 
I downloaded and I had to sign up to a mailing list to run the program. It works very good it is very easy to run if you have ever used Autocad
I was needing this alot!
Thank you for the link!
I live in France, and the software says This geographic area is not allowed
I send an email, I will send the answer if any people have the same problems.
Guys, the other one to look at, which I have tried, is UGS’ Solid Edge 2D (links given in this thread.) Works very well! (…and maybe even in France? :o )
Downloading this one to!
It looks more complete than the free2design, but more mecanical oriented.
Thank you!
I downloaded this, took a look at it, and uninstalled it. IMO, it’s not ready for prime time. At least, not for someone who isn’t already familiar with CAD software usage.
The documentation is not worth much, typical ‘here’s the menu item, here’s how it works’ programmer written stuff. I couldn’t figure out how to draw a line, and the Help page that looked like it might show how to get started gave me a 404 not found. I started poking around, managed to draw a line with some control points, then it crashed. I uninstalled. Bottom line: unimpressed.
Interesting experience, Orinoco. Thanks for sharing it. I would have expected much more from this company. Looking forward to giving it a whirl myself…
I drew this yesterday and built the stairs to day I found this program easy to use with the exception of the help section it is lacking. I did have to spend some time getting a sheet to print to scale the way I wanted. Now I know how its easy but I had to figure it out myself the help was no help. I cant seem to enter data in a fraction format I think you must be able to. I don’t mind using decimals as long as the dimensions are fractional. I am a builder and and this seems a quick way to “sketch” plans. I think you could do more with this but it fits my need to make detail plans from site measurements quick. I did have a crash or two when I was blundering around the interface, but the program saved automatically before it shuts down and I restarted right where I left off with no problem. ( the wild dimensioning in this shot is because this plan is for me at my job I can dimension a plan corectly;))
Hello shr1k, I’m in the free2design team and wanted only to point out that the registration to activate the software is not a subscription to a mail list, but it opens the door of the community site, where you may find help, training material, additional documentation or articles and, soon, attend free web based live seminars.
You may also exchange examples of drawings or tips about using the software with other community members.
Also, we pay a lot of attention to issues reported on support forums, so if you or Orinoco or anybody else could report how and when you get malfuctions, that would help us in think3 and benefit the whole community.
Lguillaume, at ths moment we’ve not opened the program to the whole world, even if we actually excluded just a few European countries, but we registered your request and will alert you when the free2Design initiative will be available in France.
Thanks to reply, I receive an email which says the same thing, now I just have to wait
@evacca I’d like to direct your attention to the roll-out of Inkscape and Google sketch. Both of these programs downloaded with several tutorials included so newbies like myself could get started without spending inordinate amounts of time figuring out how the damn things worked.
The difference between shr1k and myself is that shr1k is in the industry: he is a builder, uses CAD programs and is familiar with their conventions and peculiarities. I am not. If your design team is going to piggyback off the general knowledge in the CAD user community, you are going to have a niche product of interest to only the CAD community.
FYI, I have no interest in reporting bugs or crashes in software I can’t get to work.
Nice got a response from a developer:) . I will post on the free2design forum to but I think I had the crashes when I was using curves. I will post some more reviews and experiences as I use the program more it may take some time as I don’t draw my own plans very often.I usually hire someone to do that for me. As I said before I may need to draw a quick detail from site conditions and this program works good for that. I am not saying its limited to that just my one experience was that and it worked well.
@ Orinoco
I don’t know why anyone outside of the building and designer field would use a 2d drafting program so I don’t know what other niche it could be for.
I had some applications in mind. First, blending buildings. I’d find it useful to have a 2D program with dimensions so I could size rooms, doors, windows, trim and so on properly. Second, scaling furniture. To get tables to match sofas and chairs and lamps, I’m currently using the old eyeball. The ability to draw, say, a chair to actual dimensions would be great. Third, working out corrections on not-quite-side view photos. I have a method in mind that would project landmarks shot at some angle onto an ovoid, then developing true z-axis dimensions from intersections, like reversing the process of drawing a perspective from planar views.
Basically, Blender doesn’t do dimensions. I don’t have a problem with that. Blender isn’t a drafting program. But, just as I use the Gimp to do paintings to use in Blender, for the occaisions when I need a painted image, it would be nice to have a drafting program available, for the occaisions when I need a precisely dimensioned image. Just an addition to the old production pipeline.
lguillaume - have you tried ProgeCAD LT? Free autocad like program based off of intellicad.