Sigh. Had this all typed up and the forum software ate it…
Once more with feeling.
I need a 2D CAD tool to do very infrequent layout work. Like today.
I’ve bought a copy of QCAD Professional and downloaded DoubleCAD XT and neither of these tools bears enough resemblance to the AutoCAD/Draftsight that I’m used to. Certainly not for this old man.
NanoCAD is the closest free thing to those. While it’s a good tool, my problem with NanoCAD is it’s Russian providence. I’ve got less than no desire to install NC on a machine on my local LAN having the ability to snoop around and then call home.
So, don’t know if this is the right place to ask this question, but here it is: Can someone provide recommendations for a Virtual Machine/Sandbox that I can run on a Win10 Pro box to effectively prohibit NC from calling home?
Sounds to me like you’re making things more difficult on yourself then they need to be. If the work is this confidential, then I’m sure you can afford 99$ for a DraftSight licence. If it isn’t that confidential, then who cares if it calls back home? Uninstall it once you’re done with your work and voila.
A quick check indicates that it’s $250/year. I’m now officially retired. Fixed income. $250/year for a tool that I need 2-3 times a year is a bit of a on-starter.
If I could buy a fixed seat for $100, I’d be all over it.
Yea, I’ve installed and removed NC a couple of times. Kind of a pain in the ear.
Geez they hiked their prices I hadn’t looked recently.
Maybe you could achieve what you desire with OnShape? I’m not sure if it allows for drawing creation but you could certainly create sketches and fiddle around with them.
Honestly, it never really bothered me. Their vision would pretty much be destroyed if they were to ever do any illegal activities as such. Their idea is to become a sort of “OpenOffice” but for CAD.
There isn’t anything we do that couldn’t be reverse engineered. If confidentiality would be a concern, it wouldn’t really concern me either because there is little to no risk that they have interest in whatever it is that’s on the computer.
Besides most antivirus or firewalls give you the option to block these possible external communications between the program and a 3rd party. I still do not understand why people are scared.
You can block the program but can’t block Windows.
The program won’t try to connect to internet, it’ll use or trick Windows to connect.
In fact lot’s of programs are using Windows to connect.
VM give you better chance to disconnect form internet but still not 100%.
All software are hackable, period.
Remove network cable and networking hardware is the only way for 100%.
You do need another licensed copy of Windows for the VM.