Below is a list of applications that UTSOA students use. Some of these programs are supported or required for UTSOA courses, others aren't. For information about training, visit Software Training and Tutorials
Function | Name | UTSOA Labs | PC Only | How Students Use It | Strengths | Weaknesses | Cost Structure | Link |
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Non-Design | ArcGIS | Yes | Yes | Free |
ArcGIS Online is free for UT students at UT. UT Libraries has a great wiki page with detailed instructions. They also have tutorials for research-related GIS tasks. Once you set up your ArcGIS Online account, you can install the ArcGIS Pro desktop applications. They can be downloaded here. | |||||||
ClimateStudio | Yes | Yes | Simulating daylight, electric lighting, and conceptual thermal loads | Free for Education | Rhino plugin. E-mail trig@utexas.edu for the license key. Licenses are valid for up to 7 days at a time. | ||
Google Earth Pro | Yes | No | Exploring site conditions and contexts | Download high-resolution satellite images | Free | https://www.google.com/earth/versions/#download-pro | |
Microsoft o365 | Yes | No | Free | Log in with your EID credentials | |||
Microsoft Windows 10 | Yes | Yes | $19.99 | https://store.hied.com/item/Microsoft/WAH+Windows+10/1605667 (requires a login in here first). We don't recommend running Boot Camp on a Mac to use Windows. Virtualizing Windows on a Mac is possible but requires the user to be technologically savvy enough to support it. | |||
R | Yes | No | Statistical computing | Free | https://www.r-project.org/ | ||
SPSS | No | No | Statistical computing | $92.99/yr | https://store.hied.com/item/IBM+SPSS/IBM+SPSS+Statistics/1693258 |
CAD Modeling | Rhino 3D | Yes | No | Iterative massing models Model complex geometry, like curved surfaces Easily create 2D drawings | Highly Accurate, versatile, includes parametric functionality | Somewhat difficult to learn | Perpetual |
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Education/Commercial* License - |
$195 (per version) |
* There are no usage limitations on this license. It is the same as the full commercial version and never expires. | If you would like to upgrade a previous license earlier than this, you can do it directly through McNeel for $95 through this link. For proof of eligibility, you can access and save your tuition bill receipt from this link. | ||
Sketchup | No | No | Quickly model Share models with |
students in other disciplines/students without subscriptions to paid software | Easy to Learn, quick Entourage from 3D Warehouse easily enlivens models Files can be accessed online with any computer with a free web-only version | Imprecise, slow when files get large | Yearly Ed. Subscription - $55 Free web-only version (limited functionality) | https://www.sketchup.com/plans-and-pricing/sketchup-studio-for-higher-education | |||
AutoCAD | Yes | No | Create 2D drawings Import and export to a variety of other software | Closest to drawing lines on paper, industry standard for 2D | Somewhat difficult to learn | Free with Ed. Account | https://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software |
Fusion 360 | Yes | No | Mostly used to model for industrial manufacturing processes like CNC or 3D Printing | Easy to create models using variables | Hard to make non-industrial looking products | Free with Ed. Account | https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/students-teachers-educators?mktvar004=668081&internalc=true |
3DS Max | Yes | Yes | Rendering and animation | Robust material editing |
ability Integrates with other Autodesk Applications | Difficult to learn | Free with Ed. Account | https://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software |
Netfabb | No | Yes | Testing and repairing 3D CAD files | Free with Ed. Account | https://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software | |||
BIM | Revit | Yes | Yes | Model at a greater technical resolution than Rhino, with embedded materials and thicknesses Automatic generation of organized 2D drawings | Industry-standard Large library of standard building components Manages collaboration on a single model | Not conducive to loose massing modeling | Free with Ed. Account | https://www.autodesk.com/education/free-software |
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Rendering | V-Ray | Yes | Yes | Render light, and sometimes materials, for perspectives and 2d drawings | Good initial results only get better with additional adjustments Ample materials included Available online | Requires a lot of computer power | Yearly Ed. License - $99 | https://www.chaosgroup.com/education/students |
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Enscape | Yes | Yes | Instant rendering plugin for Rhino, Revit, and SketchUp | Fast, real-time rendering will good initial results |
Oversaturated at times |
Yearly Ed. |
License - $149 | https://enscape3d.com/educational-license/ | |||
Lumion | No | Yes | This software has never been required in any UTSOA courses and it isn't installed on any UTSOA computers | Vast compatibility with modeling |
software | Requires a lot of |
CPU & GPU power | Free with Ed. Account |
GPU scoring a G3DMark of 7,000 or higher with up-to-date drivers. (Such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650, Quadro K6000, AMD Radeon RX 470 or better) | |||||||
Blender | No | No | Professional grade, open-source 3D modeling for free | Difficult to learn | Open Source | https://www.blender.org/ | |
ArchVision RPC | No | Yes | Populate your renderings with entourage | Yearly Ed. License - $99 | https://archvision.com/shop/archvision-rpc-software-edu/ | ||
Raster Graphic Editing | Adobe Photoshop | Yes | No | Powerful functionality, from quick touch-ups on drawings to adding layers of depth to renders Link to other Adobe programs for seamless editing | Industry-standard Lots of |
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educational material is available | Expensive | Yearly Creative Cloud Subscription - $199.95 |
campuscomputer/ | |||||||
Affinity Photo | Yes | No | Alternative to Adobe Photoshop | Similar to Photoshop Often on sale Perpetual license | Missing some of the "smart" features of Photoshop | Perpetual License - $25-50 | https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/ |
GIMP | No | No | Free, open-source | Significantly different than the industry standard | Open Source | https://www.gimp.org/ | |
Procreate (iPad) | No | No | Intuitive, mobile, able to edit .PSD | Apple Specific | App Store - $9.99 | https://apps.apple.com/us/app/procreate/id425073498 | |
Vector Graphic Editing | Adobe Illustrator | Yes | No | Assign lineweight to drawings exported from Rhino, Revit, AutoCAD, etc. Link to other Adobe programs for seamless editing | Industry-standard Lots of |
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educational material is available | Expensive | Yearly Creative Cloud Subscription - $199.95 | https://store.hied.com/item/Adobe/Creative+Cloud+for+Education/ |
1880707 (requires a login in here first) | |||||||
Affinity Designer | Yes | No | Alternative to Adobe Illustrator | Similar to Illustrator Often on sale Perpetual license | Perpetual License - $25-50 | https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/designer/ | |
GIMP | No | No | Free, open-source | Significantly different than the industry standard | Open Source | https://www.gimp.org/ | |
Inkscape | No | No | Free, open-source | Significantly different than the industry standard | Open Source | https://inkscape.org/ | |
Document Layout Editing | Adobe InDesign | Yes | No | Combine drawings into boards for reviews Portfolio design Link to other Adobe programs for seamless editing | Industry-standard Lots of |
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educational material is available | Expensive | Yearly Creative Cloud Subscription - $199.95 | https:// |
campuscomputer. |
com/ |
campuscomputer/ Sign in with UT ID and search for adobe | |||||||
Affinity Publisher | Yes | No | Alternative to Adobe InDesign | Similar to InDesign Often on sale Perpetual license | Perpetual License - $25-50 | https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/publisher/ | |
Microsoft Publisher | No | No | Included with Microsoft o365, simple | Somewhat clunky interface | Free through UT o365 Access |
Updated August 2020
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