GWS,
Have you visited their site? They like to compare themselves to Solidworks, though features I suspect are not as plentiful. But if you don't need all the other stuff Solidworks has then why not try it? Get the demo, contact them and find out. I'm currently looking at Alibre because of its comparison to Solidworks and much cheaper price tag. If all goes well, the free version may be all that we need (HS with basic engineering course).
Anyway, have heard both positive and negative, but negative tends to be more about features it does not have compared to Solidworks. Most people say that it's worth the price tag,
though.
Alibre claims that the following companies are using it:
Abbott Laboratories
Alcoa
Allied Power Products Inc
American Airlines
ARC Technologies
ArvinMeritor
Avistar, Inc.
Battelle
Bechtel
Bombardier
Boyd Lighting Co
BWXT-Y12 Technical Services
Technical Services
Calsonic-Kansei
Carrier Corporation
Caterpillar
EG&G Defense Materials, Inc. - URS Corporation
ExxonMobile
Fabrico
Huyett
General Dynamics
General Electric Corporate Research
General Mills
Honeywell
IBM
JPL - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Kelowna Flightcraft
Kennametal
Keystone Applied Technology
Laird Technologies
Lytron
Methode Electronics
MSI
NASA
Naval Air Warfare Center ( NAWCWD ) and Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC)
Northrop Grumman
Pfizer
Pratt & Whitney
Praxair
SAIC
Sandia National Laboratories
ShopBot Tools Inc.
Siemens
SouthWest Research Institute
Tamko
Tripar, Inc.
Whirlpool
Wyle Laboratories Inc.
Some big names. I don't know you, but seeing names like this clearly indicates that the product has merit. Anyway, it's easier for me. I'm only looking for software that will introduce engineering comcepts/practices to HS students, not for professional purposes.
Anyone else?