Lucas smiled, relieved. The pair spent the day testing both programs, discovering that while the trial of VDMAX offered the polished features João needed, the open‑source alternative gave them a surprising amount of flexibility. By the end of the week, they had a rough 3‑D model ready for the client, and João had a clear picture of the software’s true value.
João’s curiosity wrestled with his conscience. He imagined the satisfaction of seeing his designs come alive without the red tape of a purchase. He also thought of his mentor, old Mr. Silva, who always said, “A boa ferramenta vale o preço, mas a honestidade vale mais.”
The next morning, João walked into the workshop with a different plan. He told his apprentice, Lucas, “We’ll try the free trial of VDMAX for a week. If it works, we’ll pool resources and buy the full license together. Meanwhile, let’s download SketchUp’s free version and experiment with it.”