AutoCAD for Macintosh

[aharris]

Hey, why not? The new OS X is great and stable. The new G5 computer runs fast. Have you seen the new 30" Cinema Displays? (yea, I know you can get these for the Mac and PC). Yes, I admit, I’m a switcher. Been running PC’s since DOS, but 2 years ago a friend convened me to get a Mac instead of a PC and I’ve never looked back. I work on the PC at the office, but I really like working my iMac at the house. I would kill for a G5!!! If you look at the details on the G5, AutoCAD would just scream!!! With the help of the open source market on Unix/Linux, could come up with some cool programs beyond and with AutoCAD. Or maybe just AutoCAD LT for OS X would work… What do you guys think?

[jhohman]

I would kill for a G5!!!

WOW! Looks like using an apple can make you very violent, I'm not sure if I would want that in a CAD Department, it'd be every tech for themselves!!

[aharris]

WOW! Looks like using an apple can make you very violent, I'm not sure if I would want that in a CAD Department, it'd be every tech for themselves!!Thins out the weak.... ;-)

[jhohman]

Thins out the weak.... ;-)

You know you have a really good point, might be a good idea after all!!! LOL

[michael.12445]

As I understand it, OS X is Unix-based, which I can only imagine from the point of view of a proprietary software company like Autodesk looks dangerously close to Linux. But if I'm not mistaken, before Autodesk was "assimilated" into a Windows-only universe (at the time of R14), they did have versions of AutoCAD for DOS and Unix, and even one for the Macintosh.

Personally, I use AutoCAD 2002 on Win2K at work, but SuSE Linux 9.0 at home. Some of my colleagues have machines with WinXP Pro, and as time goes on, and the litany of malware grows, it just looks more and more troublesome. Meanwhile, our Linux mail, web, and fax servers here at work just keep running for months at a time with no problems. So maybe the time has come for Autodesk to take a second look. As the well-known haiku runs,

Yesterday it worked
Today it is not working
Windows is like that.

Or if you prefer,

Yesterday it worked
Today it is still working
Linux is like that.

Michael Evans

[hand471037]

As I understand it, OS X is Unix-based, which I can only imagine from the point of view of a proprietary software company like Autodesk looks dangerously close to Linux. But if I'm not mistaken, before Autodesk was "assimilated" into a Windows-only universe (at the time of R14), they did have versions of AutoCAD for DOS and Unix, and even one for the Macintosh.

I use OS X at home, Cygwin on the laptop, and used to (and will soon again) use Mandrake Linux on the desktop. OS X is BSD based, and while the underengine (Darwin) is open source, all that 'Mac Magic' isn't, so it's really a semi-open OS, but still propriatry, so I doubt the concerns are that it's too 'open' and too close to Linux. However, it is non-Microsoft, and Autodesk (for reasons beyond my ability to fathom) are Microsoft-based in the extreme, to the point where trying to use products like Buzzsaw (heck, even registering for AU) require Internet Explorer, and don't work with anything else.

There were versions of AutoCAD for Unix & Mac in the past, which were abandoned for reasons that don't really fully make sense to me.

I too complain to the Revit developers for a OS X version. But I doubt we'll see anything on any platform anytime soon. The only thing I can see Autodesk doing is having Descrete produce some things for Linux for movie production, where Unix/Linux rules the render servers. And I hope the market pressures will get them to at least look at making their other tools available for other platforms, too.

[aharris]

However, it is non-Microsoft, and Autodesk (for reasons beyond my ability to fathom) are Microsoft-based in the extreme, to the point where trying to use products like Buzzsaw (heck, even registering for AU) require Internet Explorer, and don't work with anything else.
I'm not sure why Autodesk decided to go to bed with Microsoft, but it does seem like they did. Remember when they made a bid deal about the new tabs and icons the "Windows" look and feel. I don't do 3D work, but doesn't most graphic artiest use a Mac to render, but uses AutoCAD to draw? I would think if they made AutoCAD for Mac's it would be a no brainier for the 3D's guys to completely get rid of the PC's. Yea, I understand it might be a harder to get the rest of the world to get away from the PC, but what is stopping them? Microsoft office works better on a Mac then a PC, I use the Map product and use Access which isn't made for Mac. However, Map is really made for Oracle, which I do believe they make a product for Mac.
Is the Mac a perfect product...well no...however, I've had the PC at the office the same amount of time I've had my iMac at the house. Since we are all CAD guys(girls), I think we trash more computers then the IT guys. We demand speed, memory, and speed. I've had to reformat the PC after two years because it just started running to slow. Not sure what got a hold of it, but it's gone now and runs just fine. My iMac, I've abused it just as bad as the PC, made my own DVD, did my own video editing, I've run it through its course. The only thing I've done is just keep upgrading to the next OS and it just keep running.... What is the PC people afraid of?

[nick.51679]

Autodesk should realise that if they don't provide some LT or lower even tool for the Mac that one of it's competitors will.

I've got PC and Mac at home but haven't got round to trying Autocad on Virtual PC yet, if anyone out there has tried this I would be very interested to hear how it stacked up...

I would want an alternative to a one big button playschool mouse as well.

[aharris]

Autodesk should realise that if they don't provide some LT or lower even tool for the Mac that one of it's competitors will.
I've got PC and Mac at home but haven't got round to trying Autocad on Virtual PC yet, if anyone out there has tried this I would be very interested to hear how it stacked up...
I would want an alternative to a one big button playschool mouse as well.
I found this that might answer your question: http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?threadid=221791&highlight=autocad

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Below snippet (http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?threadid=221791&highlight=autocad) comes from the above link -

<snip>
I've never heard of a college in the entire world that gives AutoCAD out to its students, and Autodesk (the maker) doesn't give student discounts.
</snip>

What a complete load of rubbish -

Student Editions (http://estore.autodesk.com/dr/sat4/ec_MAIN.Entry16?SP=10024&PN=29&xid=23288&V1=30016828&V2=30016828&V3=1&V4=&V5=11000241&S1=&S2=&S3=&S4=&S5=&DSP=0&CUR=826&PGRP=0&CACHE_ID=0)

As long as I can remember Autodesk have always sold Student versions, is probably the single biggest reason AutoCAD became so popular.

:beer: Mike

[michael.12445]

Autodesk should realise that if they don't provide some LT or lower even tool for the Mac that one of it's competitors will.

There is an organization called the "Intellicad Technology Consortium" (www.intellicad.org) whose members are software companies that have created something called "Intellicad" as a dwg-compatible CAD competitor to AutoCAD. At least one of these, Progesoft (www.progesoft.com) is in the process of creating a Linux version, so perhaps a Mac OS X version isn't far behind.

Michael Evans

[aharris]

There is an organization called the "Intellicad Technology Consortium" (www.intellicad.org) whose members are software companies that have created something called "Intellicad" as a dwg-compatible CAD competitor to AutoCAD. At least one of these, Progesoft (www.progesoft.com) is in the process of creating a Linux version, so perhaps a Mac OS X version isn't far behind.
Michael Evans
Hey, that's cool. If it works for Linux, I can get to work on OS X. I'll have to download that afterwork...
Thanks for the info Michael