AutoCADder

One of the tools I use to convince my collegues (trying to replace AutoCAD with IntelliCAD or ProgeCAD) about the incompatibilities of these AutoCAD clones is the BUDWEISER.DWG test by CAD Studio. This AutoCAD drawing contains many tests which clearly prove that AutoCAD clones are not compatible with the original DWG format.

As a CAD manager, I refuse to solve future problems resulting from combining AutoCAD clones with AutoCAD and creating a mess in our DWG drawing files. Mutual incompatibility of CAD files is a CAD manager's nighmare. For me, it is enough to solve these problems with files coming from some of our external cooperators. I always push to replace such companies.

If you want to check it yourself - here is the link to download the BUDWEISER drawing in all versions of the DWG format, now including DWG2010:
www.cadstudio.cz/budweiser

And remember: Don't drink and draw

Labels: Budweiser, compatibility, DWG

I was (and I still am) against developing a separate Mac version of AutoCAD.

It seems that the risk of developing a Mac version is now over. Autodesk has found a painless method of having a "Mac version" of AutoCAD and not having to invest in the development - running it in the Windows dual-boot tool "Apple Boot Camp" shipped with Mac OS X. See the Autodesk Labs posting: Autodesk announces expanded support for Mac users.

We have a nice proverb for this in German: "wasch mir den Pelz, aber mach mich nicht nass" (roughly: wash my fur but don't make me wet - meaning - have a cake and eat it too).

But proverbs aside - IMHO this is more than enough to make the small group of CAD-Mac users happy. And when Autodesk adds an official support for Windows virtualization tools in Mac OS X, AutoCAD (and Revit and Inventor) will simply "run on Macs".

Labels: Apple, AutoCAD, Mac