[plug] Autocad etc

[Colin Rothnie]

Colin Morton wrote:
> As to autocad  I did not expect it to be able to run it with linux But I
am
> interested in the other CAD packages. Can you give me some names.

Caddsman have a Linux version of their Modeller program, but I don't think
they advertise the fact (see http://www.caddsman.com.au ).  Through my work,
I had them convert their existing Unix version that was running on SunOS,
DEC Ultrix etc, onto Linux for PC.  

We run Caddsman on a central Linux box with six or so NT workstations acting
as X Terminals (using WinAxe X Terminal emulation software).  I have found
tremendous benefits in having a single centralised CAD server, where
everyone uses the same reference data (symbols, base plans etc).  Upgrades
or modifications to the core program only have to be made in one location.
"Maintenance" under this arrangement is very low because the CAD software
doesn't "care" about the foibles of the client set-up (NT, 2000, Linux)
providing they have a working X-Server.

The Linux box running Caddsman is a 550 Mhz Pentium 3 with 256 Mb of RAM.
It happily supports six or more Modeller sessions on the connected
workstations as well as several sessions running on the 21" screen attached
to the server itself.

I understand that Caddsman have recently changed management and are looking
for increased user input to help improve their product.  They are, however,
a long standing Australian CAD/CAM company who seem to have a reasonable
user base in architecture and manufacturing.

Other possibilities are Microstation (I think they have an Academic licence
for Microstation on Linux, but I have never seen it running), Varicad
http://www.varicad.com, VARKON (apparently used by some large Swedish firms,
but I could never get past the user interface, see
http://www.microform.se/index.htm#VAR ).  There is something being sold with
the name "Linux" in it (LinuxCAD or something like that).  While I have
never used this product myself, I get the impression from what I have read
that it is a rip-off merchant from the US, making money from gullible
punters.

I hope that IBM take their new-found Linux enthusiasm and port their Catia
product to Linux.  Again, I have never seen it in action, but the screen
shots look very encouraging.
http://www-3.ibm.com/solutions/engineering/eshome.nsf/public/catmain

QCad provides a good 2D-only package (GPL) http://www.qcad.org .

To my knowledge there are no viable Open Source 3D CAD programs.  There have
been several attempts at creating 3D CAD systems from scratch (Freedesigner
and gCad), but these appear to have failed due to lack of agreement
regarding CAD data structures and a lack of persistence.

<rant mode on>
I believe there is a need for a generic GPL 3D library/toolset that could be
used by CAD, GIS, 3D modellers (for games etc),  mining software and other
3D-centric applications.  Industry standard commercial CAD/CAM programs sell
for $3,000 and up, Desktop GIS programmes are similarly priced with "proper"
GIS software selling for many tens of thousands.  Mine planning software
(which involves much 3D manipulation) costs between $10,000 and $50,000 for
each workstation.

In each of these fields, industry relies strongly on the commercial products
and there are virtually no viable open source replacements being developed
to challenge them.  As well, although many of these fields evolved on Unix
platforms, Unix has been largely abandoned in favour of NT workstations.
There is now a whole "generation" of technical software users who have never
used Unix and believe that the limitations of a single-user environment are
absolute...
<rant mode off>

Sorry about that, but you can see I have strong views on the matter.
I hope some of the information is of use.

Cheers
Colin Rothnie