Where is Autocad going?
Where is Autocad going?
(OP)
Is Autocad doomed? Autodesk seem to be
concentrating on Inventor which is a parasolids
prog. Are the ACIS progs finished?
concentrating on Inventor which is a parasolids
prog. Are the ACIS progs finished?





RE: Where is Autocad going?
Small Architectural and Civil Engineering firms
are still using AutoCAD. For the Larger and more
knowledgeable companies. Autocad is being phased
out. I been at three companies within the last four
years that have not upgraded and started looking
at Solidworks or an alternative to AutoDesk
software.
RE: Where is Autocad going?
I cannot for the life of me justify spending $1500-$2000 AU every couple of years for these marginal improvements. I have used 2I since it came out and find that it fills my needs more than adequately. I have kept an eye on the changes made since and found that nothing really improves my productivity as I do not share my files or allow others access over the net (sole practitioner).
So as far as I am concerened for the small strucutral practice that I run Autocad has reached its peak.
Regards
sc
RE: Where is Autocad going?
RE: Where is Autocad going?
nearly 3.5 years, i used autocad and last 1 year i'm using solidworks only.as per my experience,it is very user friendly software compare to other cad parametric softwares.it is very easy to study .
solidworks is powerful for 3d environment .
it is advisable that which software ,u r going to use is fully ur current company needs (i.e ur dependecy on 2d models or 3d models.)
and if u want to survive in ur feild, u have to learn new technologies also.
thanks ,
regards,
murugan.S
Design Engineer,
GlobalSoft Pvt Ltd,
INDIA
murugan_subham@yahoo.com
RE: Where is Autocad going?
Actually, at least from my perspective, why would I want a product that this generation drawings cannot be opened with my last generation saftware?
RE: Where is Autocad going?
Here were the top 10 CAD Systems
AutoCAD = 54.3%
Architectual Desktop = 14.1%
Land Developement Desktop = 9.1%
Microstation = 4.2%
Solidworks = 3.3%
Inventor = 2.1%
Mechanical Desktop = 2.1%
AutoCAD LT = 1.8%
Autocad Map = 1.2%
Solid Edge = 1.2%
Other CAD Systems included CATIA, Revit, IronCAD, Pro/Engineer, I-deas, Autodesk Building Systems, Medusa, and Eagle Point.
"More offices run a 2D primary system (such as AutoCAD) with a 3D-enabled secondary CAD system." They called this multi-system a "hybrid-office environment".
2D/3D Hybrid mixture = 36.4%
Totally 2D = 30.4%
Mainly 2D, but evaluating 3D = 26.4%
Totaly 3D = 6.8%
Many companies refuse to, or do not have the money to, upgrade to a fully-3D enabled CAD system. I started 3D with Mechanical Desktop 2 at a previous employer, and since we were on the subscription program, we were upgraded with each new release and whenever I left that company, we were using MDT 6 with Power Pack. Where I am currently employed, the newest release we have is ACAD 2002, and they do not plan to upgrade. We have many vendors who are still using ACAD r14 and we have to have the drawing compatability with them.
Many users on several CAD-based forums bash AutoCAD, but it seems they will be #1 at least for a couple of more years.
This survey was in the printed Dec. 2003 magazine, but it isn't on the website: http://www.cadalyst.com
I will add that I was surprised that Solidworks didn't have a higher percentile of users.
Flores
RE: Where is Autocad going?
I was a staunch supporter of AutoCad and really still like the product very much. However, I use less and less of it since I have to work in Microstation for client reasons.
As a structural engineer though I admit I don't earn my salary on any CAD software so I'm not the hardcore type. And as with PatDaly I actually got started using GenericCAD!
Best Regards,
Qshake
RE: Where is Autocad going?
I think it will take quite a few years before AutoCad usage is phased out due to it's huge user base. I work with small to medium size manufacturers and all still demand autocad 2000 drawings.
But solidworks is definitely being tweaked to appeal to the 2D masses. In my 2004 version I see 2D move, copy, insert and rotate commands that are vitually the same as their autocad counterparts. More and more I use solidworks to do things that I previously did with autocad.
I still use autocad for plant layout and schematic diagrams and the like. Many companies will use their old versions of autocad as long as it fulfills their needs. It is often unnecessary to always have the latest version. I still have a client that makes me use their old version 13.
But there will come a time when the 3D packages, driven by customer demand, will offer everything the 2D packages did and more. I would guess this will happen within the next 5 years.
Best Regards
Adrian Dunevein
aaadrafting.com
RE: Where is Autocad going?
RE: Where is Autocad going?
http://www.tenlinks.com/CAD/reference/exclusive/052101a...
I searched on the web, but found no indication that Generic CADD was a "number two cadd program world wide"
Flores
RE: Where is Autocad going?
Funny, I never have had problems porting my Generic files back and forth with versions of LT thru 97, and AutoCad thru version 12, I wonder what I am doing differently than the makers did?
RE: Where is Autocad going?
programs.
If AutoCAD has approximately 400,00 users and
has gone down in the last two years from 480,000
and Solidworks just went over 230,000 users with
their 2003 version how does that add up to
3.3% and AutoCAD 54%.
Must of been an AutoCAD magazine trying to sell
inventor or boost sales.
Because 230,000 users is more than 58% of AutoCAD
base. I won't deny AutoCAD's 2D program but to
update my program every year for a fee when I get
free upgrades with Solidworks sounds like a no
brainer to me.
RE: Where is Autocad going?
As CadAndy say's the numbers don't add up, but please clarify. Solidworks sells a life time drawing package? I just dropped 1800 bucks for AutoCad upgrade R2000 to R2004 and you say Solidworks does this for FREE?
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Peace Love and good will of the season to everyone
RE: Where is Autocad going?
http://www.cadalyst.com/solutions/mc/1203cm/index.htm
Flores
RE: Where is Autocad going?
Please clarify, see my previous post
RE: Where is Autocad going?
"I won't deny AutoCAD's 2D program but to
update my program every year for a fee when I get
free upgrades with Solidworks sounds like a no
brainer to me."
Solidworks sells a life time drawing package? I just dropped 1800 bucks for AutoCad upgrade R2000 to R2004 and you say Solidworks does this for FREE?
Please clarify!
RE: Where is Autocad going?
not appear in any survey. It was a far bigger prog than
LT and much more expensive at around $700AD when LT was
$150 when released.
Solidworks has a yearly fee ranging from $1400
to $2100 depending on package. This must be paid EVERY
YEAR. If you fail to pay for a year you must pay any
back fees to get a later upgrade or become totally
unsupported. All major cad packages are going down this
path.
RE: Where is Autocad going?
Autocad like all the others want big bucks and give peanuts in return ie "TOOL PALETTES" what a waste of time. Large numbers of standard blocks are a lot easier to handle with a pull down menu.
RE: Where is Autocad going?
Microstation V8 now reads all versions of CAD programs. Yes even dwg format and can save to all formats out on the market. Even to 2.6.
Also one must look at the current usage of the program. A vast majority of municipalities, city, county, state all use Microstation. They even required all of their consultants to provide deliverables in dgn format.
Where Microstation has incorporated all formats in their product and in this cadders opinion (they made more accomidating to the AutoCad user) AutoCad will support some. This is where Autodesk needs to get off the dime and get with the program.
We can all agree on one fact we all need a user friendly software package that does what we require it to do without having to call Tech Service everytime a hidden file decides to crash.
Regrads To All,
Namdac
P.S. Merry Xmas!!!!