AutoCAD returning to the Mac?

[Zoidberg]

from MacRumors wrote:
Autodesk, creator of the industry standard design and drafting software AutoCAD, is apparently contemplating the return of a version of AutoCAD running natively on Macs. In a recent blog article, Autodesk "Platform Technology Evangelist" Shaan Hurley points readers to a survey allowing them to "help shape the future of the next generation of AutoCAD products for the Apple Mac OS X Operating System and hardware."

Read more here

[JoeH]

Is that coming up again? I remember reading a similar report that they were considering bringing back AutoCAD to the Mac over a year ago. Still don't see any notices that it has gone anywhere. Perhaps the date of the blog entry referenced in the link is significant?

[I]

who cares? most mechanical designers I know are not creative enough to use a Mac.

[N-OS X-tasy!]

Fuck 'em.

[Plumbking]

I would really like to see this.

Instead of sending a roll of plans to my office some contractors like to email pdf's. Some jobs I have to design build using CAD. My office is all Mac and I have to outsource my CAD work. Of course I'm in the minority but I am comforted that I use the best equipment for the job.

And yes most mechanical engineers have no idea what they are doing.

[davester]

I HATE AutoCAD. It is the most non-intuitive POS software I have to use. I wish they would find some reason to go down the tubes. Ever since they refused to go Windows until long after everyone adopted, they have dragged their feet in doing anything that hints of ease-of-use interface design. Unfortunately, some of the specialized GIS software I use has AutoCAD as the graphics engine....AAARGHH!!

[Zoidberg]

Problem is, most agencies (federal, state, local municipality) require use of AutoCAD. And not just a compatible format; their RFQ's will go so far as to say that the plans must be generated in AutoCAD, citing the specific release version.

Tantamount to saying that you have to use Microsoft Word; not just a .doc but it has to be generated in MS Word. And I can remember ages ago when RFQs cited a requirement of WordPerfect.

Lots of sites do this as well -- my wife has to have Fusion running WinXP so she can use Internet Explorer to access the state's Realtor Listing site.

So, as Plumbking says, it'd be a good thing for a Mac version to at least exist again. And, agreed wholeheartedly -- speaking as someone who's entire business is writing for engineers -- it's like Dilbert, minus the realization of humor.

[decay]

i used to support an architectural firm that had to switch from Macs (which they preferred) to PCs because the CAD software fell behind on the Mac side. nobody there wanted to give up their Mac to use an HP... but they had to.

ironically, the same firm was involved in the design of Apple stores, using PCs.

[JoeM]

I used to shutter everytime I had to provide any product graphics from an AutoCAD file for people here. That thing just renders terrible graphics no matter what you export but with Illustrator CS 3, I'm just opening the .dwg and creating nice stuff for print, etc.

Who knows what we could do if they finally ported to Mac?

[Blankity Blank]

Does AutoCAD run under Bootcamp if you have a four or eight core tower?