I have been using Powercad for over 10 years on Mac. I have had very few problems overall. It costs initially $1,200. With yearly updates around $400. Compare that to others.
I do strictly 2-D drawings. Unlike ACAD, you can change scale at any time.
You know exactly how output will look, especially with multiple scales. The full integration with all of macs software is key for me. Drag and drop is not a good part of XP. How many remember the service pack 2 debacle. I have never had that with the Macs. Even with the relative simplicity of Powercad, I don't use half the functions. This program was most like ClarisCad that I started with 15 years ago.
Click to expand. Are you doing serious 3d in AutoCad?
What's your computer setup? I've been running AutoCad 2007 through VMWare Fusion on my iMac (24' iMac, 4 gigs ram) and let me tell you that I often forget that I am running it in a window. I am only doing 2d work (large jobs though) and I notice no difference than if I was running it on a PC.
I think the ram is a huge difference maker (and I only set Fusion to use 2.5 gigs ram in windows, 1.5 gigs in mac). As another poster said, try SketchUp. AWESOME prgram - easily my favorite.
I do all my 3d in there. I've been teaching myself to use ArchiCad so that someday I can drop windows altogether.
Click to expand. I have never, ever heard of this app! I've been using AutoCad (and briefly learned a little DataCAD way back when) since my freshman year of high school ('95). I became a bit of a pro while in high school and actually taught a new teacher how to use the program (to then teach the class on how to use the program!). Been using AutoCad throughout college, where I then learned about SketchUp when it first came out - been sold on that ever since.
Since moving to the mac a few years ago, I've always needed to keep a pc for AutoCad and every firm I've ever worked for uses AutoCad (and the Architects didn't really even know how to use the program!). Now I am part of a new firm, I almost have my architect's license (just need to take that damned exam!), I have my own office and I make all the computer and software decisions (quite nice since I've decided on an all mac approach).
As said in an earlier post, I use AutoCad in a window in VMWare Fusion and it works quite well - but windows just makes me sad. Been teaching myself some ArchiCad on the side (awesome program, very expensive). Where the hell did HighDesign come from?? I have NEVER heard of this. I just downloaded the demo and I was instantly impressed!
I will definitely be buying this very soon to see what I can do with just this program (almost all out work is 2d). It's going to be a great long weekend as I am installing this demo on my macbook and I will be fooling around with it while I visit the parents all weekend. If Slumbercub and skd can offer me any advice or any info/help with the program it would be very, very appreciated! Here's a link to the demo - I suggest the OP give it a try. I have never, ever heard of this app!
I've been using AutoCad (and briefly learned a little DataCAD way back when) since my freshman year of high school ('95). I became a bit of a pro while in high school and actually taught a new teacher how to use the program (to then teach the class on how to use the program!). Been using AutoCad throughout college, where I then learned about SketchUp when it first came out - been sold on that ever since.
Since moving to the mac a few years ago, I've always needed to keep a pc for AutoCad and every firm I've ever worked for uses AutoCad (and the Architects didn't really even know how to use the program!). Now I am part of a new firm, I almost have my architect's license (just need to take that damned exam!), I have my own office and I make all the computer and software decisions (quite nice since I've decided on an all mac approach). As said in an earlier post, I use AutoCad in a window in VMWare Fusion and it works quite well - but windows just makes me sad. Been teaching myself some ArchiCad on the side (awesome program, very expensive). Where the hell did HighDesign come from?? I have NEVER heard of this.
I just downloaded the demo and I was instantly impressed! I will definitely be buying this very soon to see what I can do with just this program (almost all out work is 2d). It's going to be a great long weekend as I am installing this demo on my macbook and I will be fooling around with it while I visit the parents all weekend.
If Slumbercub and skd can offer me any advice or any info/help with the program it would be very, very appreciated! Here's a link to the demo - I suggest the OP give it a try. HighDesign slabman - don't know what you're doing, but I import dwg files all the time. Use the Users forum at the HighDesign web site for any questions. Or you can email HighDesign support, they're really good at getting back with answers.
IKwick7 - HighDesign was developed by some Italian architects and is IMO the most progressive 2D software available. Especially for the high end residential architecture I do. It took me about a month to make the complete transition from acad to HighDesign.
Though I am in a good position where if engineers, surveyors, other designers want to work with me they have to adapt to the software I use. Feel free to visit my website -to either view some of my work or get my contact info. Slabman - don't know what you're doing, but I import dwg files all the time. Use the Users forum at the HighDesign web site for any questions.
Or you can email HighDesign support, they're really good at getting back with answers. IKwick7 - HighDesign was developed by some Italian architects and is IMO the most progressive 2D software available. Especially for the high end residential architecture I do.
It took me about a month to make the complete transition from acad to HighDesign. Though I am in a good position where if engineers, surveyors, other designers want to work with me they have to adapt to the software I use. Feel free to visit my website -to either view some of my work or get my contact info. Click to expand.Where at? That's where I went. As far as modeling goes, I could never get into 3d max - and I hated the professors that tried to push it down our throats. There really push that program at NJIT.
There are a few alternatives. Have you ever tried SketchUp?
That is, by far, my program of choice. I do all my 3d modeling in there and there are some GREAT post production, hand drawn styles to that program for outputting your work. As for some realistic rendering, I still do ALL my 3d modeling in SketchUp and then export to a free program such as Kerkythea, which is now available on the Mac.
It has a bit of a learning curve to it though. For most of my projects - I start a project in SketchUp because I find it easier to communicate with my clients in 3D during the conceptual stage. Then after I have approval for the design from the clients I prepare the 2D drawings (architectural & structural) in HighDesign. I have acad loaded on my computer and run it thru bootcamp. I used acad for over 20 yrs.
I made the switch to apple computers for my office three years ago. At first after the switch I would use both HighDesign and acad, now I rarely used acad. I use acad mainly to view drawing files that are given to me by clients or engineers. The bottom line is that by using apple computers and mac software my business is more profitable. Mac Cad I have been using Powercad on Mac for 15 years.
It is now getting close to $900 for a workstation with base program and Wild Tools add on. I use it because I can train someone to use it in a couple of hours. No extra commands that you don't use every day. You can use this program with the least expensive Mac you can buy.
This can't be said for autocad users. I sometimes think that I should have a 3-d program, but I have very few clients that would pay to spend the additional time required to do 3-d. However, BIM is here to stay and 3-d is an integral part of that.
I have had more clients ask me for a material take off, than 3-d views. Powercad and other 2-d programs are going to have to head that way to remain relevant. I maybe done practicing by then.
By Kenneth Wong A recent Autodesk is conducting to gauge people’s interest in AutoCAD on Mac (see Autodesk blogger Shaan Hurley’s post ) revived the decade-old discussion that has been circulating in the bulletin boards and support forums for years: Would you like to run your favorite CAD software on Mac? While architecture CAD users have been blessed with various dual-platform products (Graphisoft ArchiCAD and Nemetschek’s Vectorworks, to name but two), most mechanical CAD users are confined to Windows.
Nearly all leading 3D MCAD programs—Autodesk Inventor, Pro/ENGINEER, SolidWorks, and Solid Edge—have been developed exclusively for PC. Since Apple’s introduction of, those working in Mac OS X (Leopard) have been able to install and run Windows applications within Mac’s operating environment. But the demand for storage space is a hindrance for some. (In addition to the software you want to run, you’ll need to install the Windows OS in your Mac.) For others, running Windows apps in Bootcamp is less than ideal; they want to be able to run CAD software directly from the Mac OS environment, as a Mac application. So, naturally, Autodesk’s inquiry into AutoCAD for Mac stirred up questions about the availability of other 3D programs for Mac.
Autodesk’s Mac flirtation Autodesk is no stranger to Mac. The company’s media and entertainment division houses dual-platform products like Autodesk Maya (animation and visual effects) and Autodesk Mudbox (3D sculpting and texturing). But its primary manufacturing software packages—AutoCAD and Autodesk Inventor—are available only for Windows. The last version of AutoCAD for Mac dated back to the 1990s (Release 12). This year, Autodesk released the first version of Autodesk Alias, a 3D modeling and surfacing package, for the Mac platform, suggesting the design software maker is warming up to Mac again. At Autodesk technology evangelist Shaan Hurley’s blog, many readers greeted the AutoCAD for Mac survey with enthusiasm. “Please, release even a light version of AutoCAD for OS X,” pleaded one reader.
“Everybody wants it! AutoCAD runs on OS X; it’s so logical and obvious I don’t know what they are waiting for,” wrote another.
Cad Cny Cad For Mac
SolidWorks for Mac Petition In 1999, one SolidWorks user, Dominik Hoffmann, single-handedly launched a to get SolidWorks to develop a Mac version. He wrote, “With Apple continuing to deliver screaming-fast hardware in their G4 line of computers and the new Mac OS X’s Unix underpinnings, the Macintosh would be an excellent platform for the SolidWorks 3D CAD system. By porting SolidWorks to Mac OS X, SolidWorks could truly make their flagship ‘The Standard in 3D’ Modeling Software in eliminating its single-platform limitation.” The 10-year-old petition has since been rediscovered. The total signatures collected now stands at 4,578. (On April 9, it stood at 4,403. Online discussions referencing Hoffmann’s petition undoubtedly contributed to the sudden increase of endorsements in the recent weeks). Alas, Hoffmann and other SolidWorks users may not see a Mac version anytime soon.
Jeff Ray, SolidWorks CEO, explained, “We’ve always been market-driven. When the market votes to do engineering design on Mac, we’ll be there. So far, the market hasn’t voted that way. That doesn’t mean it won’t change—I’m sure the day will come when we port SolidWorks to Mac. But that day isn’t today.” (For the complete interview, click.) Gavin McKeown, a CAD user and a visitor to Desktop Engineering’s Web site, characterized market demand as the classic chicken and egg problem.
“Vendors like to take their cues from the market, but there won’t be a groundswell unless a few daring vendors are willing to test the water with a new product.” Tony Bishop, an aviation engineer and the cofounder of, noted, “My business is a Mac shop, and we run SolidWorks under Bootcamp.We might well go to Solid Edge when Siemens PLM Software does its Mac port.” NX for Mac Siemens PLM Software (known as UGS previously) has been working on a Mac-compatible version of its high-end CAD program NX since 2005-2006, but it hasn’t materialized so far. According to PLM World blog, associated with Siemens PLM Software user conference PLM World, NX 6 for Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) could be delayed till 2011. “Mac OS X version of next NX release remains in limbo since Microsoft has dropped VBA from the latest Mac OS X version of Office. NX is not commercially viable without built-in spreadsheet support since Excel VBAs are needed to enable spreadsheets in NX,” wrote blogger Bob Brandenstein, a regular contributor to PLM World blog. Since then, Siemens might have found a way to overcome the development hurdles. According to the announcement from Siemens dated February 2009, NX for Mac is back on track, slated to make a splash at PLM World conference this June. Siemens PLM Software’s midrange CAD package Solid Edge, however, has never been made available for Mac.
PTC’s Pro/ENGINEER remains exclusive to Windows. The company once offered its product Pro/CONCEPT on Mac, but it only offers Windows and Linux versions now. Even if he doesn’t plan to green-light SolidWorks for Mac anytime soon, SolidWorks Ray acknowledged, “Things just move faster in a Mac. In theory, a solid-modeler on Mac should be a high-performance product, because Mac optimizes the hardware and the software.” For more MCAD news, watch the.