[cad-linux] Re: Wine intellicad

In a message dated 7/15/2002 10:35:07 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
mrjive@xxxxxxxxx writes:


> hi everyone!
> 
> it seems great to get cad applications work fine with wine or similar,
> but to me it does make not sense in the long run...
> it could be useful for time to time jobs, but how can you think to use
> this seriously in your everyday work?
> 
> and then, is it possible that no one can write a really good cad
> application running on linux? or a good port?
> i heard of a linux port of archicad, but only in japanese (at the moment
> and cannot find the URL...)
> 
> if our future destinated to be painful? ;-))
> 
> 

My own opinion (probably not worth much more than two cents, but here it is 
anyway).  As long as most computers come installed with MS windows what 
software company in its right mind is going to support another operating 
system?  I don't think it is so much a matter of no one can port a cad 
program to linux, but rather no one thinks they can make money at it. 

Another real problem is the definition of "good cad program".  I know full 
well that my definition of good; 2D drafting, user programming capability, 
the ability to read (and only read) acad 3d drawings is wholly unacceptable 
to many subscribers to this list.  Autodesk has its way with the technical 
community because they are serving a fairly small user base and I believe 
that few (if any) companies are willing to make the investment necessary to 
grab a piece of this market for a reward that can only be a small piece of a 
small pie.  I am afraid that there are even fewer Linux users looking for cad 
applications.  With a relatively small user base I believe that to be 
successful it would be necessary that a CAD program include every feature 
that every potential user could possibly want.  It makes no sense to market 
to a niche of what is already a niche market.  If you accept my premise then 
your CAD program would need to be both very large and very complex - which of 
course translates to expensive. 

My own opinion is that if Linux users want a cad application we are going to 
need to do it ourselves.  The problem of course is that we all have day jobs, 
families and other interests.  I truly hope I am wrong, but I believe that 
our future is indeed destined to be painful.  It dosen't mean we can't try 
though.  

Andy

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