topic Re: Archicad and Linux in Installation & update

Archicad and Linux

deivarch — Tue, 30 Jan 2024 10:05:33 GMT

It's been a long time since there was any discussion on the topic of Graphisoft porting to Linux. Seems like to me, it would be a very useful thing as I hate using Windows because of how horrifyingly bad the graphics are relative to screen text rendering on 4K monitors. Currently, I'm using a "Hackintosh" as my main driver as it allows me to get a high-end performance for much less money, but sometimes I have to admit it'd be easier to have Linux as drivers would actually work for all my hardware and not just 90% of it. Linux has come a long way in the ten years since the most recent post on this forum I could find on this topic and just wondered if it is time to re-open that discussion.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Bricklyne Clarence — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 04:02:38 GMT

Flogging a dead horse (IMHO).

I'm sorry to say that I just don't believe it will ever happen.
The ROI (return on investment) for Graphisoft just wouldn't justify it,

What percentage of users do you think are Linux users?
(bear in mind and consider the fact that among ALL computer users, Windows users account for anywhere between 90-94% of users, while Mac users are between 4-7% (this is TOTAL users. Among architects the share might be higher since Macs are more popular among architects and designers and creative types, but PC's are still overwhelming majority). So I'll leave you to figure what percentage of "the rest" are Linux versus Chromebook and Chrome O/S and "other".

The point here being that to port it into a different OS would require on their end to invest the resources to keep it current, to maintain any existing versions, troubleshooting issues and basically keeping a whole division running just to make sure there's a consistent standard among all the OS versions. And then you have to ask whether the number of people purchasing a Linux licence will justify (on their end) the overhead and cost of keeping this port running. My instinct says no.

They barely have a consistency in standard and quality between the Mac and Windows versions, and the Max version with such a (comparatively) smaller user base is justified in part because ArchiCAD started out as a Mac program and there's a sense that the folks at GS HQ in Budapest are huge Mac fanboys.

Effectively it would likely mean that Windows users are subsidizing the Linux ported version (just as they likely also currently are - to a lesser extent - the Mac version). But that's not really where the big issue for them would lie.

They would need to find a fair number of Linux developers and engineers to do all this, and that's not a very wide net of programmers out there from which to pick.
Which in turn probably also means that whichever they are able to get likely will cost them a premium to pay (over what they would be paying the other Windows and Mac-based developers.).

There's a reason why a lot of software firms don't have Linux versions of their programs and it isn't just that there aren't a lot of Linux users of their programs to sell to (even as big of an issue and a problem as that already is).

But I could be wrong and they could find a way to make the numbers work.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Nader Belal — Sat, 29 Feb 2020 10:17:39 GMT

There is another way, it's jankie but I´m sure you will be able to see the bright side of it

And if you don't want to compromise Linux, PC, & Mac

Re: Archicad and Linux

deivarch — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:27:44 GMT

Moonlight wrote:
There is another way, it's jankie but I´m sure you will be able to see the bright side of it

And if you don't want to compromise Linux, PC, & Mac

Love the reference to Linus. I've been on a Hackintosh for about a year now. I just worry that someday Apple is going to screw us Hackintoshers with switching to ARM processors. But yes, I've seen that video before and in a future custom built desktop, I plan to try the Linux/Hackintosh combo build he and SnazzyLabs have shown on their YouTube channels with the aim of using AMD's Ryzen Threadripper instead of the more expensive and slower Intel chips. We'll see. Thanks for the post.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Nader Belal — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:34:19 GMT

@deivarch

There're other videos for Linus for Hackintoch using Ryzen CPU, but since it would take me a lot of time to get them, I posted these as a reference ...

About Ryzen CPU being faster than Intel, well I can't comment, but since Ryzen (usually) have more cores and threads than Intel, I guess it would make a better use of them, since that ArchiCAD is multithreaded.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Nader Belal — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 17:37:27 GMT

@deivarch

I also advise you to see Techdeals on Youtube if you're going to build your PC from off the self components, he may be oriented towards gaming, but his advise about what the performance of different components and price comparison helps a lot to get more bang to your buck.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Anonymous — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 13:44:49 GMT

The problem is the question itself. How many Linux users exist? No. The question is: How many windows users that don't want windows would use Linux?and in the other hand... How many Linux users use windows for their licenced software? It thinks that last response is more than 99% in our professional environment.We all have to maintain a virtual machine, have two computers, or have a second OS with the need to restart every time we'll work on something.
The thing is, at this moment maybe it doesn't worth it. But the linux community is growing, especially for the young people. The people that will be the professional community of tomorrow. I don't know. Linux's community is full or developers that will be happy to help with the transition of the professional software to cut the last chains that bind us to windows.

Re: Archicad and Linux

mikas — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 18:44:47 GMT

I would probably love to run ArchiCAD on Linux. And there is allready a really good office suite for Linux too. But I would need to run Rhino, Solibri, Teams and TwinMotion at least on it too. I really want a seamless cloud syncronization too, and there are alternatives to DropBox, like ownCloud. I would be willing to tackle that too, if there would be all the others I mentioned available. But there aren't.

Unfortunately I have to concur with Bricklyne Clarence, that we'll never see this Linux option. I mean, at least most of us won't. Maybe the newest generation of architects will, let's give them some hope.

In this situation at the moment, after WWDC announcement, that all Macs are doing a rapid transition to ARM processor's, I need to decide what to decide with our future workstations in our company. It's not gonna be $Mac Pro, that's for $ure. It's EOL'd (end of lifed) allready, after 6+ months from it's appearance, and it costs an arm and a leg (no pun intended).

Softwarewise, I don't want to have that transition period experience anymore. I have seen two of them, and they do suck (from 68k to PPC and from PPC to Intel). Both did suck a big time. There is no announcement from graphisoft either, if they will transition their softwares quickly to ARM, or if they will ever do that. Rosetta 2 is not something I would count in. And the promise of that "Intel is still upported for years to come" - I don't believe it, it will not be supported as a viable option, at least not in practice it will.

Unfortunately there is no ArchiCAD for Linux, and most of the above mentioned vital helper programs are missing too for Linux.

So windows it will be.

For me it's good enough nowadays. And well, I don't really have a choice, do I?

That's it. We'll see how Apple is going to be ARMed later on, and I'll just think about it again - maybe, and hopefully.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Nader Belal — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 19:33:49 GMT

@mikas

What you say is true ...

On the other side, MACs or ARM processors, the same applies to all programs you have just mentioned ...

And if Apple will go full ARM, would Graphisoft mantain 3 versions of ArchiCAD (PC + MAC with Intel + MAC with ARM) !!

Re: Archicad and Linux

Florian1961 — Sat, 06 May 2023 11:33:28 GMT

I completely agree. The current percentages solely describe the status quo but not whether Windows or Mac users do that out of their own free will or for simple lack of alternatives. Perhaps it would merit for Graphisoft to conduct a survey of how big a share of their client base would like to switch to Linux if only they could.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 03:15:31 GMT

Hi, there is 2023. Is there an ArchiCAD Package for Debian/Linux?

Re: Archicad and Linux

Barry Kelly — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 03:27:28 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:

Hi, there is 2023. Is there an ArchiCAD Package for Debian/Linux?

No.

Just Windows and Mac (intel and silicon).

I wouldn't expect that to change any time soon.

It is not anywhere on the public road map that I can see.

Barry.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Anonymous — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 04:45:42 GMT

Are there any developers on the forum here that look at these threads from time to time?

Re: Archicad and Linux

Nader — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 16:43:02 GMT

Hello Everyone,

In case you were interested, I have raised this wish to Graphisoft for providing Archicad on Linux
https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Wishlist/Archicad-on-Linux/idi-p/632798

Re: Archicad and Linux

Nader — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 09:49:51 GMT

This is just a reminder for two things:
1. The wish to make Archicad work in Linux has already been raised in this link: https://community.graphisoft.com/t5/Wishlist/Archicad-on-Linux/idi-p/632798

2. The reason to ask for it is simple:

2.a. I don't want to work again on a Windows Dumpster fire

2.b. I don't want to work on a system that is a walled garden

Re: Archicad and Linux

doubleboogieblues — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:18:01 GMT

I think the best and quickest thing is to open a crowdfunding to pay some linux wine developers to implement archicad support. If there are enough interested users I think it can be done.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Lingwisyer — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 08:38:39 GMT

Even if you managed to raise enough money through crowdfunding to get a port, I doubt GS would be open to it due to concerns over prolonged quality control and support.

Your best bet, though still a long shot, would be to be like RikCAD and somehow convince GS to sell / licence you the source code to make your own unaffiliated branch. Though then how do you market something like that to last more than one version... or convince GS to keep you parallel?

Ling.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Jp1138 — Fri, 14 Mar 2025 08:41:31 GMT

I think he wasn´t talking about porting Archicad, but implementing Archicad support in Wine. Graphisoft would have no say in this.

Usually, one of the main issues for using Windows software in linux are the code keys or other protections methods. Maybe the change to cloud licenses may have done easier for Archicad to be used in linux?

Re: Archicad and Linux

doubleboogieblues — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 10:48:48 GMT

Yes, the issue with Wine is the driver used to gather hardware and system information, likely due to licensing constraints. This is a problem affecting all Nemetschek software on Wine. Only a developer can resolve it, but it’s not a priority for the community. Hence the proposal for crowdfunding.

Re: Archicad and Linux

Lingwisyer — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 01:29:01 GMT

Ah right, I completely glossed over that bit of Linux... I guess that interaction is a lot more viable as the back end would less frequently have code breaking changes. Cloud licenses are linked to your GS login right? There is no need for GS License manager or CodeMeter? So it would just come down to the container implementation?