Autodesk returning to the Mac?!

[owen]

First there is a Mac version of Autodesk Image Modeller and now Autodesk is surveying Mac users to help them 'shape the next generation of AutoCAD products for the Apple OS X operating system'.

More on this at WorldCAD Access

What is going on? Isn't this the little-known 8th sign of the apocalypse?

Regarding that blog post - i actually find it quite amusing. That the blogger and/or Autodesk would consider that AutoCAD could compete with ArchiCAD shows they really must not get it AT ALL. A Mac version of Revit on the other hand would be a different story .. but i thought unlikely to happen due to all the Windows frameworks it is based on (i.e would basically require a rewrite). I assume this is not the case with AutoCAD?

[vistasp]

owen wrote:
That the blogger and/or Autodesk would consider that AutoCAD could compete with ArchiCAD shows they really must not get it AT ALL. A Mac version of Revit on the other hand would be a different story .. but i thought unlikely to happen due to all the Windows frameworks it is based on (i.e would basically require a rewrite). I assume this is not the case with AutoCAD?

As far as I know, AutoCAD is quite tied in with the Windows APIs (unaware as to Revit's innards). It would probably be a primitive first version (if it ever comes to fruit) but one can't write them off on this kind of thing - AutoDesk certainly have the resources. Whether they think the market is big enough to make the investment is what will decide their course of action.

Ralph Grabowski is an old-timer in the CAD world -- I'm sure he knows the difference between electronic drafting and BIM/Virtual Building. 😉

[owen]

vistasp wrote:
Ralph Grabowski is an old-timer in the CAD world -- I'm sure he knows the difference between electronic drafting and BIM/Virtual Building. 😉

I had an idea he has been around for a while. I suppose i should have distinguished between his position (unstated) and what he thought Autodesk may do:

'From the survey, we can get an idea of what the first (second, actually) version of AutoCAD for the Mac might not have:

No paper space.
No command line.
No 3D modeling or editing.
Fewer APIs, or none at all.
Running in emulation mode (Boot Camp, Parallels Desktop, or VMware Fusion)
One option is to have an LT-like product for the Mac, initially. From the survey, we learn that Autodesk considers MicroStation, Ashlar, ArchiCAD, VectorWorks, PowerCADD, and SketchUp its primary competitors. Notably, Siemens' NX is missing from the list.'

So i guess i find the thought of releasing a 2D 'LT' version of AutoCad for mac when you consider predominantly 3D-based apps as your competitors funny. Or they just don't get it .. but i am sure they do, which makes the thought just plain puzzling.

anyway .. this is a long way off if it ever comes to fruition. But they certainly have the resources to do it properly if they so chose.

[Anonymous]

Autodesk is trying to suck the oxygen out of the non-Autodesk ecosystem.

It's brilliant. Take every add-on product with promise and buy it. Ecotect is one.

Now the only place gain ground is the Mac as it is fertile ground for competing products.

Again. what is Nemetschek doing to stem the tide?

[owen]

Autodesk developing for the Mac can only be a good thing IMO ... it will just put more pressure on Graphisoft if they do not have a customer base they know Autodesk cannot really get to. I would be interested to see what percentage of ArchiCAD users are on Macs, I have a feeling it is much higher than general Mac usage in AEC.

The other good thing is i really do not like going back to Windows to run programs, and AC may not always be my main BIM package .. so if this means i won't have to switch then great.

but you do pose a good question .. what is Nemetschek doing. Seems pretty incoherent at the moment doesn't it...

[Anonymous]

Autodesk just wants to dominate the market. They could care less about the Mac. Play with the latest Mac beta of Rhino if you want to see how much work it is. I don't think the economics make sense.

As Vaporware though, it makes lots of sense.

[owen]

william235711 wrote:
Autodesk just wants to dominate the market. They could care less about the Mac. Play with the latest Mac beta of Rhino if you want to see how much work it is. I don't think the economics make sense.

As Vaporware though, it makes lots of sense.

Don't get me wrong, i am completely aware Autodesks objective is a state where they are the only CAD vendor and we all have to pay them a monthly fee for the privilege of using their software (and you can forget about owning it outright).

Maybe i am being naive but I think Graphisoft has a different approach which is to their advantage (cooperation rather than domination). I would say proportionally there are a lot more unhappy Autodesk customers than Graphisoft customers (despite all the grumbling we do).

The fact that Graphisoft has sucessfully managed to develop for both platforms shows it can be done, and so in principle i do not see why it would be any different for Autodesk if they chose to enter the Mac market. They have however made a number of software development decisions that would make life a lot more difficult on the Mac, and so for this reason you may well be right and the economics just wouldn't work out.

I actually suspect the impetus for this is the growing number of Windows users (i.e existing Autodesk customers) contemplating switching to OS X rather than existing Mac users wanting to use Autodesk products.

[Rob]

I actually suspect the impetus for this is the growing number of Windows users (i.e existing Autodesk customers) contemplating switching to OS X rather than existing Mac users wanting to use Autodesk products.

Yep, that's what I would say too.

I do not believe Adesk is serious about going to OSX especially when they decided to ditch OpenGL for DX in the latest Revit release...

[owen]

Rob wrote:
I do not believe Adesk is serious about going to OSX especially when they decided to ditch OpenGL for DX in the latest Revit release...

Yep .. and thats why this may well all be just talk. From the sounds of it Microsoft technologies are pretty well embedded in all recent Autodesk products (AutoCAD included). If it means they essentially have to write a whole new app for OS X then i guess it would not make sense (they certainly have the pockets for it though)

[drh64]

Does anyone remember using AutoCAD on the Mac SE/Plus back in the late 80's? It was a turd program and they discontinued after 2 years....