Foo - Mac and Acad

Does anyone know how well AutoCAD runs on a Mac? Does it even run at all?

Thanks...

http://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&q=cad+for+mac
Is the general consensus i think.

You can get CAD for Macs, but I don't think AutoCad specifically runs on it...

A quick google search indicates that AutoCAD does not have a mac version. Maybe this link is of assistance?
http://www.macwindows.com/VPCautocad.html

On a side note, why do you want autocad?

Depending upon the type of design you're doing, there are more specialized packages that will do that function better than AutoCAD. Architectural programs have better features and rendering than AutoCAD. If you're doing 3D design, there are better programs that have FEA and materials database as well. The only reason I could think of to have AutoCAD is to open an existing ACAD file, and even then, you can export & import as DXF to a better package anyway.

One reason to use AutoCAD is because you already know it. Doing a quick design in AutoCAD is generally faster than learning another CAD package.

Another reason is simple 2D stuff. I use SolidWorks most of the time for mechanical design, but when I need to do a design for a steel-rule die I do it on AutoCAD. Fast, easy, and painlessly exports the DXF that the die shop wants.

Of course, for 3D solid modeling I no longer use AutoCAD - there are much better programs out there these days for that. Many of them will even open native AutoCAD DWGs. Unfortunately the majority of them won't run on a Mac (nor will AutoCAD, as has been pointed out), so the OP may be limited in which program to choose.

On a side note, why do you want autocad?

I don't want AutoCAD. I want a Mac. I use AutoCAD for Architectural plans. So looks like a Mac is out of the question. Using another CAD software doesnt cut it since many architects use AutoCAD...

Learn to love vectorworks. :(

If you have a Intel Mac, you can run AutoCAD by having Windows running through the Parallels Desktop (http://www.parallels.com/en/products/desktop/). This lets you have Windows running simultaneously inside of OSX and any Windows programs you're running in it thinks it's in Windows only. There are stripped down versions of WinXP (XPlite) that runs much quicker than normal Windows that you can use. A lot of the unnecessary services like firewall, IPsec, networking, etc. have been removed since that's handled by the OSX environment.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e346/DannoXYZ/ComputerTech/Parallels-OSXWindowsXP.gif

A common way people use this configuration is to have dual screens. One screen has the Mac OSX environment and the other is Windows. Or with single screens, you can have multiple desktops and switch between them (think sides of a cube that you rotate). Check out this video: Fast OS Switching (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQn2i9QzRqo)

Yeah, Autocad under parallels is great if you've got a ton of memory and still don't mind swapping way too often.

Dual-boot with XP, if you really want AutoCAD. However, I am sort of a fan of IBM CATIA [1], which rocks on AIX, and there may be Mac version. As a fallback, CATIA runs on XP, so you can try that as an alternative to AutoCAD.

[1]: Computer Aided Three-D Interactive Application... love those IBM names, but IBM rarely makes junk, and you can bet your company on their software.

Have you tried Chief architect? They got it at school, it's a big hit with the architectural students

Why is everybody trying to convert people. gosh. If you have invested your time and effort in a complex piece of software package you know it and trying to convert somebody to another is pure stupidity. Damned Zealots. It's a yes or no question not a "well use this and ..."

Why is everybody trying to convert people. gosh. If you have invested your time and effort in a complex piece of software package you know it and trying to convert somebody to another is pure stupidity. Damned Zealots. It's a yes or no question not a "well use this and ..."
:lol: