“I have long, long been of the opinion, that Apple (AAPL) should take a crack at the enterprise market, and in doing so, it should penetrate through the CAD / PDM niche. Apple’s extremely loyal user base of creative professionals can find a great encore in the industrial designers, mechanical designers, and architects,” Sramana Mitra writes for SeekingAlpha.
“So far, however, Apple did not look strong enough to go after the broad enterprise market. In fact, DNA-wise, I still don’t think they would,” Mitra writes. “However, Graphics and Design related applications are very much in their sweetspot, and CAD is a large enough niche, that an Autodesk-Apple partnership would be just splendid for both players!”
Mitra writes, “And today, boy, does Apple look strong!”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Nathan” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Note: Autodesk’s last release of AutoCAD for Macintosh was Release 12 in June 1992. From what we hear, AutoCAD has become a morass that’s hopelessly enmeshed with Windows; a total ground-up rewrite would be required for a Mac version of AutoCAD. By the way, Autodesk’s current market value is just $9.37 billion.
A guide to 2D/3D Graphics & Animation software for Apple Macintosh is here.
Related note: Architosh serves a worldwide audience of Macintosh-based CAD/3D and AEC professionals and students: http://www.architosh.com/
Related MacDailyNews article:
Autodesk requests AutoCAD for OS X feedback – May 05, 2003
Jareth The Goblin King: It makes no sense. Some of there programs are for mac….some not.
The partnership the article refers to is regarding AutoCAD, a huge sore spot for many people, as they dropped Mac development long ago, hurting CAD (and 3D in general) for the Mac for years. Autodesk DOES have Maya and Sketch Book Pro product lines for the Mac, but they were acquired when they bought a company called Alias, who actually seemed to be committed to Mac platform. Based on the amount of Mac products that it has, along with past history, I just don’t trust that Autodesk will hold the Mac in high regards when it comes to keeping up software version releases with their Windows counterparts. It’s almost as if they want to hold the strings to the future of 3D on the Mac.
MW: Gettin’ paid by Microsofty?
Buy Autodesk and discontinue the Windows version immediately. Same with Adobe.
HAH ! ! ! I wouldn’t be able to stop laughing.
And discontinue any plans to upgrade iTunes for Vista.
The press release from Apple should state that the Vista user base is too small to consider the expense involved for development.
What would happen if Apple bought Adobe and Autodesk?
Partnership with Autodesk wouldn’t be too bad.
“AutoCAD has become a morass that’s hopelessly enmeshed with Windows; a total ground-up rewrite would be required for a Mac version of AutoCAD”
ground-up rewrite isn’t always a bad thing. At least that’s what they should be doing in Redmond…
MW: away — as in “away from Windows-only” ???
@EX Autodesk
You base your argument is based on current capability of FCP not what is coming.
You are the stupid man if you think that FCP hasn’t undergone a complete architectural recoding. It’s not just Shake that is getting the bottom up re-arcitecture.
FCP6 and Phenomenon don’t have to compete with 10bit 4:4:4 realtime to make a very serious dent in the FFI market. Near realtime will be good enough for most people especially at a much reduced cost.
Apple and Adobe combined with staggering power at the desktop level will make Avid and Autodesk’s market a niche one at best. If it isn’t already.
You are the idiot if you think you know more than me.
I’m still waiting for my Alias Autostudio rinning on Mac. Please you Steveness paleeze!!!
I’ve been using Vectorworks (formerly MiniCad) since the mid-1990’s. Since the buyout by Nemetschek, Vectorworks import & export capability has been very good so there is very little (if any) need for me to use AutoCad. I even use Vectorworks to view .igs 3D files exported from ProEngineer.
I do wish, however, that Nemetschek would develop a CAM package for Vectorworks that would run on the Mac.
Someone is dead-on. Solidworks is the future, and AutoCAD is yesterday’s tool. Seriously. It’s the I3D software that is going to set the world on fire, as Google has already done for the masses with Sketchup.
Don’t forget PowerCADD with WildTools (http://www.engsw.com). It’s far and away the best 2D Mac Cad app. out there. My colleagues at work used to use AutoCad and now they use PowerCADD. They would never go back. Use Google SketchUp Pro for 3D.
an a/e firm which is already mac-centric implies certain intelligence which would preclude any rationalle to suddenly switch to a bloated p.o.s. autodesk product. meanwhile an a/e firm which is non-mac-centric implies certain ignorance / sheep mentality which would wholly preclude even the thought of using a mac. so neither would buy it.
I wish all the Architects out there would admit they like and want to use Macs.
Why is Autowastebasket dictating to all these once intelligent people.
One word L-E-M-M-I-N-G-S
Live life on your terms, buy a Mac – (That will be 1 Million Dollars, Steve in unmarked
bills in $9,999.00 increments to these list of 100 banks)
Just a snowy winter thought.
Been using ArchiCAD on a Mac for 12 years. Still a few things I could do on ACAD r 12 that I still miss (2D drawing stuff). Eveybody get so hung up on 3D, they forget that sometime the easiest way to illustrate something is still in 2D.
Friends that I know who are still on ACAD can attest to bloat of this program. Simple things such as drawing an elevation actually where taking longer as the program grew more advanced. It would be great to model everything in 3D, but sometime the budget or schedule does not allow for it. Don’t know about the most current version of ACAD, but I could teach a designer how to do productive 3D work in ArchiCAD within a week or less.
The sad thing is ArchiCAD is aimed at architects and their needs. ACAD is a drafting tool, that with the right modules (arch, mech, civil, struct…….), can be used by most people needing CADD/CAM software. This cross discipline usability an important reason why ACAD is so widely entrenched in the CAD world.
About four years ago, Steve Jobs and Carol Bartz stood on a stage together, and Bartz promised a Mac OS X version of Autocad. So, what’s standing in the way? In one word: insubordination. The management of the Autocad division hates the Mac, and they don’t give a shit what their CEO has promised.
-jcr
AutoCAD = Microsoft
ArchiCAD is it. Period.
Screw 2d.
If you’re drawing in 2d
you are way behind. Way behind.
Buy Autodesk and kill it.
AutoCAD = Microsoft
Great Post.. We don’t need Autocad, or Primavera P3, or any other vertical software used worldwide by professionals…. We’ll make ’em all change to Joe’s Cad and Free Plan… WOOOOO HOOOO We’re Fanboys!!!!
You know nothing about business. The company I work for has over 60,000 employees and over 30,000 PC’s…. It take months for IT to certify a piece of software before it is allowed on your machine… and they only use “Industry Standard” software, not something that’s “as good as” or “just like” the standards….
If your aren’t willing to open the OS to “Industry Standard” machines, stick with “fun stuff” like movies, music, podcasts, and your 6% of the market…..
Otherwise, continue on your dream world..
CAD for the Mac? WTF are you kidding me? You guys spend the better part of your weeks raving on about how bleeding edge Apple is and then you encourage the purchase of a dinosaur company and a product that is about as sexy as Laura Bush in a thong.
Nice one.
If u r trying to compare Autocad to Archicad u totally don’t know what u r talking about. As an Architect I used to use both of them and let me tell u u can’t use one as another. Autocad is the most necessary program for us. I wasn’t able to use a mac cos I have to work by Cad and mac doesn’t support it. If there be a mac version I would be glad to try OSX, but until then I have to stick to Windos. Sorry guys.
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