AutoCAD dominates the AEC CAD market. This dominance has a profound impact on hardware- and software-buying decisions, even among devoted Macintosh users.
There are excellent companies that serve the Macintosh AEC community—notably Graphisoft, Nemetschek, and auto-des-sys—but the heavyweights of AEC, Autodesk and Bentley, abandoned the Macintosh and other platforms when it became clear that Windows would dominate the engineering workstation market.
Apple’s OS X operating system and G5 computers have generated much interest and excitement. Macintosh users view this as a sign that Apple has regained a level of technical superiority over Windows/Intel. But many users in AEC are still unable to re-evaluate the Macintosh as a platform, because of the lack of AutoCAD for the Macintosh, and problems with the current state of file interoperability.
As a result, those who prefer Macintosh computers must still use Windows to remain competitive.
Architosh is a website serving the community of architects and designers with an interest in the Macintosh. More than 2,800 Architosh readers submitted their views on OS X and AutoCAD in response to an Architosh survey.
While the population of respondents was biased by self-selection with an interest in the Macintosh, the answers provide a detailed picture of their perceptions, including their buying intentions if an OS X version of AutoCAD were to become available.
This white paper summarizes those views, and presents our findings, along with our answers to the following three questions:
1. What is the nature of the current and prospective demand for AutoCAD on the Macintosh?
2. What are the prospects of Autodesk meeting that demand?
3. What alternatives to a Macintosh version of AutoCAD would meet the needs of the AEC design community?
Our conclusions:
1. There is a real demand for AutoCAD on the Macintosh. No other solution allows for complete bi-directional compatibility with AutoCAD without imposing constraints or a management burden on the architect’s clients.
2. There are many obstacles to Autodesk releasing a Macintosh version of AutoCAD. They are not insurmountable, but raise the question as to whether Autodesk is willing to make that level of commitment.
3. It is clear from this survey that DWF alone would not meet the AutoCAD needs of the Macintosh AEC community.
Buy this white paper now.
(Note: Cost includes an online subscription to A-E-C Automation Newsletter.)
