Anyone using design software on a Mac.
Just curious because I had a reader call today who said that he couldn’t find anything that ran on a Mac and that most programs that could be run through Virtual PC cause Macs to crash.
I could search the web, but I figured I get better info here.
Cheers,
Brian P.
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Replies
http://www.architosh.com/
VectorWorks (I use this)
ArchiCAD
BDA CAD
PowerCADD
Maya
Artlantis
FormZ
jim, it took u 6 minutes to post a reply. how come so long?bobl Volo, non valeo
More info:
The guys is a HO wants to design a new house for himself. Or at least play around with design ideas for a couple of years, then maybe consult an architect/builder. He said he is willing to pay for a decent program, but mentioned one that cost $5,000, and said that was out of his price range.
Now that I think about it we get a lot of inquires about design software for HOs and DYIers.
BP
this ain't cad, costs about $500, looks promising, people like it, suppose to run on macs too
http://www.sketch3d.com/training.phpbobl Volo, non valeo
sketchup is awesome.
VectorWorks starts at about a grand or so. Give or take a few hundred. Sketch-up's a nice alternative, depending on how far he's looking to take the design.
Whoops didn't see where you said the guy was a homeowner before I made my last post. Sounds like a real good canidate for Sketchup or perhaps Artiface since he'd going to turn his drawings eventually over to a architect/builder.
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Hey Cloud what is and who develops Maya? I can't place where I have heard or it before.
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AutoCad has rekindled its interest in the Mac. Apparently they're beginning to offer rudimentary support for file formats on the Mac and are taking feedback on the potential to bring the AutoCadd application back to the Mac.
That said, from what I hear, VectorWorks is the better program overall.
I don't think either of those are geared toward homeowners though.
Here's an open source OSX CAD app: http://www.qcad.org/index.php3
http://www.alias.com/eng/index.shtml
Ah yeah, okay. Hey by any chance do you recall do you remember ages ago Alias developed a program that is a lot like or could have been a precursor to what Sketchup is today?
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No. But then, I don't remember yesterday's lunch, either.
Thanks everyone, good info.
Do you think a review of design software would be a good idea for FHB?
BPIt's my job!
Brian, I use PowerCADD on a Mac. It's a 2d program, about $900. It's the closest thing I've used to hand drafting, except faster. Users of most programs will say that their programs are not as fast as hand drafting, but that the 3d capabilities and other features make them worthwhile. PowerCADD, on the other hand, is easy to learn, has a great (free) user group, and you can start producing almost immediately. The only downside is the lack of 3d.
If you want more information let me know or check out the website at http://www.engsw.com
and the user group at http://www.designcommunity.com/powercadd.html
--Mike
I'll second the recommendation to use powercaDD from engineered software - if it's a 2D only drafting substitute you're looking for, there is none better. Outstanding, easy to learn, too. My office used to use it, but we got run over by the PC/Autocad argument and have been cussing ever since.
be sure not to confuse powercaDD with powercaD by givemepower - a johnny come lately software with a plagiarized name!
Depends on your readership. I didn't get much utility out of prior CAD reviews....seem to remember one or two. Part of the problem is the target audience. What I use to design and produce plans is different than what someone needs to sketch prelim ideas of their dream house than what someone else needs for....
The information that usually gets lost is how long it takes to become proficient with most CAD....hundreds and hundreds of hours. And also, just like many pros question the capabilities of diy builders, I'll wonder aloud about if accessible software leads people to think that they can just as easily design their own house. I've not yet seen a homegrown floor plan for a dome, for example, that I couldn't redesign to achieve savings in excess of my fee and to also look more interesting (imho). But many people think that with a CAD package that draws circles, they can avoid the whole design arena and save a few grand. They won't see how many grand some of their choices might be costing them.
likely to cause some trouble
think what you said also applies to builders (no not all)
the right program can help people get their ideas across, but they aren't a silver bullet
Joe Stoddard over at JLC did an article on CAD a few months ago. I don't think FHB could do as good a job, because I think it will be difficult to find someone who could talk to most of these type programs.
an article talkinmg about CAD and programs like sketchup or that $35 program might be worthwhile if it talked about about the pitfalls etc , things like Jim said.
how ego can end up costing some one money.
these are "power" tools that can lead to "pain"bobl Volo, non valeo
Applies to builders and most (all?) professions. The pros typically know what's involved and the non-pros often don't know what they don't know. As a confirmed diy in many areas, I'm as guilty as many (but that's half the fun, too).
A sidebar on the pitfalls would be a reasonable approach. For example, the typical diy plans I see include more hallway and other dead space than they need, and that's expensive space for the utility you get from it. They include more doors, too. In my world, they also do an especially crappy job of accounting for headroom, given the curves. In Boss's world, I'd imagine he sees some things that are hard to make work with trusses, or stairs that won't fit, etc. Plus things like positioning plumbing efficiently, or allowing for efficient install of HVAC. Any of these can easily eat up savings from a design fee.
Brian I've been using Vectorworks 10 and Sketchup and I'm thrilled with both and I haven't even had a blink of a problem with either one much less a crash. You might send your reader to this page from one of my websites Macintosh CAD & Design Applications and this one on the Apple web site Macintosh in Architecture for links to some of the other stuff that is out there too. I apologize for having to blantly plug another forum while I'm in your house" so to speak but you should also send him to the Architosh forums too. They're dedicated to the Mac's use in architecture so there should be some good Mac CAD commentary there too.
Got a question for you though, when you say this guy said "he couldn't find anything that ran on a Mac and that most programs that could be run through Virtual PC cause Macs to crash. " did he say he was running a mac on OS9 or OSX. OS9 Mac may have crashed but even if the Windows DAD application this guy was running was to crash the Windows OS that was running under VirtualPC and VirtualPC was to crash too I sincerely doubt it would crash the whole Mac if it was OSX 10.2 Jaguar. If he wants to stick with the Windows CAD program and he running OS 9 he should add memory (lots of it) and the crashing problem probably wont be as severe. And even better he should switch to OSX ( and add some memory too, geez it's pretty cheap now anyway) and Virtual PC will never take out and crash his Mac then.
And even smarter that that he should switch to OSX Panther and run a real OSX application like VectorWorks or ArchiCAD. Yup Panther will be coming out in just a few more days now too. Having seen it in action this past summer at the Macworld CreativePro Expo and given how happy I been with OS X Jaguar I am really looking forward to this new OSX release. I been running Jaguar for 13 plus months now with no crashes and only one forced restart (and that happened when I was testing out an early beta version of the Safari browser) and not a problem to speak of.
Are you a Mac user? Mark is isn't he?
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I used an older version of Ashlar Vellum back when they allowed Macs at work. They've since gone to 'professional' software on wintel boxes, but I sure miss the ease and speed of Vellum. Ashlar have a OSX version of 2D software, but is a rather pricey $1K for home work.
jc
All other ideas noted.
I vote Vectorworks.
(if they really want CAD)
Suggest they start with older version and upgrade if it proves to be what they want.
Ebay will provide, once-in-awhile.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3052593208&category=3796
If it is registerable, the cost of upgrade is a significant savings.
Even this old software (Minicad 5 {later became Vectorworks} is quite capable. I started with Mincad 4 several years ago. upgraded to 8.5.
Vectorworks forum via email: There will usually be help there, even for older vesions.
patwig