On Feb 9, 2004, at 2:25 PM, Damon L. Chesser wrote:
This is the first time I have to disagree with you S. Keeling. Users
of CAD (espe. AutoCad) realy have to use windose. No maker of
professional CAD is porting to linux. I know a shop here that builds
buildings and they all use Autocad. Their SysAdmin has set up a RH
server, but all workstations are win. There simply is no choice in
the matter, not yet.
I could have sworn VariCAD had a native Linux port? Not sure. Yep,
see below.
I don't think Mr. Keeling's comments were directed at specialized
software users such as the users of AutoCAD. It is a rather simple
process to install AutoCAD on machines that *NEVER* have public
network access to keep their other Microsoft applications from being
attacked by small applications teenagers write in their spare time.
His comments were directed at Microsoft's products, not AutoCAD.
I would think that if a large percentage of AutoCAD's users and
purchasers (i.e. your corporation's leadership) simply stated in
writing to AutoCAD that their goals were to stop running Windows
platform machines in the near future, AutoCAD would have more fire
under them to port the software to another OS. Especially if they
stated that they're looking at alternatives right now.
A quick Google turned up these:
www.linuxcad.com
www.varicad.com
www.cadsoft.de -- This is their Eagle PCB board layout software, not
full CAD capability, but it's VERY highly regarded as one of the best
board layout packages available today. Very configurable -- I use it.
http://www.ribbonsoft.com/qcad.html
http://www.ac3d.org/
http://www.cycas.de/
http://www.welcomehome.org/senecass/software/dome46.tar.gz
There are *always* alternatives. Understanding that you may have a
lot invested (a rediculous amount, really -- if you're paying their
usual rates) in AutoCAD makes realizing why you stick with it more
understandable.
However, my point here is that Mr. Keeling is frustrated with the
extreme lack of attention to software security in everything Microsoft
builds. This is changing, as their clients demand better -- and
hopefully someday the companies that are experiencing massive outages
due to virii/worms will figure out that having to add software to all
of their systems to protect against bad software design at the lowest
level... i.e. the computer's operating system... is a rediculous added
expense they can neither justify nor should they have to. They really
should be able to *DEMAND* decent quality secure software and get it
at this point in the computing timeline.
Nate Duehr, nate@natetech.com