Technology in Architectural Practice

Anyone have any experience using AutoCAD LT for Mac? I'm interested to know whether it is a viable option for commercial and residential architecture, or if Windows is still the only adequate operating system to run AutoCAD. I haven't been able to come up with much, in terms of reviews. Anything would be helpful and appreciated.

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Jeremy

Consider Power Cadd and their plug-in 3d program into2space. Twenty five years of experience with macs and 15 years with power cadd. Works great with large scale projects and translates into dwgs for autocadd  sharing.
May not be best if in Lion OS. 
You'll like the price, support and graphic capabilities.
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Robert Ashley AIA
DA Architects, LLC
Summerville SC
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No experience with LT, but I did install AutoCAD (full version) on my iMac and it runs well and feels familiar. Although I'm used to running AutoCAD Architecture on a PC, the Mac interface works just fine. If you are used to working on a Mac, AND in LT (on a PC) and not one of the specific AutoCAD suites, you should get along just fine.

I run my Mac on a Windows network. The Macs connect to the Windows network resources much easier than PCs. I haven't plotted as I outsource any large format printing.

It is about time we had AutoCAD again for the Mac.

-------------------------------------------
Gordon Rogers AIA
Rocklin CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-12-2011 10:28
From: Robert Ashley
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac


Consider Power Cadd and their plug-in 3d program into2space. Twenty five years of experience with macs and 15 years with power cadd. Works great with large scale projects and translates into dwgs for autocadd  sharing.
May not be best if in Lion OS. 
You'll like the price, support and graphic capabilities.
-------------------------------------------
Robert Ashley AIA
DA Architects, LLC
Summerville SC
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Carl Blum AIA
Owner
Carl P. Blum Architect
Morgan City LA
-------------------------------------------

Vectorworks has been our CAD program of choice for many years.  Reads and writes dwg files from our consultants and is easy to use and to learn.  Great update each year and ownership cost is a fraction of AutoCAD.  It is a cross-platform program but it is optimized for the Mac.  We run it on Macbook Pros and I-Macs with a Canon large format plotter.

One more question.  When will AIA recognize that many members use Macs and deserve access to AIA Document software just like all PC dues paying members?  We had to purchase Windows, Parallels and Office for PC to be able to run the crappy software that AIA created for our standard documents.  Is anyone else as perturbed as I am about this situation.





Original Message:
Sent: 11-14-2011 09:33
From: Gordon Rogers
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac

No experience with LT, but I did install AutoCAD (full version) on my iMac and it runs well and feels familiar. Although I'm used to running AutoCAD Architecture on a PC, the Mac interface works just fine. If you are used to working on a Mac, AND in LT (on a PC) and not one of the specific AutoCAD suites, you should get along just fine.

I run my Mac on a Windows network. The Macs connect to the Windows network resources much easier than PCs. I haven't plotted as I outsource any large format printing.

It is about time we had AutoCAD again for the Mac.

-------------------------------------------
Gordon Rogers AIA
Rocklin CA
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I agree with Carl that Vectorworks is a strong solution, spanning both BIM and CAD workflows. The project I showed in the recent TAP webinar was done in Vectorworks, on a laptop for the most part: http://is.gd/cA8ty8
-------------------------------------------
François Lévy, AIA, AIAA
M.Arch, MSE
Author, BIM in Small-Scale Sustainable Design
http://is.gd/UJPFta

http://www.francoislevy.com
Twitter: @Francois_Levy

702 San Antonio Street
Austin, TX 78701
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2011 00:35
From: Carl Blum
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac



-------------------------------------------
Carl Blum AIA
Owner
Carl P. Blum Architect
Morgan City LA
-------------------------------------------

Vectorworks has been our CAD program of choice for many years.  Reads and writes dwg files from our consultants and is easy to use and to learn.  Great update each year and ownership cost is a fraction of AutoCAD.  It is a cross-platform program but it is optimized for the Mac.  We run it on Macbook Pros and I-Macs with a Canon large format plotter.

One more question.  When will AIA recognize that many members use Macs and deserve access to AIA Document software just like all PC dues paying members?  We had to purchase Windows, Parallels and Office for PC to be able to run the crappy software that AIA created for our standard documents.  Is anyone else as perturbed as I am about this situation.





Original Message:
Sent: 11-14-2011 09:33
From: Gordon Rogers
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac

No experience with LT, but I did install AutoCAD (full version) on my iMac and it runs well and feels familiar. Although I'm used to running AutoCAD Architecture on a PC, the Mac interface works just fine. If you are used to working on a Mac, AND in LT (on a PC) and not one of the specific AutoCAD suites, you should get along just fine.

I run my Mac on a Windows network. The Macs connect to the Windows network resources much easier than PCs. I haven't plotted as I outsource any large format printing.

It is about time we had AutoCAD again for the Mac.

-------------------------------------------
Gordon Rogers AIA
Rocklin CA
-------------------------------------------

Has anyone tried DraftSight? If you are only going to use AutoCAD in 2D, then don't spend the money and get Draft Sight. Its free and its the same as AutoCAD. Install it and take a look, the interface will be very familiar. It works on Windows, Linux and Mac. I have it installed on my iMac and I also installed it on Suse Linux. I opened DWGs that I have been working on and it has no problems. Its nice to have a CAD program on a platform other than Windows. 

Link:
http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/overview/

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Daniel Guich, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP
Project Architect
STUDIOS architecture
San Francisco, CA

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Original Message:
Sent: 11-16-2011 09:29
From: Francois Levy
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac

I agree with Carl that Vectorworks is a strong solution, spanning both BIM and CAD workflows. The project I showed in the recent TAP webinar was done in Vectorworks, on a laptop for the most part: http://is.gd/cA8ty8
-------------------------------------------
François Lévy, AIA, AIAA
M.Arch, MSE
Author, BIM in Small-Scale Sustainable Design
http://is.gd/UJPFta

http://www.francoislevy.com
Twitter: @Francois_Levy

702 San Antonio Street
Austin, TX 78701
-------------------------------------------







Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2011 00:35
From: Carl Blum
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac



-------------------------------------------
Carl Blum AIA
Owner
Carl P. Blum Architect
Morgan City LA
-------------------------------------------

Vectorworks has been our CAD program of choice for many years.  Reads and writes dwg files from our consultants and is easy to use and to learn.  Great update each year and ownership cost is a fraction of AutoCAD.  It is a cross-platform program but it is optimized for the Mac.  We run it on Macbook Pros and I-Macs with a Canon large format plotter.

One more question.  When will AIA recognize that many members use Macs and deserve access to AIA Document software just like all PC dues paying members?  We had to purchase Windows, Parallels and Office for PC to be able to run the crappy software that AIA created for our standard documents.  Is anyone else as perturbed as I am about this situation.

-------------------------------------------
Philip S. Wheelock, Jr. AIA
Wheelock Associates Architects
Uxbridge, MA
-------------------------------------------

I've used Vectorworks since 1994 and it serves my needs well at a reasonable price. All project drawings are derived from 3D models - the process saves lots of time for elevations, sections, and general drawing coordination.

The fact that Apple computers continue to be relegated to second-class status in terms of AIA documents suggests that significant parts of the AIA remain mired in the 20th century.



Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2011 00:35
From: Carl Blum
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac



-------------------------------------------
Carl Blum AIA
Owner
Carl P. Blum Architect
Morgan City LA
-------------------------------------------

Vectorworks has been our CAD program of choice for many years.  Reads and writes dwg files from our consultants and is easy to use and to learn.  Great update each year and ownership cost is a fraction of AutoCAD.  It is a cross-platform program but it is optimized for the Mac.  We run it on Macbook Pros and I-Macs with a Canon large format plotter.

One more question.  When will AIA recognize that many members use Macs and deserve access to AIA Document software just like all PC dues paying members?  We had to purchase Windows, Parallels and Office for PC to be able to run the crappy software that AIA created for our standard documents.  Is anyone else as perturbed as I am about this situation.

I send a message regarding the AIA Contract Document software every year when I renew, and have submitted comments with my AIA membership renewal. I have yet to get a response, and obviously the software hasn't been updated yet.

Not only should there be a Mac version available, but it should be available for iPad as well. We need 21st century software for 21st century tools. 



-------------------------------------------
Soren Simonsen AIA
Community Studio
Salt Lake City UT
-------------------------------------------







Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2011 00:35
From: Carl Blum
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac



-------------------------------------------
Carl Blum AIA
Owner
Carl P. Blum Architect
Morgan City LA
-------------------------------------------

Vectorworks has been our CAD program of choice for many years.  Reads and writes dwg files from our consultants and is easy to use and to learn.  Great update each year and ownership cost is a fraction of AutoCAD.  It is a cross-platform program but it is optimized for the Mac.  We run it on Macbook Pros and I-Macs with a Canon large format plotter.

One more question.  When will AIA recognize that many members use Macs and deserve access to AIA Document software just like all PC dues paying members?  We had to purchase Windows, Parallels and Office for PC to be able to run the crappy software that AIA created for our standard documents.  Is anyone else as perturbed as I am about this situation.





Original Message:
Sent: 11-14-2011 09:33
From: Gordon Rogers
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac

No experience with LT, but I did install AutoCAD (full version) on my iMac and it runs well and feels familiar. Although I'm used to running AutoCAD Architecture on a PC, the Mac interface works just fine. If you are used to working on a Mac, AND in LT (on a PC) and not one of the specific AutoCAD suites, you should get along just fine.

I run my Mac on a Windows network. The Macs connect to the Windows network resources much easier than PCs. I haven't plotted as I outsource any large format printing.

It is about time we had AutoCAD again for the Mac.

-------------------------------------------
Gordon Rogers AIA
Rocklin CA
-------------------------------------------

Carl:

Don't hold your breath on AIA contract software for Macs.  It's been a long-standing request.  I know I asked about it 7+ years ago.  They should have made the Contract software run off a cross-platform database such as  FileMaker, but instead chose a rather poorly conceived plug-in to Word.
I will be having a chance to provide input on whatever AIA is planning for the next generation of contract software.  Hopefully a Mac version will come out of that.

-------------------------------------------
Andrew Caldwell AIA
Sr Architect/Designer
URS Corporation
Washington DC
-------------------------------------------







Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2011 00:35
From: Carl Blum
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac

One more question.  When will AIA recognize that many members use Macs and deserve access to AIA Document software just like all PC dues paying members?  We had to purchase Windows, Parallels and Office for PC to be able to run the crappy software that AIA created for our standard documents.  Is anyone else as perturbed as I am about this situation.

We have the same problem with MasterSpec by ARCOM: poorly written software that gets even worse on the MAC side, if they've even ported it over. Yes, Carl, I find it perturbing too.

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Kent Dombach
Building Technology Consultant
Lansdowne PA
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-21-2011 08:11
From: Andy Caldwell
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac

Carl:

Don't hold your breath on AIA contract software for Macs.  It's been a long-standing request.  I know I asked about it 7+ years ago.  They should have made the Contract software run off a cross-platform database such as  FileMaker, but instead chose a rather poorly conceived plug-in to Word.
I will be having a chance to provide input on whatever AIA is planning for the next generation of contract software.  Hopefully a Mac version will come out of that.

-------------------------------------------
Andrew Caldwell AIA
Sr Architect/Designer
URS Corporation
Washington DC
-------------------------------------------







Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2011 00:35
From: Carl Blum
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac

One more question.  When will AIA recognize that many members use Macs and deserve access to AIA Document software just like all PC dues paying members?  We had to purchase Windows, Parallels and Office for PC to be able to run the crappy software that AIA created for our standard documents.  Is anyone else as perturbed as I am about this situation.

The real question is, do you want to use AutoCAD or do you want to use a Mac.  Even if you could get AutoCAD or AutoDesk software to run on a Mac, you shouldn't.  It is made to work with a PC not only because of software, but primarily because of hardware.  This is especially true in dealing with larger files or 3D drawings.  If you want to use a Mac, then there are great software solutions like Power Cadd or Vector Works.  AutoDesk does actually make a version of AutoCad for Mac, which you can try for free, but as I said before, it's just not made to work with Mac like other programs.

To sum up, why try to fit a square peg in a round hole, when you have the option of changing either the hole or the peg?

-------------------------------------------
Jeff Hammond Assoc. AIA
Owner
Hammond Design
Yucaipa CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-12-2011 10:28
From: Robert Ashley
Subject: AutoCAD LT for Mac


Consider Power Cadd and their plug-in 3d program into2space. Twenty five years of experience with macs and 15 years with power cadd. Works great with large scale projects and translates into dwgs for autocadd  sharing.
May not be best if in Lion OS. 
You'll like the price, support and graphic capabilities.
-------------------------------------------
Robert Ashley AIA
DA Architects, LLC
Summerville SC
-------------------------------------------