[KLUG Members] Re: A Windows Alternative? (For CAD) -- I "grew up" on NT with CAD (part I) ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

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[ Sorry I'm coming into this thread late ... ]

The problem with "CAD on Linux" is a 100% marketing one, one that is
going to be tough to break.  A little history lesson ... (part I)

- Why Microstation went NT-only ...

First off, let's start with Bentley Systems' Microstation, who used to
be primarily a UNIX software package that ran on Intergraph's systems.

One thing Microsoft was able to successfully do was woo
Intergraph-Bentley into supporting NT as a way to more "commodity"
systems.  In fact, Intergraph-Bentley was the _only_ company interested
in NT for the first several years of existence, as Microstation was the
_only_ major, native application for NT for the longest time.  I know, I
saw all this from the "inside" around the 1993-1994 timeframe (my boss
was the president of the International Intergraph User Group, IGUG).

Microsoft spewed out lie after lie about NFS, dual-monitor and other
support, _failing_ to deliver them in the "relationship."  Microsoft
leeched off of Intergraph-Bentley and didn't deliver much in return.  I
used to regularly point out features of OS/2 that had what Microsoft
promised NT had, and Intergraph-Bentley needed, which used to "get the
goat" of some of them.  But Microstation, which exception of a few
legacy versions and a "student" version for Linux, became pretty much NT
only.

- Why AutoCAD went NT-only ...

While Intergraph-Bentley were just duped, AutoCAD was forced into the
Microsoft-only proposition.

By mid-1995, a product called "IntelliCAD" was woo'ing users.  It
offered better than AutoCAD compatibility with older AutoCAD file
versions, because AutoCAD is notorious for making newer versions
"somewhat incompatible" with older versions more than two versions back
(remind you of another company?), but read most of the new formats as
well.  Best of all, it was almost an order of magnitude cheaper in
price.

IntelliCAD was a serious threat to Autodesk, but the FTC would have
probably had a sh--storm if Autodesk would have bought them outright (at
least if IntelliCAD would have agreed ;-).  So something far worse for
innovation occurred.

A little known company, maker of a popular vector graphics program,
bought out IntelliCAD.  That company was Visio.  And I hope you'all know
who now owns Visio, correct?  ;-P

The deal was simple.  Microsoft basically killed IntelliCAD as as
product** in return for two things from Autodesk.  1) is that Autodesk
dropped AutoLISP _completely_ in favor of VBScript, despite _huge_
complains from 3rd parties (who were forced to rewrite everything) which
2) led to Autodesk dropping all development of non-Windows versions.

[ **IntelliCAD is no longer available to "end-users," but the source
code is available to "partners" in the "IntelliCAD Technology
Consortium" -- http://www.intellicad.org .  Linux users, don't hold your
breathe for a Linux port, given the licensing issues.  ;-P ]

--=20
Bryan J. Smith, E.I.            Contact Info:  http://thebs.org
A+/i-Net+/Linux+/Network+/Server+ CCNA CIWA CNA SCSA/SCWSE/SCNA
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           limit      guilt   =3D     { psychopath,
         remorse->0                    innocent }


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