Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!samsung!uunet!cs.dal.ca!ug.cs.dal.ca!dewolfe From: dewolfe@ug.cs.dal.ca (Anarchy for Peace) Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga Subject: Re: Cad?? Message-ID: <1990Dec6.170222.3600@cs.dal.ca> Date: 6 Dec 90 17:02:22 GMT References: <4613@disk.UUCP> <2657@kirk.nmg.bu.oz> Sender: news@cs.dal.ca (USENET News) Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada Lines: 111 Nntp-Posting-Host: ug.cs.dal.ca In article <2657@kirk.nmg.bu.oz> cameron@kirk.nmg.bu.oz (Cameron Stevenson) writes: >From article <4613@disk.UUCP>, by specter@disk.UUCP (Byron Max Guernsey): >> I am currently attempting to convince a friend with ample fund that he needs >> to purchase an amiga 2000 or 3000. (he already has a 25 mghtz 386 ibm and a >> huge plotter...plos on big cardboard things). He uses his IBM for autocad. >[........] >> .......... Anybody out there use amiga for cad? >> >> Byron Guernsey > >Well Bryon, I am going to stick my neck out a little here..... > >I don't believe there is a CAD package for the Amiga that comes near AutoCAD >(and I don't even LIKE AutoCAD). I have used a number of packages on a number >of hardware platforms, and run a business consulting in CAD systems. I would >dearly love to see two more application areas addressed on the Amiga, namely >RDBMS, and CAD. Alas these areas are the ones that seem to take the most >number of man-years to develop (hence, I guess the reluctance to develop them) I'm not going to comment on the RDBMS thing, since I haven't used any of the alailable packages, but X-CAD is IMHO definately up to snuff with AutoCad I have used both (I am an 4th year Engineering student) and consider myself alble to comment. I used AutoCad in a housing design environment (Kent Homes, a manufacturer) and have used X-Cad fot my Design Project last year > >To be fair to software devlopers, there are a few lingering problems with the >Amiga that need to resolved before it would make a successful platform for >these applications. As is continuously debated in this newsgroup, better >screen display/resolution is needed. The acceptable minimum nowadays is about >1000x800x32 on a 15" screen. Obviously (as with most things in life) the more >the better.... Personally, I don't see the need for a 32 bit colour screen in Cad. I always found 4 bits (16 colour) to be enough. As for resolution, an overscan screen at 724 x 482 is a significant improvement over 640 400. Also, remember that the 2024 (1008x800 I think) monitor is available (although it is only 4 color) Also, expect the CAD publishers to be the first to support the 2410 card when it comes out. > >The other problem is that the hardware/OS is not considered stable enough for >these serious type applications. This is not to say that it is flakey, just >people I have spoken to don't THINK it is stable enough. This is mostly a matter of rumour. If it crashes, it can usually (not always) be tracked back to the application program. Neither Xcad or IntroCad have ever crashed on me, even under OS 2.0 I have seen more crashes with a Mac than I have with my Amiga. Mac Os, now there's unstable system software. (no flames please, just making an observation) > >I have looked at some of the CAD packages that are considered good on the >Amiga, and the overriding impression I get is that they are up to the standard >of PC based CAD packages of 3-5 years ago. They are certainly usable, but the >current crop of PC based packages offer so much more. > >Now I throw down the >gauntlet and challenge someone to develop a REALLY good CAD package for the >Amiga. The hardware is certainly fast enough, the OS is stable enough, and >the display issues will be resolved. Come on guys, how good are you? Here >are some of the features that should be included: > >1. full 3D, with the ability to define 2D specific view information (most real >world objects are 3D, but require 2D drawing representations of the object to >be built. The CAD system should be able to maintain the linkage between this >3D/2D data.) X-Cad 3D has this... > >2. user modifiable interface (for that matter, user modifiable everything. >Perhaps a full C development environment built in, which gives access to the >supplied graphics primitives and user interface, but also allows extensions >to these for applications development - after all, I will want to use my CAD >package for totally different purposes than other people.) > It's in there (in fact it has almost no interface to star with, you build it yourself)... >3. links to non-graphic data (maybe a relational database, maybe the whole >system is object-oriented. Either way, graphics alone are not enough to fully >describe objects.) That's something I'm not sure of, but I think it's there. Anybody out there know for sure (haven't got time digging around for the specs) > >4. translators to get data into/out of other systems. At the very least DXF and >IGES. X-Cad will read/write AutoCad files... > >I recently posted a request for information about whether a development system >was avaliable that might be a good springboard for such a system, and have >got minimal response. I think there is a glaring void in available Amiga >applications in the CAD and RDBMS areas, and potentially an eager ready market. >Come on, how about doing something about it?? Any thoughts? > >Cameron Stephenson ph +61 75 951220 >Bond University >Gold Coast Australia Colin DeWolfe dewolfe@ug.cs.dal.ca dewolfe@iris1.ucis.dal.ca