Moving to a Mac and Open Source CAD

Sep 01, 2009

For a while now I've been dead set on moving to a Mac for my home computer and as soon as the new iMacs are out I'll be owning one. For many years I've heard that you just can't find the programs everyone uses on a Mac, however I've been pleasantly surprised to find that this is not the case at all. In fact, many of them are open source or free!..that is with the exception of one.

I've been researching and looking for any sort of workable Open Source alternative to my selected CAD program: AutoCAD. Open Source CAD Programs are slim pickings and more than half of them are designed for either aerospace model testing or electronic circuitry, and programs for architecture?, don't even joke.

To date I have tried four such open source packages (QCad, BRL-CAD,CADEMIA and Archimedes) Not a single one was acceptable for regular, even 2D drafting use. The interfaces were clunky, the command line had to be selected to work, commands were non-intuitive, and overall their drawing workspaces were just plane slow.

As of now I'll have to stick with AutoCAD which ties me to having at least one windows machine to work on (on the very rare occasion I need it at home anymore). It also sticks me with the problem that AutoCAD is VERY, VERY, cost prohibitive (and at $3000.00 a copy you might be able to pay a programmer to write one for you).

While looking at the included development tools for websites (which I dabble a bit in), I discovered that Mac's come, for free, with a full software development set of tools including an interface builder, compiler, code libraries and basic frameworks from which you can build a functioning program in (reportedly) minutes. Now that's pretty neat to this non-programmer, and it really got me thinking; through which I reached several conclusions about what it would require to produce a competitive, open source, alternative to AutoCAD.

Bear in mind that AutoCAD, while expensive, is a very good piece of software that has been that way (good and very advanced) for nearly 25 years.

First, CAD software in itself is very complicated (at least that's what I'm lead to believe). Producing it takes time, an army (small or large) of programmers with common vision, goals, and a very high level of skill/experience/talent. Guys and gals at this level don't work for free.

Second, coordinating the efforts of an open source movement requires a strong and controlled vision led by a core team that can exercise some control and review of the development process. As of right now there is no team that really does this for open source CAD packages (at least as far as I can tell). BRL-CAD probably comes closest but is is manly built for 3D object testing and is unsuitable for Architects to be regularly productive at the moment.

Third, Interface design by these open source developer's just plane sucks. They suffer from too much clutter to too little tools. Many seem disjointed, or oriented to programmers. Commands and tools are disconnected, nor are they intuitive. Many just dismiss the Command line altogether while not replacing it with good standard, intuitive keyboard shortcuts. Any designer who works professionally will tell you that wither in Photoshop, AutoCAD or anything else; keyboard commends or a command line are THE only choice for working quickly and effectively. Current AutoCAD users really need to be able to leverage their existing knowledge effectively in a new CAD environment to really make it worth their while to switch to something else. This is something Bentley's Microstation, VectorWorks, and ArchiCAD have never realized or achieved with any sort of success.

This lead me to an idea...'a pie in the sky', ‘I'm not a programmer so I don't know what's really involved' idea. Using the built in tools of Mac OSX a team could conceivably produce an Open Source CAD app that's more a combination of AutoCAD and Revit (and much better than the clunky Architectural Desktop which I use). Sure it would take a lot of time and some pretty talented individuals working closely together. But the potential, the potential to take aim directly at the most CAD deficient platform, the Apple Macintosh, is phenomenal.

Now sure, Linux is open too; but what architects do you know that use Linux? I don't know any. It also offers the advantage of using the already large artisan and designer following the Mac has as well as playing off of the fact that Autodesk (the producer of AutoCAD) has essentially ignored the Macintosh user for years.

Others have tried to do this but their levels of success have been far below (and their programs level of sophistication is far below) what real professional offices need. Essentially you've got two options: VectorWorks and ArchiCAD, both sporting that ridiculous price point that makes AutoCAD a very restrictive factor for new businesses.

Surly, someone somewhere knows some really good, young, Open Source programmers that can help us out? I'd willingly help design and test user interfaces and even produce the tutorials, and sample drawings / projects for such a project.

Anyway, it's an idea.

(And consider this the copyright statement on this particular form of this idea. I'm not the first but if you want to use my proposal speak to me.)