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Similar Windows Interface for AutoCAD Mac?

Similar Windows Interface for AutoCAD Mac?

Anonymous
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Message 1 of 26

Similar Windows Interface for AutoCAD Mac?

Anonymous
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Hello,


I just read a recent post where someone asked if it is possible to change the interface for AutoCAD Mac to look more similar to that of AutoCAD windows, and it was replied to that that is not possible. My question is simliar but not completely the same; I am taking an AutoCAD class and will be using it reguarly in my major discipline. Part of the reason I even bought a new Macbook Pro was because of the new support for Mac across the programs required by my University's college. Now that I'm starting AutoCAD, I'm being told that I'll be required to purchase Bootcamp or Parallels, and use the windows version, rather than the mac version. My questions are:

 

1. How different from the windows version is the Mac version? My teacher replied with the statement "I will be teaching the Windows version, so you will be required to use that." Are they exceptionally different from each other? Even if they are, will it be possible for me to figure things out? I have moderate experience with AutoCAD 2010 for Windows.

 

2. Say they aren't simliar; is there any way to change the interface so that they are similar?

 

3. The above questions are not possible to do. For anyone with a similar experience, what is the best way to run a windows based program on a Mac? I am looking for optimum efficiency and lowest price.

 

Thanks,
Todd J

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Message 21 of 26

Anonymous
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I never complained about the ""wrong" position of window control elements"  I'm not sure where you're getting that.

 

The movie quote was to make a point that this is not about inconveneince, it's about being able to do your job.  Yes it would be great if every company could provide training, but we all know that they don't.  Welcome to coprporate America. 

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Message 22 of 26

Anonymous
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The movie quote was meant to lighten the mood, this crowd tends to be a bit intense.  I believe that the point is valid.  Software expertise is an important part of one's professional worth, even more so in a bad economy.  When a company makes big changes to their UI, it takes away some of that worth.

 

I never said it was a "conspiracy", just a baffling move that has a negative effect for a lot of people.   

 

Lighten up people.

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Message 23 of 26

Anonymous
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"Him, like me, based on our long time experience with companies that provide look alike cross-platform solutions, like Adobe and Nemetscheck (Vectorworks), are baffled by the unexpected appoach and quirky implementation of an otherwise quite nifty looking and elegant interface.

 

Problem is looks without substance or expected consistency from a major program are not of much value to people that have to produce drawings and meet client demands and deadlines for a living."

 

I agree.  I wonder why they don't create a helper plug-in, so when you run into these differences you would at least have a resource handy, even if it was just help topics. 

 

What is most frustrating to me, is to stop and research something that I used to know how to do.  It takes a lot of time to slog through forums looking for answers.  I feel like there isn't anyone at Autodesk assigned to the change in interface issue. 

 

Maybe it’s that Autodesk doesn’t address it as a legitimate issue that has so many people so frustrated. 

 

Re the guy who was laughing about some people wanting to use "old school" classic interface when you could just use command line.  Huh, what's more old school than command line???

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Message 24 of 26

Anonymous
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Touché!

 

BTW, i'm not lauging...  just simply pointing out that alot of people complain about the changed interface but there are alot of other things that change in our lifes.  And we normally welcome those changes, but when it comes to autocad it seems to unthinkable!

 

I understand how frustrated you are, as I recenlty changed platforms to Mac.  Not only AutoCAD changed but I also been working with 3Dmax since it was only available in DOS...  And now I'm doing Maya.  I'm almost 40 and recenlty had to pull a few all nighters trying to get learn a new workflow and I emersed my self and found the expericne invigorating!

 

Best,

 

-G

 

 

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Message 25 of 26

Anonymous
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i faced the same problem in my class. I had mac back then and they were teaching it in windows. i personally feel if you are a beginner then using windows version is much easier than mac. Once you master that then you can proceed with mac. its better to use revit for mac. Normally people in my country use windows mostly because pirated version of the software is easy to install unlike mac. and moreover back then there was no sketchup for mac , its after 2015 that mac got sketchup too.

Message 26 of 26

Anonymous
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<rant>

I am posting to register my opinion that AutoDesk did themselves a disservice by deciding the "Mac users" were somehow a different animal than "Windows users".  The smart decision would have been to realize that their market consisted of AUTOCAD USERS!  Having 2 completely different UIs (and I might add, different in arbitrary and wholly non-productive ways) only doubles the trouble of using the product.  The trope about "no 2 AutoCad users use the product in the same way"  is also pretty lame (talk about punting).  Sure, I play my guitar differently than any other guitarist, but whether it is my Fender Strat or my Gibson ES-137, my guitar-playing skills are 100% portable.  Should a Baldwin Spinet piano have a different keyboard layout than a Baldwin Grand piano?  Pianists would say "No!"  It is ironic that such fundamental design issues should be apparently lost on the makers of the world's premier technical design tool.  Now, I have to choose between learning a "guitar" that plays like a "saxophone" or using a frankly inferior execution platform (Windows).

BTW, I have been a software designer and developer for some 30+ years, from before there were IBM PCs or Macs, so no tribalism here.  Usefulness is not always tribalism, as form (should) follow function. A GUI is nothing more than a visual command language.  C++ is the same on Unix, Windows and OS X.  Why shouldn't the visual language inside AutoCad enjoy the same portability of skills across platforms?

</rant>

Well, I feel better now. Sorry if I annoyed anyone. 😉