softdesk-adcadd

[Anonymous]

I know I may sound like I'm from this generation but can you guy help me find some info on the softdesk-adcadd history.

[Anonymous]

I meant "not" from this generation.

[Anonymous]

Well, I'm no expert but I've been a user since c.1987. Here is a very brief
breakdown, all taken completely from memory...dates, events, names may well
be incorrect and I apologize in advance for any mis-information.

The first incarnation I saw was designed on Acad 2.6 and was created by an
engineering firm in Henniker, NH named DCA Engineering. The product was
called, oddly enough, DCA Civil Software. It was made up entirely of lisp
routines.

DCA had some legal issues with the name already being used by another
software company so a new name was introduced around 1990-91. This new name
was ADCADD. This was still mainly lisp routines, but I think that the
DTM/Earthwork functions utilized external EXE files.

The first Softdesk came out to replace ADCADD around R13. I do not recall
why the name changed this time. Softdesk8 was released with Acad14 and was
to be used by many for years to come. (I know some offices that STILL use
it)

Enter Autodesk purchasing the Softdesk product line from the DCA folks. I
believe that all incarnations of the LandDesktop were developed under the
Autodesk umbrella, although many of the original Softdesk commands, blocks,
variables and labels remained at least through LandDesktop3. This is the
last version I've had any first hand experience with.

Is that kind of what you were looking for? If anyone has any input for
errors or clarification, feel free to post it.

Jeff

wrote in message news:4939951@discussion.autodesk.com...
I know I may sound like I'm from this generation but can you guy help me
find some info on the softdesk-adcadd history.

[Anonymous]

DCA = David C. Arnold. I believe that Softdesk was simply a way to tie their
name more closely with Autodesk.

There are still many traces of the original program in LDT. The fact that
the programming is so old is one of the reasons Autodesk has abandoned LDT
and has written a new civil program; Civil 3D.

Ironically Hasteads was recently bought by Bentley but they almost merged
with Softdesk. The strong personalities of both owners was one of the main
reasons this never happened.

Allen

"Jeff Mishler" wrote in message
news:4940782@discussion.autodesk.com...
Well, I'm no expert but I've been a user since c.1987. Here is a very brief
breakdown, all taken completely from memory...dates, events, names may well
be incorrect and I apologize in advance for any mis-information.

The first incarnation I saw was designed on Acad 2.6 and was created by an
engineering firm in Henniker, NH named DCA Engineering. The product was
called, oddly enough, DCA Civil Software. It was made up entirely of lisp
routines.

DCA had some legal issues with the name already being used by another
software company so a new name was introduced around 1990-91. This new name
was ADCADD. This was still mainly lisp routines, but I think that the
DTM/Earthwork functions utilized external EXE files.

The first Softdesk came out to replace ADCADD around R13. I do not recall
why the name changed this time. Softdesk8 was released with Acad14 and was
to be used by many for years to come. (I know some offices that STILL use
it)

Enter Autodesk purchasing the Softdesk product line from the DCA folks. I
believe that all incarnations of the LandDesktop were developed under the
Autodesk umbrella, although many of the original Softdesk commands, blocks,
variables and labels remained at least through LandDesktop3. This is the
last version I've had any first hand experience with.

Is that kind of what you were looking for? If anyone has any input for
errors or clarification, feel free to post it.

Jeff

wrote in message news:4939951@discussion.autodesk.com...
I know I may sound like I'm from this generation but can you guy help me
find some info on the softdesk-adcadd history.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget ASG in the mix. I believe it was originally called AEC
something. ASG bought out the Vertex Detailer, then I think Softdesk bought
ASG. There were other buy-outs and mergers. Someone must know the entire
history.

--
Daniel J. Altamura, R.A.
Altamura Architectural Consulting
and SoftWorx, Autodesk Authorized Developer
http://partnerproducts.autodesk.com/popups/company.asp?rdid=2139
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


"Jeff Mishler" wrote in message
news:4940782@discussion.autodesk.com...
Well, I'm no expert but I've been a user since c.1987. Here is a very brief
breakdown, all taken completely from memory...dates, events, names may well
be incorrect and I apologize in advance for any mis-information.

The first incarnation I saw was designed on Acad 2.6 and was created by an
engineering firm in Henniker, NH named DCA Engineering. The product was
called, oddly enough, DCA Civil Software. It was made up entirely of lisp
routines.

DCA had some legal issues with the name already being used by another
software company so a new name was introduced around 1990-91. This new name
was ADCADD. This was still mainly lisp routines, but I think that the
DTM/Earthwork functions utilized external EXE files.

The first Softdesk came out to replace ADCADD around R13. I do not recall
why the name changed this time. Softdesk8 was released with Acad14 and was
to be used by many for years to come. (I know some offices that STILL use
it)

Enter Autodesk purchasing the Softdesk product line from the DCA folks. I
believe that all incarnations of the LandDesktop were developed under the
Autodesk umbrella, although many of the original Softdesk commands, blocks,
variables and labels remained at least through LandDesktop3. This is the
last version I've had any first hand experience with.

Is that kind of what you were looking for? If anyone has any input for
errors or clarification, feel free to post it.

Jeff

[Anonymous]

I think I know someone who knows most if not all. But at $250.00 per hour I
would hesitate to ask : )

; "R.A." wrote in message
news:4941649@discussion.autodesk.com...
Don't forget ASG in the mix. I believe it was originally called AEC
something. ASG bought out the Vertex Detailer, then I think Softdesk bought
ASG. There were other buy-outs and mergers. Someone must know the entire
history.

--
Daniel J. Altamura, R.A.
Altamura Architectural Consulting
and SoftWorx, Autodesk Authorized Developer
http://partnerproducts.autodesk.com/popups/company.asp?rdid=2139
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


"Jeff Mishler" wrote in message
news:4940782@discussion.autodesk.com...
Well, I'm no expert but I've been a user since c.1987. Here is a very brief
breakdown, all taken completely from memory...dates, events, names may well
be incorrect and I apologize in advance for any mis-information.

The first incarnation I saw was designed on Acad 2.6 and was created by an
engineering firm in Henniker, NH named DCA Engineering. The product was
called, oddly enough, DCA Civil Software. It was made up entirely of lisp
routines.

DCA had some legal issues with the name already being used by another
software company so a new name was introduced around 1990-91. This new name
was ADCADD. This was still mainly lisp routines, but I think that the
DTM/Earthwork functions utilized external EXE files.

The first Softdesk came out to replace ADCADD around R13. I do not recall
why the name changed this time. Softdesk8 was released with Acad14 and was
to be used by many for years to come. (I know some offices that STILL use
it)

Enter Autodesk purchasing the Softdesk product line from the DCA folks. I
believe that all incarnations of the LandDesktop were developed under the
Autodesk umbrella, although many of the original Softdesk commands, blocks,
variables and labels remained at least through LandDesktop3. This is the
last version I've had any first hand experience with.

Is that kind of what you were looking for? If anyone has any input for
errors or clarification, feel free to post it.

Jeff

[joeself]

AEC Architectural, AEC Mechanical for MEP and I believe it was from Autodesk, at least that's what the dealer told us. Ran this on R10. It was pretty sweet.

Moved to new palce and used Softdesk 7 & R13. Stayed on it til I had to leave. Never had the hrdware to run BS.

Using Vanilla 2005 now and i miss it.

[DentonYoder]

I lived that era too...  Here is my take or impression...

David Arnold, along with doing the civil line of products, built the AEC product line, Arch, Elev, HVAC, Piping, Structural...  He also partnered for a time with Bob Noftle (can't remember the spelling) with a mechanical lineup.  David put a lot of resources into moving CAD from lines, arc circles, into objects.  Contours, surfaces...  In learning objects, and doing some really cool stuff with civil, he realized that he made a wrong move at the beginning of a two year design cycle, and he  realized that his company couldn't afford another two years without shipping a new product.  My thought is that this is when he marketed his company to Autodesk.  I watched an awesome demonstration of what he was building, presented on Micro Station (with Autodesk reps in the room).  He didn't tell the audience that he was surface modeling on Microstation, but Autodesk bought the company, before that product could go anywhere!

I really wish we could get more of the tools from the old DCA days back.  I think I miss the symbol manager the most!

Objects are really awesome, but we have had to radically change the design processes to keep up with what we can do in the new environments.  I often wonder if there is no more "Drafting".  In objects, we are designing, and building, not drawing...

My take:

Denton Yoder

denton@vt.edu

AutoCAD programmer since 1985

DCA, ADCADD software, Softdesk, C3D User, Programmer, trainer...  since 1989 (Did the C3D training in DC Fall of '03)