Autodesk 2012 for Mac

[Anonymous]

Good Afternoon,

            I’ve been doing some research on new computers for the office and my boss came to me about potentially switching from Windows OS to Mac OS. In my opinion I'm ok with whatever OS we use but I don’t know much about MAC Computers. I have done some research on them and have read of customers using Inventor 2012 on Macs but that’s the extent of it. 

            I’ve came across multiply forums with little information, so I'm hoping I can get some valuable information from you guys/gals. 

1) Are there any issues that you've seen when running Boot Camp or Parallels and which do you think is user friendly. 

2) How well are you able to transfer files from a MAC PC to a Windows PC then vise versa? (Taking work home etc.)

3) Have you had any problems transferring your library of information from Vault over to a Mac? (Checking in and out of Vault)

4) Our company use's DXF's made from Flat patterns that we transfer over to a Salvagnini machines that use's windows. Has anyone seen issues when doing this?

If you have any other suggestions or information that can prove usefully please post away. 

Thank You

Justin 

[Anonymous]

Still interested in any comments / suggestions / opinions.

[JDMather]

2.) the file format is the same.

[blair]

1.) Run either Boot-Camp or Parallels, switching messes up Inventor registration and you have to keep re-registering your version of Inventor with Autodesk. This happens each time you switch.

2.) As JD posted, all file formats are the same.

3.) - not a Vault user

4.) Do a good audit of all the software you use as well as any printers (especially network printers) for proper drivers. Older network printers may not have drivers for MAC.

[mflayler2]

Well, if you did this, you would certainly be in a minority.  Over the last 5 years I have only seen one Engineering firm I have visited using Mac machines and everything seemed to work well.  This client was not a Vault user and off the top of my head I do not think Vault is supported in Mac.  You are going to want to check this out first and foremost.  Overall I don't think it would be a very good idea IMOP.  The cost of your machines and troubleshooting will undoubtetly go up with a Mac decision and I personally don't trust a computer that doesn't come with a graphing calculator out of the box for engineering work :).

[kellings]

I pretty much don't buy computers anymore if they don't have an Apple logo on them. I might buy a PC desktop, but I'm all Mac for laptops now.

I use BootCamp almost all the time. When you do this, it is a PC. It works exactly like a PC.

The info that Blair gave you about having to reregister Inventor everytime you switch OSs is no longer correct. It hasn't been that way for a long time now. Inventor is supported by Autodesk using both Bootcamp and Parallels or VMware. I would recommend you use Bootcamp though.

Inventor won't run on OSX, so you won't have a data issue there. There is a technical preview of Inventor Fusion for OSX that will be released soon and I am assuming that will read Inventor files created in Windows just fine.

[Lance127]

Why switch to Mac if you are going to need the Windows OS anyway? You'll end running in bootcamp, or whatever, 99% of the time.