Civil 3D for Mac

[Anonymous]

Will one be created?  Thoughts?

[ksorsby]

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@AllenJessup wrote:

I don't know if it's a "reluctance" but rather a decision to dedicate resources to other tasks. Like coming up with the next change to the GUI.

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Maybe keep the GUI the same for a bit and dedicate those resources to sorting out basic bugs and adding more basic functions.

Just sayin'... ;o)

Kevin

[AllenJessup]

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@ksorsby wrote:

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@AllenJessup wrote:

I don't know if it's a "reluctance" but rather a decision to dedicate resources to other tasks. Like coming up with the next change to the GUI. 

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Maybe keep the GUI the same for a bit and dedicate those resources to sorting out basic bugs and adding more basic functions.

Just sayin'... ;o)

Kevin

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Sorry. I didn't have a tongue-in-cheek icon to append to my post. Maybe the or the would have done. I was being a little sarcastic with that remark and totally agree that the resources should be directed to internal improvements and not the next-best GUI.

Although there is probably a dedicated GUI team so they have to keep busy.

[Anonymous]

Glad I started the conversation a few years back. We ended up with windows 7 and have 20 staff in a civil engineering firm. I would go mac if there was support for civil 3D as this is only one tool that we use and the cloud technology is good for us. Don't like apple as a company but their technology is always in front of the others The old desktop way of working is dead and since I started this discussion the world has rotated many times and I suspect will do so again before our next upgrades. I would support a Mac version of it came out but as has been pointed out, it's highly unlikely. Mark Gardner

[Anonymous]

Ahh, but there's the rub. Some 'fixes' are called new features. Look at LDT and then subsequent Civil 3D releases. Some of the enhancements or features were actually things that LDT had and were not included in the original C3D release. Rick Graham Sent from my iPad Mini. Pardon any mis-spells or anything I may have fat-fingered.

[Anonymous]

"Not trying to argue or justfy anything here. At $200 an hour with 8 designers a network issue costs me so much that I want/need/prefer the reliability I get from my mac stuff. I'm sure there are other out there the same. Stand alone with a few crashes might be fine. I'm talking a commercial design business where given the option I'd take it tomorrow. Appreciate Peter said they are not looking at it. I'm just saying open your eyes, there has to be more people like me around. Minority, possibly but the numbers are and will grow, and I'd say rapidly."

You clearly are a forward thinker. I agree 100% - I have contacted autodesk asking (a while ago) 'when' not 'if' they will make C3D available for OSX.

even Win7 is garbage. From Win2000 to Win8 use the same Kernel. Im no programmer but have done a bit of it (took courses in dos at one point) and from my experience the linux code is far more thought out then Windows ever was. (OSX is based on Linux since OSX10) Linux, from what I understand was originally a mainframe type kernal - hence alot of bugs and fore thought when into this code - windows not so much. I really believe in the next 5 yrs.we will see either Windows completely re-write its code (possibly adopt linux - if they are smart) or completly loose market majority for Win OS - the office suite will prolly become their only real money maker.

I have built several 'hackintosh's (PC running OSX) and owned several macs and PC's in the last 13 yrs - the OSX even running on a PC (hackintosh) is far more stable and usable then Windows.

The Linux code is far suprior to Windows code and much more secure. However alot of IT people will be out of work if every one switched to a linux based OS.

my 2 cents

[TerryDotson]

Take a look at this OS Desktop Market Share pie chart and see if it makes economic sense to produce a Mac version?

[Anonymous]

so correct me if Im wrong but isnt autodesk already making alot of software to run on mac now?

http://usa.autodesk.com/products/mac-compatible-products

thanks for the link - yes I agree windows is currently market share.

I cannot convince an employer to move to mac unless the software is already there.

so I dont think the current market share is relavent. Good buisness models should look at the future. Its been my experience with both OSX and Windows that OSX is far more stable in every circumstance.

but lets not squable.... I think the real answer is for autodesk take a survey of users/employers to see if there is an interest in Civil 3d for OSX.    can we make this happen?

[jmayo-EE]

The market share is relevant because it completes your survey. I know my company doesn't want to spend 3 or 4 times more than we have to for a bit more stability. It's been working good enough on Win platforms for us for years. Not perfect but definitely profitable.

[Anonymous]

how does the market share complete the survey?

again I cant convince an employer to purchase a mac if the software we use isnt available. Hence the survey. It would make no sense for everyone to purchase A mac for C3d and then ask autodesk to port it to OSX.

My company has purchased (like most companies) Dells. In a particular case this was a brand new computer purchased in early 2012. the Xeon processor in it came out in late 2009!. The cost was around 2K. A mac with the same specs (with less ram though) is $500 more. However it comes with the latest xeon processor and when its at its EOL (usually 3 yrs for most companies) you can sell it for nearly half the purchase price. I am not agreeing at all with the profitable comment you made - look at the long run.

check out this artical - I have personally expeirienced 10 of these points first hand personally.

And again I use both and have for nearly 10 yrs.

http://www.andrewbrettwatson.com/index.php/mac/70-apples-to-apples-macs-are-cheaper-than-windows-pcs

[Anonymous]

actually forget OSX ......  just linux in general - -  you want to talk about cost effective - there you go

[Anonymous]

(cant edit previous post)

so (as I missed it in a previuos post) this really comes down to the use of .NET

dam thats a real shame - Im guessing thats the only choice they had to make the dynamics work

[rkmcswain]

Yes, I'm a broken record. I'll keep saying this until they revoke my forum membership.. 🙂

I don't care what platform they develop for, make it run on an etch-a-sketch if you want.... but when that time comes, hire a new set of developers - don't take the Windows guys away from their job. There is already a host of bugs that need fixed (some for 3+ releases now...<sigh>)...

Pass on those Unix, Mac (or whatever) development costs to the buyers of those versions. Civil 3D for Unix? $15k, Civil 3D for Mac? $15k.  This model is already being used to some extent with AutoCAD for Mac, which costs the same yet has a smaller feature set.

[jmayo-EE]

I agree Randy. I would not want to pay for the development and I bet Autodesk would have done it if they could predict a decent profit from the development costs.

[Anonymous]

amen!! Randy

but I believe linux pretty much crushed unix - unix was developed by HP and long out of date and not updated. I believe there was legality over linux being so close to unix (this is what I understand from IT people - Im not an expert)

but dear god does windows suck. it is so poor an entire career has been developed to make it work... Information techician should be 'windows technician'

[Anonymous]

I think I should clarify that I agreed with randy on the 'I dont care what plat form....make it stable'

not the ' make the mac, linux version more expensive' comment

Its seems this has turned into a PC vs Mac and that is not the point.

The point I was trying to make is that windows will not be on top forever and I have witnessed a large amount of engineers, designers and even owners say they wish they had options (at this time the only other option is OSX or Ubuntu) But again without a version to use, you cant justify purchasing a computer that cant run your main software.

I know a good number of people who where estatic when ACAD for mac came out. I think the same response would be had for C3D.

[ksorsby]

I've got a couple of Macs and Acad for Mac doesn't have half the functionality of vanilla cad. 

Given that there are still glaring errors and giant bugs in the current release of C3D, I wouldn't hold out much hope for a useable Mac version.

Unfortunately.

Kevin

[rkmcswain]

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@cburns2 wrote:

not the ' make the mac, linux version more expensive' comment

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I don't think anyone ever said "make it more expensive". Just let it be self sustaining.

Of course with the additional development staff needed, and only a fraction of the potential sales compared to C3D for Windows, naturally the cost would have to be more 

[Anonymous]

yes no one said 'make it more expensive' I just couldnt remember the exact wording when I was replying.

I think this all comes down to the shared frustration of this softwares poor stability. After using linux base OS's I have experienced a much more stable environment (not just OSX).

I think at this point we pray that a competitor comes out with a viable option and hopefully its linux based.

[neilyj666]

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@cburns2 wrote:

yes no one said 'make it more expensive' I just couldnt remember the exact wording when I was replying.

I think this all comes down to the shared frustration of this softwares poor stability. After using linux base OS's I have experienced a much more stable environment (not just OSX).

I think at this point we pray that a competitor comes out with a viable option and hopefully its linux based.

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Is the poor stability a function of Civil 3D, a function of Windows or a combination?

Why would a Mac version be any more or less stable?

Any one running C3D under Windows on Mac (via Parallels or whatever its called) who can comment on stability?

[Anonymous]

I believe its a combination of both and inherent in the windows code.

from what I understand/experienced:

coding in 'C' (linux/unix) is alot easier than C+ (windows) - whichs seems to equal more stability. As if things are easier, they take less time, if they take less time, you have more time to refine and improve the software.

Also there is alot of code still in Win7 (and 8)  that is unused/errors.

In the past several years havent we all gotten faster computers yet a word docs still takes just as long to open and save etc.. = bad/unused code being processed.

You can run ubuntu, OSX (hacked) and Windows on the same machine and Windows is much slower in every aspect - except crashing.

So yes I believe it is the windows code that caused difficulty in creating stability in C3d. However, that doesnt excuse the instability.