How We Got To Here
History of AutoCAD
Pre-AutoCAD ---- "mainframe" and "mini-computer" CADD software reigned. The likes of Intergraph, Accugraph, MacDonal Douglas GDS, ran on IBM, Prime, Digital VAX, and SUN systems, frequently in various flavors of Unix. Computers used for design date back to 1931 at MIT, long before they were used for "computing" and the later coinage of the term "computer" for thinking machines. Until 1982 most CADD cost $40,000 or much more and ran on "turnkey" systems. The "micro-computer" introduced in 1976 and later joined by the IBM-PC in 1981 running MS-DOS changed all that, even though they had 1/1000 th of the power.
1983 AutoCAD 1.4 DOS
(came on two 5.25" floppy disks each with 45k, ran on 4.7mhz IBM
PC with 64k ram)
(cost of AutoCAD about $1400, for $5000 PC)
(competition VersaCAD, was copy protected and charged $400
extra for programming language)
1984 AutoCAD 1.6 DOS (introduced AutoLisp customizing language, for free)
1985 AutoCAD 2.1 DOS
(most of the techniques still (in 2002) used by most offices to do architectural
drawings -
polyline-offset-trim, fillet radius zero to clean corners, trimmed circles
saved as symbol
blocks to place doors, etc. were firmly established at this time)
1986 AutoCAD 2.4 DOS
(most of the top kaamaaina experts in the field can, at best, claim to
have started with
ACAD 2.4, arguably the most popular version of AutoCAD, and greatest period
of growth)
1987 AutoCAD 2.6 DOS
(by this point there are dozens of architectural overlays or add-ons for
AutoCAD --
Ketiv (which will become ArchT), AutoArchitect (which will become
Softdesk), ArchPro,
GeoCAD, AEC, etc.
(competition DataCAD, DrawBase note ArchiCAD was introduced
but at a pricepoint
and a dealer network too removed to be a factor)
1988 AutoCAD rel.9 DOS
(when asked what happend to versions 3 through 8, Autodesk replied that
there had
been 8 previous "major" releases (though the public never actually saw
some) and that
calling something version 3.0 was bad luck)
(rated in Time Magazine as "the most user-hostile software written in any
category"
(3D "modeling" in rel.9 consisted of flat one-sided 2D surfaces, called
"3D Faces" which can have
any orientation in space)
(competition MiniCAD and Architrion on the Macintosh -- up
until this year almost
half the building designers are using Mac (by 1992 Microsoft Windows clearly
made a dent))
1989 AutoCAD rel.10 DOS
- Macintosh
(the Mac version was terribly recieved - it still required typing DOS-like
commands
to draw (very un-Mac-like), users commented that even $300 ClarisCAD was
much better)
(around this time Autodesk with 290,000 users worldwide, bought GenericCADD
with 850,000 users, marketing literature of this time period starts to
claim
"over 1 million Autodesk users" a tag line that does indeed lead to better
sales of AutoCAD)
1991 AutoCAD rel.11 DOS
- Macintosh
(introduced a new 3D modeler using ACIS by Spacial Technologies for $400
extra,
you can now "extrude" or "revolve" a closed polyline)
(introduced "PaperSpace" for plot layouts)
(the both the Mac and DOS versions introduced shortcut icons, which were
very well recieved)
1992 AutoCAD rel.12 DOS
- Macintosh
(introduced external reference files - "xrefs" used for project collaboration,
networking, etc.)
(the both the Mac and DOS versions introduced many more shortcut icons,
which were even
better recieved, sparking a whole new development direction for AutoCAD
(icon and dynamic-dialoge oriented))
(competition MicroStation - originally a cut down (and unauthorized)
version of Intergraph)
1993 AutoCAD rel.13 DOS - Win3.1
(introduced an integrated ACIS 3D modeler - no longer a seperate purchase)
(6 other versions of AutoCAD 13) - some conflicted with AutoArchitect, some with ACIS
1994 AutoCAD rel.13c42b Windows95
(Win3.1) (DOS)
(PowerMacintosh introduced, no CADD for Mac would run, all of it had to
be
re-written specifically for the PowerMac, some companies did
(ArchiCAD, FormZ, MicroStation, etc.) Autodesk chose NOT to -
ending the Mac version of AutoCAD
(only in literature released many years later (touting the superiority
of AutoCAD 2000)
did Autodesk admit that AutoCAD 13 was the "dark times" for their company,
so
many firms got burned with the faulty early versions of ACAD 13 that many
stopped
even considering upgrading.
Financial analysists suggested that buying out a major company would be
a good
way to "hide" the dismal financial report numbers. They choose to
absorb SoftDesk Inc.
of Henniker, NH their largest "3rd party partner" and maker
of AutoArchitect,
CAD Overlay and many other popular add-ons to AutoCAD.
SoftDesk was also working on a clone engine of AutoCAD, so that designers
would not
have to buy the now $4000 AutoCAD AND the $4000 AutoArchitect. Autodesk
figured
that absorbing SoftDesk would allow them to kill off a potentially dangerous
clone.
1997 AutoCAD rel.14 WindowsNT/95
(AutoCAD 13c42b (the finally Windows-stable version) and ACAD14 are virtually
identical
with just a color change (from blue back to red) and 4 new big features
(truetype fonts, elipses,
autosnap) close look at the "200 new features" lists things that were there
for years, but
Autodesk desperatly needed a public relations coup - now claiming over
3,000,000 users)
(Justice Department requires that the Softesk AutoCAD clone be spun off
to its own
company, creating Visio Inc. selling IntelliCAD98 an AutoCAD 14 "clone"
for $350)
(Autodesk introduces the proprietary ARX programming language, allowing
for faster and
more powerful AutoCAD add-ons)
(the two principal architectural add-ons are AutoArchitect and ArchT)
1997 AutoCAD LT
Windows95
(now that AutoCAD lists over $4000, and to quell inexpensive competition
(like MiniCAD and DataCAD), Autodesk introduces a $500 version which
excludes 3D, AutoLisp, ARX, xrefs, and PaperSpace)
1998 AutoCAD
ArchitecturalDesktop Windows95
(for the first time AutoCAD introduces a "wall" entity using the proprietary
ARX language,
such 3D entities, however, cannot be seen in "vanilla" AutoCAD 14
--- thus starts a
whole dynasty of "Object Enabler" add-ons to various flavors of AutoCAD)
(major glitch in ADT - only 1 floor/story buildings possible !
best "work-around" is to
use a system of xref files, though changes become extremely difficult)
1999 AutoCAD 2000 WindowsNT/95/98/2000
(though estensibly created only to be compatible with the new Microsoft
operating system
(Windows2000) this version introduces a MAJOR breakthrough in productivity
--
right-click properties - which, though it sounds trivial, can make hundreds
of tedious
daily tasks almost easy - i.e. just changing an entities layer is a point-click-hold-select,
another HUGE improvement is the ability to do multiple PaperSpaces called
"Layouts"
accessed by "almost intuitive" (a term new to AutoCAD) tabs)
1999 AutoCAD LT 2000
Windows95/98/2000
(in the uproar of complaints, Autodesk adds back in PaperSpace, and xrefs,
and the
ability to view-only (not create) 3D, but refuses absolutely to allow AutoLisp
or ARX)
(RealArchitect discovers how to use the former GenericCADD language
"diesel" to
create a simple architectural add-on for LT)
1999 AutoCAD
ArchitecturalDesktop2 Windows95/98/2000
(First software to finally rate 5 whole stars in Cadence Magazine, though
the article is
never published, and even though the 1 floor/story problem still
persists, otherwise ADT2 is
the "best design software Autodesk has ever produced")
(Microsoft almost gets into the CADD market by buying Visio - the deal-breaker
(because of potential Justice Department interest in current anti-trust
cases) is IntelliCAD,
which Microsoft spins off into its own public service organization www.intellicad.org
whose purpose is specifically to give away IntelliCAD 2000 for free.
Microsoft knows that
this will hurt Autodesk (now number 6 worldwide in software) who is now
competing with
them in multimedia software.
2000 AutoCAD 2000i WindowsNT/98/2000
("i" as in Internet, the buzzword of this particular year, and introduction
of the Buzzsaw project
specific web site extranet service. Autodesk starts dreaming
of virtually giving-away AutoCAD
just so that they can take a piece of that $ 6.8 billion construction industry
- largest on the planet.)
(no one hears much about AutoCAD this particular year, as Autodesk required
all Press to sign
an NDA (non-disclosure agreement) that did not expire until late October)
2000 AutoCAD 2000i LT
Windows98/2000
(competition IntelliCAD 2000, available free,
from www.cadopia.com)
2000 Autodesk
ArchitecturalDesktop3 Windows98/2000
(this beleagured version of AutoCAD is the one most known for being the
first to drop the
"AutoCAD" moniker, it had numerous compatibility problems - even
with previous
versions of ArchitecturalDesktop, and was withdrawn quickly when the fixed
ADT 3.3
was released)
(year 2000 all around wasn't so hot for Autodesk)
2001 AutoCAD 2002 WindowsNT (95)
("idrop" - drag and drop 3D objects from the internet, now actually work)
2001 AutoCAD 2002 LT
Windows95
(competition IntelliCAD 2001, available for
$135, from www.intellicad.org)
2001 Autodesk
ArchitecturalDesktop3.3 Windows98/2000/Me
(ADT3.3 introduces floorslabs (though still not floors/stories) and extensive
libraries of
architectural components, and is finally almost as stable as AutoCAD, now
crashing on
average only once or so per day. Many design firms upgrade (partly
because their ACAD14
are being expired) though few firms actually USE the software's ADT specific
features i.e.
they use it as AutoCAD, drawing walls as offset polylines)
2002
Autodesk ArchitecturalStudio Windows98/2000/Me
(Autodesk's answer to SketchUp, and DesignWorkshop, as a schematic 3D design
tool oriented towards designers and principals. Much easier
than FormZ or 3D StudioViz,
but then nowhere near as powerful.)
2002 Autodesk Revit
Windows98/2000/Me
(in one of the most controversial moves yet, Autodesk absorbs Revit Inc.
- an
"anti-AutoCAD" rebel company with a totally unique new approach to 3D parametric
architectural modeling with artificial intelligence. Autodesk states
they wanted a
"complimentary solution" (though the file formats are totally incompatible)
and "user base" (umm... you mean ALL 2500 Revit users worldwide ?
Best guess is that Revit technology will help the ArchitecturalDesktop
team to overcome
the 1 story/floor problem and to help make some future "AutoCAD" by whatever
name
much easier, simpler, and smarter.
2002 January 15 -- Autodesk discontinues support and upgradability from the now six year old AutoCAD 14, specifically because over 70% of AutoCAD users are still using ACAD 14 or earlier and not upgrading to new versions. AutoCAD 2000 expires similarly later this year.
2002 Autodesk makes all versions of AutoCAD available via subscription with some such as Building Systems for engineers ONLY available via subscription (specifically to facilitate people abandoning ACAD 14 and upgrading to current versions)
2003 There WAS to be a new version of ArchitecturalDesktop (introducing "Levels") and new versions of AutoCAD, Viz, etc. however, apparently there will be a hiatus as the implications and ramifications of subscriptions, Revit consolidations, Building Engineering Systems versions, and other restructuring all gets sorted out.
2004 AutoCAD 3000 ?
Windows2000/XP MacOS/X ?
(Autodesk has stated that they plan to "go back to the drawing board" in
designing how AutoCAD works,
plan to integrate what was ArchitecturalDesktop, and parts of 3D Studio
Viz into an architecturally
smart AutoCAD, with NO plans for "object enablers" to help older versions
of AutoCAD to be compatible,
(translation = a new file format is coming) all MUCH easier (read
= it will no longer take 12 steps just to
get a building section) with built in rendering (read = no need for Viz
or LightScape).
The architecturally smart 3D (read = formerly ArchitecturalDesktop-Revit-ArchitecturalStudio)
is
important for the future plans of Autodesk to grow into the areas of smart
building systems -- automatic
building cost analysis, automatic spec writing, building structural engineering,
design/build,
facilities management, automatic wood framing, space planning, HVAC ductwork
and
interference checking, automatic Building Code checking, etc. etc.
all of which does not work
with 2D line oriented AutoCAD, but which requires smart 3D "walls" as a
basic component)
(This version finally introduces multi-story building capability, using
"levels")
"The CADD company who wins objects, wins" -- Gabor Bojar, A/E/C Systems keynote address June 1998
Objects -
Smart 3D objects could represent just about anything - chairs, tables, and other furniture, cars, trees, and even people. Every single building product manufacturer has an interest in having architects, engineers, interior designers, and builders to "spec" their particular products. Thus, most already have 2D DWG (AutoCAD) files of their lighting fixtures, toilets, partitions, windows, etc. posted to their web sites. This approach requires several different drawings for plan, elevation, side elevation, section, and various detail views. Such drawings though, have no intelligent links back to the actual manufacturer, no related information (cost, color, material, written spec section, etc.). The challenge right now is to re-create all those products as 3D models - preferably with such attached "attributes" of related information, for designers to "drag and drop" right into their CADD drawings, where, as 3D, they will automatically look right in plan, section, elevation, and even perspective views.
AutoCAD DWG files can have 3D information, but they might also be just 2D - wherin the problem. The need is for a "smart" 3D specific file type. Thus Autodesk has developed "iDrop" technology. Alternatives offered by competitors are o2c object technology (with extrodinary small file size and great speed), GDL object technology (which has parametric changability). There are now hundreds of web sites offering "free 3D objects" in a wide variety of file formats, including 3DS (3D Studio - which retains materials), DWG (which retains nothing but 3D surfaces), o2c, gdl, idrop, and even more.
Once the 3D modeling approach really catches on with architects and
other designers - and it most probably will as it is ultimately easier
- especially with all these already done 3D objects available - drag and
dropping a particular fixture will indeed, be specifying that particular
manufacturers fixture. At that point, CADD developers could absolutely
afford to give away CADD software for free, if only to take 1/1000 of one
percent of the cost of all those real building products. Yes, they
probably will sell (or offer subscriptions for) CADD software, but that
would be virtually insignificant compared to the revenue potential of 3D
CADD building product objects. Thus a battle for which of the current
file formats to become standard. Since even the previous 2D standard
--- AutoCAD's DWG --- is not entirely up to the challenge (which
is why they introduced the new iDrop), the field is now wide open.
Whichever 3D object format becomes most in demand, it's parent CADD company
will indeed be the new standard long into the future.