Re: Pre-pre-pre..........alpha

[JF Martinez <jfm2@club-internet.fr>]

EDMUND LIVELY writes:

> 
> "
> your opinion on CADD programs for Linux?
> > 
> 
> I know what is CAD but what is  CADD?   
> 
> -- 
> 			Jean Francois Martinez
> 
> "
> 
> Same difference!
> Computer Aided Drafting and Design
> so far as I know.
> perhaps someone else has a better terminology?
> 
> I have heard that CADD from a Linux platform is
> available.  I would guess that some are friendlier
> than others.  Extrusion of 3D objects is one of its 
> most usfull features, a feature which probably
> separtes the cheap from the expensive programs.  The
> patent office here only excepts black and white
> drawings but has stringent guidelines for shading
> dimensioning etc.  I have not seen yet a package
> geared to the patent office requirements.
> 
> Thanks for the feedback.
> 

The ones I know are: Varicad (comercial, try at varicad.com), Linuxcad
(but I have read very bad things about it), and OpenCascade
(www.opencascade.org).  OpenCascade is a library but I have seen some
convincing demos at last Linux Expo.  It was developped by Matra as a
tool for their main job of making avionics and antiaircraft missiles.
Then they began selling it, reached a respectable market share but not
enough to be the leader (it seems that in the CAD domain if you are
not the leadser you are doomed) and now it is GPL.  As pointed above
this one is serious tool but I don't know if it is geared towards
patent offices or towards practical design/manufacture.

I also have heard about Cosmo: seems it is the way NASA ensures the
industry benefits of their researches.  They have software for
metallurgivcs, aerodynamics and so on so perhaps there is something
CAD related.   Payware but not very expensive

I also rember about BRLCAD who used to be on every snapshot of sunsite
in the raytracers section.  It was made by the Ballistic Research
Laboratories of the US Army.  It was crypted and you had to ask the US
government for an unlocking key.  No money needed but my guess is that
your chances were dim if you were an iranian citizen.  :-) I know
nothing more about it and I don't even know if it is maintained.

You should look into one of the Linux portal sites a la Linuxberg, or
in one of the Linux sites specialized into scientific software.

-- 
			Jean Francois Martinez

Project Independence: Linux for the Masses
http://www.independence.seul.org