[joshuadavid]

Hey, I'm new to this group, and here's my question:

I'm needing a notebook for school next semester, and I'll be running some architectural rendering programs. I haven't checked it out for sure, but my best understanding is that we'll be using AutoCAD for most of our classes. Now, I'm a big mac fan (my last two computers were an original bondi blue iMac and a bought-from-a-friend 8600/300), and since I think AutoCAD only runs on Wintel, I'm fearing that I've got to purchase a notebook from that crowd.

I'd much prefer to get a Powerbook, but I'm unsure of compatability with mac architecture programs and AutoCAD. Additionally, I'm a college student who's not related to a rich uncle, so the 17" PB is more than out of my reach.

Any suggestions on which kind of notebook to buy and/or architecture programs that could be run on the mac would be greatly appreciated!

[Mafia]

i'm not sure if you will have trouble trying to keep up when u are not using autocad. i have a few friends in architecture and they submitted to geting a windoze machine because of autocad. u can check out this site Arcintosh its pretty much all things architecture relating to mac. i know vector works is a big drafting program for mac. and of course there is maya. but check that out.

[joshuadavid]

Originally posted by Mafia:
i'm not sure if you will have trouble trying to keep up when u are not using autocad. i have a few friends in architecture and they submitted to geting a windoze machine because of autocad. u can check out this site Arcintosh its pretty much all things architecture relating to mac. i know vector works is a big drafting program for mac. and of course there is maya. but check that out.

Thanks for the info; that website is actually what brought me to this forum. I'm still wanting the PB, but I just can't justfiy blowing $1500 on a computer I can't use for school.

Any other input would be greatly appreciated!

[milhous]

And I still have to wonder since the release of OS X...

Why don't we have AutoCAD on Mac OS X?

[KraziKid]

Originally posted by milhous:
And I still have to wonder since the release of OS X...

Why don't we have AutoCAD on Mac OS X?

I'll second that with a Why don't we have SolidWorks on Mac OS X?

[Mafia]

Originally posted by milhous:
And I still have to wonder since the release of OS X...

Why don't we have AutoCAD on Mac OS X?

it really is ridiculous. i mean autocad is a standard with architecture and you are pretty much restricting architecture students and professionals to a wintel machine.

[joshuadavid]

Which brings up a good point; has anyone heard about a solidworks or autocad port to OSX? One would think that with Apple touting its hardware as made for design professionals of all kinds, the push would be to have more design companies (architectural or otherwise) using macs, not in the wintel arena because of no mac version of standard software. I'm kinda beginning to lose hope...

[adambooth]

I'm an engineer, and I use Architosh, and I know VectorWorks is another one. That usually gets me by pretty fine. And for quick (and I do mean quick) drafts, I use SketchUp. SketchUp is one of my favourite programs ever, as I can whip up a good, professional looking design in a matter of minutes. It's like AutoCAD but without the complicated controls, and a simplistic design. In order to keep compatibility with my Wintel counterparts (which there are many engineers that I know that use PCs), I also have a Windows machine in my office, although it doesn't get a lot of use.

I do agree with a native AutoCAD, etc port to OS X. Macintosh is a platform for designers, and these are programs that are essential to some designers (whether its an engineer like myself, or an architect like you.)

[nooon]

I'm also an architecture student, and I use FormZ, Archicad, Sketchup and Lightwave on my projects.

We don't have to use any specific programs for our classes though, so we can pretty much use whatever we want.. even pencil and paper

[joshuadavid]

Originally posted by nooon:
I'm also an architecture student, and I use FormZ, Archicad, Sketchup and Lightwave on my projects.

We don't have to use any specific programs for our classes though, so we can pretty much use whatever we want.. even pencil and paper

Thanks for the help; looks like the PB isn't going to be a bad route to go. Any other recommendations would be great and very much appreciated.

BTW, does anyone know of job listings that say they utilize these programs (formZ, Archicad, Lightwave, etc) instead of or in addition to AutoCAD? I've been looking in the usual places online, like Monster and Jobsearch, and haven't had much luck. (Most architectural jobs want AutoCAD experience, usually exclusively).

[Mafia]

Originally posted by joshuadavid:
Thanks for the help; looks like the PB isn't going to be a bad route to go. Any other recommendations would be great and very much appreciated.

BTW, does anyone know of job listings that say they utilize these programs (formZ, Archicad, Lightwave, etc) instead of or in addition to AutoCAD? I've been looking in the usual places online, like Monster and Jobsearch, and haven't had much luck. (Most architectural jobs want AutoCAD experience, usually exclusively).

dunno about the job. but i'd recomend a 15" and atleast a gig of ram. the extra screen realistate will be nice for architecture projects. and i'd want atleast a gig to run those programs.

[MacBoston]

Originally posted by joshuadavid:
Hey, I'm new to this group, and here's my question:

I'm needing a notebook for school next semester, and I'll be running some architectural rendering programs. I haven't checked it out for sure, but my best understanding is that we'll be using AutoCAD for most of our classes. Now, I'm a big mac fan....

Josh,

Well being an owner of a 1.5gig-Powerbook and an architect this what my experience has been with the powerbook. The only programs I know of that run well in my experience are Form-Z and Sketch-up. You can run Autocad via Virtual PC, but will need (a)2gigs of ram and (b) Virtual PC 7.0. This will enable you to draft in Autocad but running Architectural desktop will be limited.

Even running Form-Z with 2 gigs of Ram you have to be smart how models are constructed and rendered so your machine doesnt have to run all weekend to produce a single rendered frame.

Architectural rendering is extremely taxing on the CPU, and therefore the more horespower you have under the hood the better. By rendering I mean a textured model with lights and or real lighting calculations. It would almost be better for you to buy a new I-mac and use the rest of the money towards a used i-book if you desire some portability.

Your only options for portable rendering machine are probable the PC-laptops made by Voodoo or Alien, but you'll pay the price in $$$ and in battery life for these machines.

Best of luck in Architecture school, hope you get some sleep while your there heh

Cheers

[Mafia]

Originally posted by MacBoston:
Josh,
Your only options for portable rendering machine are probable the PC-laptops made by Voodoo or Alien, but you'll pay the price in $$$ and in battery life for these machines.
Cheers

my brother used to review the alienware laptops for some website and they used to get so hot just about burn a whole in his pants, not to mention weighing 20 lbs.

[mhuie]

I don't know much about CAD software, but wouldn't u need a FireGL card to get the most out of AutoCAD? If they make a notebook version, i'm sure it would be pretty pricey.

Maybe get a PB w/ VP7 and a barebones PC with a FireGL card?

Also, if the chance of getting a job required AutoCAD experience, don't shoot yourself in the foot and try to learn non industry standard programs.

[Halfloaf]

I use a FireGL card in a 3.2 Ghz Dell at work with AutoCAD 2004 and might as well just be using a Radeon 9700 or 9800....

I also use Sketchup 4.0 and 3DStudio VIZ 3.3i at work, and find Sketchup VERY ENJOYABLE to work with. It's cheap too!

Unless your going to be doing lots of OpenGL work in AutoCAD or 3DStudio you won't miss it. Rather stock up on a min. of 1 gig ram.

If you're going to do 3D massing models and quick studies, I would suggest SketchUp 4. If you're going to be doing any rendering, try Cinema4D, it works great on the Mac.

As for AutoCAD on Virtual PC...Ouch! That's gonna hurt. Your regens will be rather slow.

As for CAD on the Mac, I have to say I'm rather dissapointed with whats to offer at the moment. ArchiCAD 8, 8.1 and 9 all suffer from the 'bloatware' syndrome, where Vectorworks 11 is still a carbon app. Try and work with 30000 entities in both AutoCAD and Vectorworks, and you'll soon find out that Vectorworks has a LONG way to go to catch up on programming.

PowerCADD has problems with speed...PERIOD! It's just VERY SLOW!

And ArchiCAD will need more than a Gig of RAM to work OK'ish. You'll also need 64+ MB of video ram with at least a Radeon 9700. Otherwise things are gonna be SLOW!

Right now, if I had to buy a CAD station, I'd have to say I'd buy a Wintel machine. Apple seems to have forgotten the Architects! Things need to speed up a bit, not so much with the hardware, but with the display renderer.

my 2p.

Hope your studies go well! Good luck!

-HL

edit: mhuie above has some good points...Think about it.

[ism]

Originally posted by milhous:
And I still have to wonder since the release of OS X...

Why don't we have AutoCAD on Mac OS X?

Ha! They/Apple can't even port the DWF viewer. Don't hold out for it!

[Halfloaf]

ism, too true. I don't think there will be anything from AutoDesk anytime soon either.

Funny, though, if I'm not mistaken, ArchiCAD can open DWF files? If Graphisoft can do it, why not AutoDesk?...I suspect they just don't want to.

-HL