On Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 7:11 AM, Matthias-Christian Ott <[email protected]> wrote: > On Wed, Apr 29, 2009 at 01:37:17PM +0200, Szabolcs Nagy wrote: >> cad softwares (and many related formats are closed as well) > Well, they are not superior or unique. Their formats are just proprietary > and there's no Free Software for that, because the vendors try by all means > to prevent this.
This is flat-out wrong. There's nothing in the FOSS world that remoteley competes with something like AutoDesk NavisWorks. Like most of us here, I use mostly free software, but I have to maintain a Windows installation for my wife, who is and engineer. She's really excited about NavisWorks (I could provide a list of other engineering software that has no FOSS competition, too). I've experimented with showing her FOSS alternatives to CAD packages, but she quickly explains (convincingly) why they are basically toys. Take SewerCad. The package name sounds like a joke, but drainage and sewage design is obviously very important, and there's basically nothing out there in the FOSS world. Reverse-engineering the document format is the smallest fraction of the tiniest problem. NavisWorks specifically really is superior and unique. If you're familiar at all with CAD or engineering software watch the screencast[1] (requires flash) and it will blow your mind. [1]-http://www.adskmedia.com/navisworks-engineering/ # Kurt H Maier
