DraftSight for Linux is now official, as of 10:00 pm today. You can download the Linux (or OS X or Windows) versions from www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/free-cad-software/
Of course, if you were using ARES for Linux, then you would already be familiar with it. The diff: DraftSight is free -- free, as in free Linux -- while ARES is $995.00.
I've been using ARES for Linux (for the ebook I wrote about it: "Inside ARES for Linux"), and it is pretty much identical to the OS X and Windows versions -- both in terms of UI and operations. There are minor UI differences, which might be due more to the dialect of Linux I use (Mint Linux 8) -- just like it would look different on Windows XP than on 7.
Operationally, ARES for Linux is more like the OS X version, because only the Windows version supports things like OLE. Still, having OS choices is pretty exciting for an anti-proprietary guy like me.
I do, however, get the sinking feeling that the future of these CAD packages on Linux -- ARES, Bricscad, DraftSight -- is about a bright as Linux on netbook computers. (For a while, 95% of all netbooks ran Linux; today, 95% run Windows.) Maybe it won't be a problem, as long as CAD vendors are content with their Linux products staying at a 5% OS market share, or so.
There is little chance that Linux has a 5% OS market share.
I can see it being 5% of netbooks but I would guess the Linux market share is around 1% or less.
Posted by: Kevin E. | Mar 09, 2011 at 05:50 PM
It depends on the market. Linux has over60% market share among Web servers. Among CAD it might be 5%. Desktop is certainly 1% or less.
Posted by: Ralph Grabowski | Mar 09, 2011 at 06:05 PM
Ah, the 1% debate... There is actually no way to be absolutely sure. But I have a hard time believing this figure hasn't improved in years... anyway.
It's a pity the .deb package is 32-bit only. Dassault Systèmes should be reminded that the 64-bit architecture and OSes have been there for years. The good news is, it's possible to force the installation on Ubuntu 64-bit. If you'll forgive the shameless ad, anyone interested can find out how on my blog (first post in 5 months!)
Posted by: Norm C. | Mar 09, 2011 at 07:56 PM
Dassault is limited to offering what Graebert codes for them. But I suppose Dassault could loan some of their programmers to generate 64-bit versions of the software.
Posted by: Ralph Grabowski | Mar 09, 2011 at 09:30 PM
When one spends more time thinking about it, Unix/Linux probably rules the computing world, once all sectors are considered.
For personal computers, the market share is closer to 10%, since OS X is based on Unix.
POSIX rules in embedded systems.
Linux and Unix rule smartphones under the more familiar brand names of Android and iOS. (Not sure what Blackberry's BBS is based on, but I would wager Unix.) Some Nokia phones also run on Linux, and Meego is based on Linux.
Linux runs the bulk of servers.
Linux is preferred for mainframe computers, certainly those from IBM.
Just personal computers are the aberration.
Posted by: ralphg | Mar 10, 2011 at 08:26 AM