Most other 2D CAD products also use the DWG format as their native format those that don’t all offer built-in translation to convert other formats to DWG. Other products in that era also used DWG as a file format for graphics software, including the once-popular Generic CADD. But AutoCAD’s rise in the market meant that “AutoCAD” and “DWG” came to be seen as inseparable. In 1982, Autodesk licensed DWG and made it the native file format for AutoCAD.
The DWG format was created by programmer Mike Riddle as a way to store vector graphics. Some command systems, such as BricsCAD’s Quad cursor, extend the user experience in new and interesting ways.Įvery software product that saves information does so in a standard way we call that a file format. Today the traditional keyboard commands are available in most of these products, but most users rely primarily on the on-screen command system instead. In the early days of 2D software products supporting the DWG file format, the common (and usually derogatory) nickname for the genre was “AutoCAD clones.” When MS-DOS was the operating system and CAD software relied more heavily on keyboard input, it was all too common for competitors to reverse-engineer the file format and mimic AutoCAD’s command system.Īs Windows replaced DOS and graphical input became common, most AutoCAD competitors started to show more originality in user interface (UI) design. From free solutions (such as Dassault Systèmes DraftSight and the open-source LibreCAD and QCAD) to products in the same price range as AutoCAD (Bentley MicroStation), there are 2D CAD products for every budget and every application. A variety of competing products offer compelling reasons to think outside the AutoCAD box. In the 1980s it emerged from a pack of new CAD products hoping to win over what were then known as “microcomputer users.” Today it and its subset sibling AutoCAD LT are the most widely used CAD brand of all time, with more than 12 million seats sold between the two products (including educational licenses), according to Autodesk.ĪutoCAD has never been the only choice for CAD, however. Today, it offers a variety of mature, thoughtfully designed applications at budget-conscious prices.įor a generation, AutoCAD has been the de facto standard for 2D drafting.
Newton Cadalyst Labs Report: When it comes to 2D drafting, the market has moved far beyond copycats and knockoffs. The Wide World of DWG-Compatible CAD Software 15 Mar, 2016 By: Randall S.
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