adf@uisc1.UUCP (Andre Franklin) (06/04/88)
In article <42900014@uicsrd.csrd.uiuc.edu>, barton@uicsrd.csrd.uiuc.edu.UUCP writes: > > A friend of my brother is wanting to do some consulting for a company > that is using the Micro Cadam package. > Has anybody heard of this package? Is there any software that's > cheaper but 100% compatible with Micro Cadam? > The Micro Cadam compatible or > conversion package should run on an IBM compatible type PC or PS/2. Well, what's 100% compatible? And what does your brother want to do? Is it the output your brother is interested in, or Cadam itself? Last I heard there are no Micro Cadam clones around. It's quite a well- known package here in the auto biz in Detroit. If your brother wants to do CAD work and then submit it to his client on floppies, there are other CAD programs out there. If Micro Cadam has the latest version of IGES (a CAD graphics interchange standard), then he can get almost any other good PC CAD program (AutoCAD, VersaCAD, etc) that also have the latest IGES on it. Now for the bad part. There are two aspects to CAD, 2-D (also known as design) and 3-D (also known as modeling). There AutoCAD, which doesn't have true 3-D, came out with what they called pseudo-3D. If you have a package that can do 3D work, that of course gives you a lot of power that you do not have with a 2D-only (or a pseudo-3D) package. But it also means (and this may seem obvious but it's amazing how many people either ignore or forget about it) that you cannot take 3D work from, for example, VersaCAD, and import it into a 2D-only package, no matter how good the conversion routine is you use. We do a lot of CAD work for client companies, and we have found that VersaCAD is an excellent choice. A lot of companies that subcontract work out have accepted that most subcontractors use AutoCAD. VersaCAD can do everything AutoCAD can do, plus lots more. If you need more info on CAD on PC's, I would suggest you write to me with Email, or call us at 313-978-8534 (office hours). Maybe we can help.