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Not libre, but free-as-in-beer: Draftsight, from the same company that produces SolidWorks.

The DesignSync and ProjecySync components of Dassault Systems Enovia Synchronicity will do almost all of what you ask, including versioning of text/binary files, windows client software, web based interface, integration with its bug tracking system or its customizable process flows such as reviews/approvals, customizable data sets, triggers, scripts, email alerts etc and excellent documentation to boot. Probably the only piece of software I have seen that does it all. Just a happy user for the last 10 years.
http://www.3ds.com/products-se...

Not going to say it's worth any thing, but when I needed to open DWG files my architect sent me, DraftSight was sufficient. Since I have no idea how to use a CAD program, I can't say much about the usability though.

If you're looking for a good free CAD program, try DraftSight. It is available for free (you need to give an e-mail address, but there is no activation key).

It can be found on this website:
http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/download-draftsight/

That's the same Dassault that acquired SolidWorks.

They already do, and it is one of the leading software packages used in Aerospace.

CATIA

I know, because I use it daily as a CAD operator, and can attest that BOEING/SPIRIT aerosystems uses it exclusively for their avionics designs, as to Gulfstream, Bell helicopter, and a number of others.

Catia is the SHIT.

Ill challenge the notion that end-users will need retraining. Have you tried to use anything under a Linux Desktop? There would not need to be any retraining as it works the same as the XP, 2000, etc. desktop.

Sure it does. If all you do is click on the little icon on the desktop. I hope you like tickets, because you are going to get a hell of a lot.

BTW, how much do you think it costs that Fortune 500 company if the users even spend 15 minutes figuring out the new desktop?

Desktop support techs would need minimal retraining as it can be set up with buttons from the L1 point of view to fix or restore an image.

This I cannot believe. You are telling me that it would just take a minimum of training to train your techs to learn an entirely new operating system?

Are you assuming that every desktop in that Fortune 500 company is identical? I've been an engineer for a Fortune 500 company and we never even had a single department with a uniform desktop environment.

As to the admins, fire them and hire new ones that know how to manage Linux systems. It is getting harder and harder to find a windows admin that dose not know how to manage linux.

Yeah, that would be inexpensive. And an interesting way that you think you can avoid the training costs.

As to "Those handy applications" Name one! Everyone talks about how the apps would need to be rewritten but what apps? Let me see what is installed on my desktop Ms Office, Outlook, Adobe Reader, Roxio CD/DVD Creator, Symantec Antivirus, Symantec Firewall, Firefox, and a custom Helpdesk app that opens IE and takes me to the webpage for Helpdesk.

That is it and this is a standard desktop install here. Every bit of it can be replaced and run on linux

How much do YOU need to manage your servers? Not much, as they are pretty much designed to be handled remotely.

Now are you going to tell me that there are no apps that the finance guys use that aren't available on Linux, no apps that the engineers use? No apps that management uses?

But just to cover this angle completely:

http://www.3ds.com/products/

As far as I know, not available for Linux, and used throughout the industry.

If it's in AUTOCAD, then NASA needs to really get out of the 80's and into the 21st century. It's all NX5 and CATIA now a days.

On the website that explains it all, http://khufu.3ds.com/introduction/, there is a link to download the website's soundtrack. I'm sorry but I can't take them seriously anymore if they pull off crap like that.

Here, you missed this part in your copy/paste...

Ending eight years of study on the subject, architect Jean-Pierre Houdin released his findings and a computerized 3-D mockup showing how workers would have erected the pyramid at Giza outside Cairo.

...

According to his theory - shown in a computer model available at http://www.3ds.com/khufu - the builders put up an outer ramp for the first 140 feet, then constructed an inner ramp in a corkscrew shape to complete the 450-foot structure.

Houdin also postulated that King's Chamber was hoisted into place through a system of counterweights.

Houdin said he plans to verify his theories through non-invasive tests on site.

If you're going to copy half the article word for word, at least do the whole damn thing.

Typo3 is quite possibly exactly what you are looking for. It is enterprise-grade quality, it was designed to be multilingual from day one, it has a sophisticated caching system and check out TemplaVoila for templating/theming (the video is very short and may not give you a sense of its power). Security awareness has gone up recently as extensions are now audited for security holes.

A quick overview of features and tutorial videos may help you get a feel for what Typo3 can offer in a CMS.

As with most things, the more power and flexibility you have the steeper the learning curve and Typo3 is no exception.

Typo3 is quite possibly exactly what you are looking for. It is enterprise-grade quality, it was designed to be multilingual from day one, it has a sophisticated caching system and check out TemplaVoila for templating/theming (the video is very short and may not give you a sense of its power). Security awareness has gone up recently as extensions are now audited for security holes.

A quick overview of features and tutorial videos may help you get a feel for what Typo3 can offer in a CMS.

As with most things, the more power and flexibility you have the steeper the learning curve and Typo3 is no exception.

PC-Crash sounds like a dodgy name.
They could've used engineering programs like: CATIA, Pro Engineer, Strand/Straus, or any other FEA (Finite Element Analysis) program and apply the right forces to the element to come up with a half decent result. However, if you've ever used any of them, you'd know the immensity of constructing an accurate model.
I can't judge PC-Crash. Maybe it is useful and accurate, however, the blurb says it was not "certified" or accepted for the senario it was used for.
I think this goes back to using the right tool for the job.
"Nothing to see here, move along!" is probably the right thing to say for this article.

Such data formats already exist - have a look at CATIA to name but one. Fortunately, most of the time such information remains safe. Although, there was the time when customers discovered that a set of plastic multicolored toy keys would actually open the doors of certain makes of car.

Pro/Engineer would be the one to learn, followed by Bentley Microstation, followed by Dassault CATIA (catia should be before microstation but for political idiocies). No one competent in one of those three and without ethical problems with military work will be unemployed.

Learn AutoCAD too, but don't waste too much time on it unless you want to work in the SME space - it's the Microsoft Word of CAD. Pro/Engineer would be the Adobe or Quark. Plus, almost every Pro/Engineer-using company I've seen has been a Linux shop!

OpenCASCADE is the TeX :-)

Catia Doesn't run on Linux, though I think Unigraphics does.