Will MacIntel Hardware Open The Door for Mac OS X CAD?

xcleetusx wonders: "I've been a fan of Apple for years, and with their current strangle-hold on mainstream media my desire to make the switch has been growing ever more, but the same nagging issue that has prevented my switch for years still remains: I'm an engineer, and I simply can't invest in a computer that won't run modeling/simulation software like CATIA and Solidworks. Since this software is available on Unix (which Mac OS X is built on) and also on Windows (Intel hardware), is the Apple switch to Intel-based hardware going to better my chances for a Mac OS X CAD workstation, or will it remain a pipedream?"

Comments

Say it with me

[ndansmith]

Developers Developers Developers Developers!

Since Mac OS X will use a Darwin (Unixish) on x86, it will not be very hard to port your standard CAD programs to run natively in OSX. Mostly it depends on the demand in the market. If a lot of users start asking the CAD software developers for a port to OSX, it will probably happen. Short of that, your best bet may be Darwine or X11 for OSX. Using one of these may allow you to run standard CAD software without it actually being ported (don't hold your breath for Darwine, though).

Re:Say it with me

[ebooher]

don't hold your breath for Darwine, though

Why not? Besides the fact that you'll pass out, fall down, and start breathing again. The only thing really holding up Darwine is the emulation of the processor being tied to the API's. You have to get an x86 emu installed, tweaked, then install something that's not always entirely stable to begin with on top of something else not entirely stable.

The original post is asking how the move to Intel will affect CAD software. I say any CAD software that is written for a *NIX on x86 will appear very quickly on MacTel. WINE, being what it is, will probably be available for MacTel on day 2. They will no longer need to emulate the x86 hardware, it's already there.

In fact, I predict someone in the Open Source community will completely side step the issue anyway and develop a Mac-On-Linux (MOL) like system "hole." MOL allows Mac Linux users to continue to run Mac OS X within Linux by giving it control of the underlying hardware resources. Better than Virtual PC, and probably what the Virtual Server product Microsoft is talking about does. I also know there is something on Linux (that I've never used so don't remember) that allows something similar in running multiple Linux instances on a single hardware set.

What ever bad things the MacTel moves brings with it, the good is in the instant tripling of software that will be available. Whether it be through WINE, or WOM (Windows-On-Mac) (hey ... WOMBAT ... now what can the BAT stand for), or Virtual PC, or straight up multi-booting. MacTel is looking good.

If nothing else, I regularly SSH into a linux machine next to my current PPC Mac and push programs to it via the X11 protocols. This won't change no matter what the underlying hardware is, so worse case scenario is two machines. One Mac desktop and One Massive *NIX box. (I'm thinking rack mounted Solaris might be fun) and you're set. The great thing about networking is you don't need to run *everything* native. Let something else do the work and push the visual to you through ethernet.

But everyone here already knew that, right?

Re:Only hope lies in increased popularity.

[Mattcelt]

X11 is not nasty.

On OSX it is. In fact, it's the antithesis of everything the Mac UI stands for - it's clunky, enigmatic, and difficult for people who aren't familiar with it to troubleshoot.

My girlfriend gave up on using openoffice altogether because of X11.

While I don't argue X11's potential, its implementation on OSX leaves much to be desired.