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Autodesk Embracing Open Source
Seba writes to tell us that Autodesk appears to be embracing open source with the recent donation of their web mapping technology to the open source community. From the article: "A snapshot of the MapServer Enterprise source code is available today through the new MapServer Foundation, an independent non- profit organization with the mission of supporting and promoting open source web mapping. The foundation's charter members include MapServer Technical Steering Committee members, the University of Minnesota MapServer Project, the DM Solutions Group, and Autodesk."
Is this perhaps in response to GMaps being so widely used by various web applications out there? It seems like everyone these days is using GMaps integration (Dodgeball (duh), crime statistics (as seen on Slashdot), frappr, etc).
I don't have access to anything done by AutoDesk, but is it as viable a platform as GMaps?
Autodesk has been ripping engineering firms off since AutoCAD R14. Everything since then has been fluff, and the only reason small firms pay the multi-thousand dollar fees to upgrade is because all the other firms are doing the same thing. Much like MS Word, they change the file format with every release and spare nary a thought for backward compatability. Which means that if you save a drawing with simple lines in R2002, you can't open it in R14.
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PS - you can run R14 on Linux, using WINE: http://www.architectafrica.com/bin0/news200411111
KQED FM's Forum program had Marcia Sterling, senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of Autodesk on their program recently.
The discussion covered Intellectual Property in information technology.
I'd be willing to bet, based on Marcia's responses during the discussion, that Autodesk is definately NOT embracing open source.
Also represented on the program was the EFF and Stanford Law School.
Link to Nov 21 Forum broadcast
-S
Notice anyone missing?
"It will take some time, but an Open Source alternative could be derived"
I wish you were right, but I just don't see how. I don't believe the intersection of AutoCAD power users (primarily engineers and architects) and Open Source coders capable of writing an AutoCAD-like application (top-notch developers) is anywhere near large enough to take this on. There is virtually no "home user" base for AutoCAD, and developers who aren't also power users are going to have little appreciation for the kinds of things that an AutoCAD replacement would have to do. This isn't something you can hack together in a few months and start getting those engineers & architects switching to. It's got to be top-notch, polished, have all the needed features right away, and near-flawless cross-compatibility before any of the pros will even give it a look. And if you don't have the pros, you don't have anybody.
As an engineer who does some AutoCAD work, I have to say I really think Autodesk's domination in the CAD field is even more than Microsoft's in either operating systems or office suites.
How about an open source app, or just a nonpriced app, that can import AutoCAD files, edit them, and export AutoCAD?
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make install -not war
Hummmmm. That makes no sense. While there are a number of specialized cad packages that are used in various industries (Mentor Graphics, Catia, etc), they have held more than 50% of the general cad market, and I would bet more than 75% of MS market, for a long time.
Why would Autocad sign an agreement like that? In addition, why would MS sign it? These days, MS avoids anything on paper or e-mail (MS: we lost all of our backups of those e-mails that concerned this case; Judge, you know that we get virus just like you. ). And had they signed an agreement prior to the monopoly trial, it would have been used as evidence against them.
I prefer the "u" in honour as it seems to be missing these days.
If they're so serious about open source, why don't they GPL the code for AutoCAD? Just kidding, I know they wouldn't do that. But I do wish they'd release a version for the Mac. AutoCAD, SolidWorks, and Mastercam are the only applications that keep us using Windows here. The rest of our work is done with free software or in-house software, which has, over the years, migrated from DOS machines to Windows machines to Linux and FreeBSD, and now, to the Mac, and with commercial software that has either a Linux or a Mac version. If only those three powerhouse applications worked on the Mac, there would be NO MICROSOFT SOFTWARE in this company!
Could someone please enlighten me here? I thought that MapServer already was an Open Source project. In fact, I have played with it some. It is a very nice server-based solution for generating interactive maps. So what is this "announcement" all about really? Wasn't MapServer Open Source already? Is this some kind of takeover of the MapServer project by someone else?
I don't know much at all about AutoDesk, I am just wondering what's really changed in MapServer land.
TIA
I must have missed the antitrust lawsuits aimed at stopping Sony's illegal exploitation of its monopoly status in the game console market.
Oh, that's right. There weren't any. Unlike Microsoft and personal computers.
deus does not exist but if he does
Anybody with any kind of (good) programming experience should be contributing to Qcad - make it do the things that Autodesk Land Desktop can do!!! If I could program, I would help. But I can't program worth a dime!!!