Does anyone want Rhino on Mac / Linux?

[Tim B]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I know a few of you use Linux, and a few use Mac-OS (of varying types). However, it would seem that we are more-or-less agreed that MaxSurf, Rhino and AutoCAD are the cornerstone of the small craft world.

For CFD, FEA and general developement work, Mac and Linux are really good platforms. Now thanks to SUN we have OpenOffice 2 which is easily a rival for MS Office. The CAD is lacking though. There is 2D CAD software for Linux beginning to become mainstream (and some is quite good) but there isn't really much that is as powerful and user-friendly as Rhino for 3D work.

So, who'd like to see Rhino ported to work on MacOS / Linux?

Tim B.

Nb. Rhino v1+2 will run under the wine emulator in Linux. They may work under similar emulation on Mac OS

[marshmat]

Natively supported CAD software for Mac and Unix/Linux would be a great idea.
I should note that most new Macs, with the addition of a few $$ worth of extra software, can run MacOS AND Windows natively. Certainly beats emulation, although it still sucks to be stuck with Windows for anything.

[nevd]

Yes, I would really like to be able to run Rhino on Linux.

[nero]

No need for AutoCad. VectorWorks is easier and just as powerful ...?

TouchCad does an excellent job at modeling small craft and has marine calculations built in.
http://www.strata3d.com/ Strata is a well established and powerful. Lacks a marine design module tho.

So why buy a more expensive computer to run windows programs?

But all that aside, It would be super to have the choice.

[dougfrolich]

What is wrong with the way it is now? Why do you think windows "Sucks so much"??? I like my PC, I like Rhino,Maxsurf,etc...I Like the add ins that run with them---From my perspective it is smooth sailing---what is the problem???

[Tim B]

I specifically didn't say that windows sucked. The primary reason being that I didn't want to make this a Windows v Linux v MacOS three-way argument. I will say, though that MS Windows (in all versions I have ever used) is the least developer-friendly environment I have ever used and without doubt the least stable.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't an anti-microsoft poll, I'd just like to see people's views on porting Rhino,

Tim B.

[ludesign]

Originally Posted by nero

No need for AutoCad. VectorWorks is easier and just as powerful ...?

TouchCad does an excellent job at modeling small craft and has marine calculations built in.
http://www.strata3d.com/ Strata is a well established and powerful. Lacks a marine design module tho.

So why buy a more expensive computer to run windows programs?

But all that aside, It would be super to have the choice.

VectorWorks is, i my opinion, usually better than even a combination of Rhino and AutoCAD. TouchCAD is by a wide margin my choice for hull fairing and modeling. Strata is more of a rendering program and I would not use it for any serious modeling. Use to use it a lot, but nowadays I mostly use the built in rendering and and animation features in TouchCAD and VectorWorks, with the exception of a few times using Artlantis and Cheetah3D.

[nero]

I agree with ludesign. My reference to strata3D was it is capable of high-end renderings and animations. TouchCad is more than capable for all design and modeling work. And it has been running on Mac for awhile so it is stable now.

New ports of Rhino would be error ridden for the first few years after it was ported. AutoCad abandoned the Mac Platform several years ago.

Perhaps instead of porting programs, someone should intergrate FEA, CAD, and Modeling. One program for at least the basic functions of each. Yes some have done this already but the price is reserved for the big boys.

I am loosing my passion for Macintosh Hardware. Soon it will be just another PC box.

[ludesign]

Originally Posted by nero

I agree with ludesign. My reference to strata3D was it is capable of high-end renderings and animations. TouchCad is more than capable for all design and modeling work. And it has been running on Mac for awhile so it is stable now.

New ports of Rhino would be error ridden for the first few years after it was ported. AutoCad abandoned the Mac Platform several years ago.

Perhaps instead of porting programs, someone should intergrate FEA, CAD, and Modeling. One program for at least the basic functions of each. Yes some have done this already but the price is reserved for the big boys.

I am loosing my passion for Macintosh Hardware. Soon it will be just another PC box.

AutoCAD for Mac was abandoned because Mac users did not like the crude DOS-style user interface it had then, and still partially have. It felt like one step forward and 30 steps backwards.

At this point, the Mac is not just another PC box. True that you can now run Windows at full speed on a Mac, but why bother. Macs may be more stylish, cool and elegant, but my reason for sticking to Macs is spelled RELIABILITY. Viruses, for example. Sure you can get it on Macs too. I have had it. Last time was in 1988, I think.......

[Jeff]

my reason for sticking to Macs is spelled RELIABILITY.

So to put you on the spot ... how frequently does TouchCAD 3.5 runnning on Windows actually crash and lose data or time? My guess - not often.

[Raggi_Thor]

Originally Posted by nero

No need for AutoCad. VectorWorks is easier and just as powerful ...?
...
But all that aside, It would be super to have the choice.

Bricscad is an AutoCAD clone running on Linux (and Windows).
www.bricscad.com

I use it for general 2D drawings, nesting of parts etc.

[ludesign]

Originally Posted by Jeff

So to put you on the spot ... how frequently does TouchCAD 3.5 running on Windows actually crash and lose data or time? My guess - not often.

I was referring to the platform / operating system and not to specific programs. Several large studies show that Windows comes out at the bottom and Mac OSX and Linux at the top in terms of security, for example with viruses.

TouchCAD for Mac and Windows have identical source code up to 99.4%, and the rest is mostly to cope with differences in window sizes and that sort of thing. The users are also fairly evenly distributed between the platforms. In theory, it would be possible to compile it for Linux too, if there was a demand for it. It would however miss a few features that the other versions have.

[Chris Ostlind]

Hi Claes,

Perhaps I'm out of the loop when it comes to crashing platform issues...

I'm running a WinTel platform for Rhino along with a generous amount of powerful support programs to my design work and, other than a single, mechanical hard drive spin-out, I've never had a truly significant issue with crashing, viruses or any of the maladies that are spoken of. Hard drives crash for any platform, so that's not platform specific.

There are some really great programs for viruses and other gremlins, so I don't see the bulk of the haggle over the on-going argument in support of Mac or Linux.

Now, maybe I've been really lucky with all my stuff for boat work. I also use a Mac for all my photography image processing and video editing work, so I'm familiar with the benefits of each platform.

I would guess that the real question would be... Why do Mac's include full WinTel emulation at all, if the machine can stand on its own?

Smart software makers write to platforms where they feel they will see the most benefit to their on-going efforts as a function of an overall business plan. Since there's no doubt that Rhino has more than managed to expand their influence in many design markets beyond their original intent, you'd have to agree that they made the correct decision at the outset.

Chris

[ludesign]

Originally Posted by Chris Ostlind

There are some really great programs for viruses and other gremlins, so I don't see the bulk of the haggle over the on-going argument in support of Mac or Linux.

Now, maybe I've been really lucky with all my stuff for boat work. I also use a Mac for all my photography image processing and video editing work, so I'm familiar with the benefits of each platform.

I would guess that the real question would be... Why do Mac's include full WinTel emulation at all, if the machine can stand on its own?

In the end it is a matter of taste. Some prefer Macs and some prefer Wintels. I also use both platforms, but I personally prefer Macs.

Both TouchCAD and VectorWorks (12) licenses are cross platform and allow you to run on either Mac or Windows within a license. It is up to your personal taste.

The current Mac generation runs on Intel processors too, so you can in fact run either MacOSX, Linux or Windows on them if you like. With BootCamp, one at the time, with Parallels Desktop (www.parallels.com) some or all of them at the same time.

[antonfourie]

Do you think that companies will want to market expensive CAD software to people who don't want to pay for their operating system software ?