PowerCADD

PowerCADD is a computer-aided design and drafting (CADD) software program for the Apple Macintosh platform developed from out of the PowerDraw platform of the mid 1980s by Greensboro, North Carolina-based Engineered Software.

PowerCADD is a 2 dimensional, WYSIWYG drawing program developed mainly to reproduce the familiarity of manual technical drawing with the advantages of a full geometry tool set (including bezier) and computer graphics, allowing the full mix of line art and raster images. PowerCADD is a full metaphor for the design board, providing an elegant easy to learn and easy to use interface, with the integration of both Imperial and Metric dimensioning in familiar "real world" scales. An add-on tool set, called WildTools, was developed by an independent programmer, bringing a number of new capabilities to the program, including isometric and perspective-drawing tools. Both are available in "demo" form to allow hands-on trial use.

The current shipping version is PowerCADD 8, which was released March 2008. PowerCADD 8 is an Apple Intel Only application. PowerCADD 7 (also still available) is an Apple PowerPC only application.

History

The development of PowerCADD began with PowerDraw, a true CADD alternative to MacDraw that was released in the mid 1980s. The online user group from GEnie that participated in outlining the capabilities of the new CADD program were invited to initiate a graphics forum on Applelink Personal Edition in 1987.

Versions

* PowerDraw 1 for the 680x0 Mac
* PowerDraw 2 for the 680x0 Mac
* PowerDraw 3 for the 680x0 Mac
* PowerDraw 4 for the 680x0 Mac
* PowerDraw 5 for the 680x0 Mac
* PowerDraw 6 for the 680x0 Mac and PowerCADD 1 for the PPC Mac OS 7 (then known as Macintosh System 7)
* PowerCADD 2 released October 1995
* PowerCADD 3 released in late 1996
* PowerCADD 4
* PowerCADD 2000 (PowerCADD 5), released May 2000. Major enhancements to text handling and symbol data.
* PowerCADD 6, released May 2003, the first Mac OS X native version with Aqua interface.
* PowerCADD 7, released January 2006. Featuring transparent objects and layers, improved DWG/DXF translation, and global management of drawing attributes.
* PowerCADD 8 for Intel based Apple hardware released March 2008 [http://www.engsw.com/products/PowerCADDV8.pdf PDF Brochure Link]

References

* Martinez, Carlos Domingo (January 1997) "PowerCADD 3.0." "MacWorld".
* Seiter, Charles (December 2000) " [http://www.macworld.com/2000/12/reviews/cad/ PowerCADD 2000: Drawing-Friendly Program Makes CAD Fun and Easy] ." "MacWorld."
* Dornell, Lisa (2007) " [http://images.apple.com/business/profiles/kaa/images/kaa.pdf Under one roof] ." Apple.com/smallbusiness.
* " [http://www.architosh.com/news/2002-05/2002c1-0503-arch-r-sp2t.phtml Special Report: PowerCADD, Macs, FormZ and VectorWorks, dominate tools used for Record House Award winners] " Architosh News.

External links

* [http://www.engsw.com/products/ PowerCADD product page] at engsw.com
* [http://www.designcommunity.com/forums/viewforum.php?f=3 PowerCADD forum] at designcommunity.com
* [http://www.engsw.com/drawroom/ The Drawing Room] at engsw.com, examples of PowerCADD generated drawings
* [http://www.caddpower.com/ CADDpower.com] an independent site dedicated to professionals who make their living with PowerCADD and the Mac OS