Bricscad evaluation
As I continue my evaluation, I have tried the Linux version. Some things seems broken.
One of my big issues was placing objects where I want them. The help here got me sorted out on the Windows version, but the same thing does not seem to work on the Linux version. In the Windows version I set a flag that automatically sets the UCS to WCS, that plus using #x,y,z always works. In Linux, the flag to set UCS to WCS by default is grayed out, can't set it. Manually setting UCS to WCS does not work either. Whenever I try to move an object to an absolute position, it just doesn't move.
UI issues - This is common to many Linux programs I run, the UIs are poor in that text is the wrong size, it not position correctly..... I have used Linux for as long as I can remember. Most the issues I see come from, is it KDE, is it Gnome, and now add is it X11 or Wayland? What environment was Bricscad built on?
Thanks
Joel
Comments
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AFAIK,
Bricscad is officially supported for :
Ubuntu and Open Suse (Leap and Tumbleweed)
Gnome and KDE Desktop.Yes, so far Bricscad feels really good on Windows only
and please file a Support Request for that issue.
The more participation, the better Linux and macOS
versions will get.0 -
@Michael Mayer said:
AFAIK,
Bricscad is officially supported for :
Ubuntu and Open Suse (Leap and Tumbleweed)
Gnome and KDE Desktop.Yes, so far Bricscad feels really good on Windows only
and please file a Support Request for that issue.
The more participation, the better Linux and macOS
versions will get.Keeping an eye on the Linux for the last 15 years I see the same problems over and over again - it is not a viable, stable and profitable platform for
the professional DESKTOP applications! I bet Bricssys can justify the investment in Linux and Mac so far.0 -
I am also not very happy with how proprietary professional
Software and Linux work together so far.
That is mainly down to installation only.If you do need only free open source software from repositories
Linux works like a charm.
And if I look at how well Blender or my proprietary Modo run on
any Linux, for me these installation issues seem solvable.
Could be more comfortable like on any other OS though.Windows is clunky, macOS got worse and worse for 3D since 2012.
When I look at Linux, KDE, Blender and also Bricscad, it gets noticeably
better with every Update at a rapid speed.
While everything else seems to stagnate.
So I think it's a great investment into the future.As less problematic Windows is for Pro Apps in 3D, CAD or BIM,
there are so many really annoying issues around.
So currently for me, overall, macOS is still the least pain for now.But Linux is the only platform where I have confidence that the future
will get better and not worse.It looks like Bricscads Linux and macOS are woven together,
that makes support less tedious.
So far both platforms have mostly the same larger issues in GUI
and some minor technical issues. Unfortunately the userbase is
much smaller therefore less feedback. So I think it is important
to give more feedback.0 -
But a single CAD program is just not enough for even a small business. We need CAM, accounting software and myriad other specialized programs that are only Windows! So, even BricsCAD runs like a charm on Linux , it is just not practical to use it on Linux. And I don't see any effort to advance in Linux - the whole push is toward cloud as a next platform!
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When cloud becomes the only option, I'll quit upgrading. Anyone that wants to feed the CIA, NSA, etc can do so, but not me.
To create a better product for all platforms, two versions of any particular platforms executable should be provided. The first is the normal everyday version and the second is that same version only with debug code embedded to sample whatever developers might want to turn on IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT IS EXPERIENCING AN ISSUE, not some lab back at Bricsys.
When a problem appears and is reported, developers could ask the user to run the debug version and issue a switch command to turn on a particular branch of debug code that outputs to a file that can be sent back to Bricsys. Various debug branches could be turned on simultaneously if necessary. Over time, more and more debug code could be embedded in the debug version to make isolating what's going on easier for support staff to identify.
I'm running the Linux version and periodically I get a lock up for no apparent reason. I've also reported several issues that were sent to development and I never heard a word about whatever happened to them.
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I have tried a few commercial apps on Linux, most have issues of some sort. I did manage to find an office suite to run on Windows and Linux and it works identically ( very well ) on both. Other than that one, I also find it's most of the free apps, Gimp, Blender, some others I use, work well on Linux.
Right now, Bricscad on Linux is a no go for me. Debian, KDE Plasma.
As far as other comments, cloud is a deal breaker, software rental is a deal breaker.
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Yes, for me from peripheral Software availability Linux is also limiting.
Surprisingly on Windows even more, I hadn't expected that.
So overall better for me to stay with macOS.But as Apple more and more destroys that experience with OpenGL,
OpenCL deprecation, Metal, Sandboxing, Notarization and throwing
out 32 bit, all good steps in itself,
but in reality, support from developers is declining more and more.On the other hand on Linux it gets better and better for my freelancer
office stuff.
It's still a hen and egg problem for Linux. Low user base causes low
App support, low App support causes users staying away.No trust in Clouds, Microsoft and similar here either.
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Going things from Photoshop or similar to Gimp or similar
isn't hard. I think for 90% of typical PC users with their typical
use cases, Linux Repositories offers everything they need.
In an even easier way than Windows once they get used to Linux.It is that specialized peripheral pro software that lacks.
Like Apps that calculate building costs for architects and such things.
Or Apps that track my Apps and working hours and automate my
invoices, I find for Mac (or web services) only.0 -
This "only cloud" and "only subscription" "future" is very scary for me! I'm from a 3-d world where steady income is rare and uncertainty is a way of life! Buying things when possible is an insurance when thinks go bad! With so many works depending on software, having to pay over and over just to use it and to loose all when no money for the next subscription is a nightmare! And this spreads like a cancer - they all want to free us from any property and give just the "right" only to subscribe!
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So its an insurance to get used to FreeCAD and Blender ASAP.
I have tons of Maintanance, MSAs, ... running.
But no single Subscription or anything web based. Still everything perpetual.
And no will to change that too.0 -
I have been using BricsCAD for Mac for a year now. After several support requests, I don't see that the program has improved much. Every so often I find a fault, for me it is frustrating. I need to devote my time to produce, not to betatester, which I don't charge for.
Lately I've been using BricsCAD for Windows virtualized on my Mac.
At the moment I have no plans to renew my subscription. In the medium term I will look for another alternative that is really operational in macOS.
Too bad, because there are things about BricsCAD that I love.0 -
We have been using Bricscad Linux in our 2 person consultant office since 2011 and have nothing but praise. It does what we need it to do and just works. Every upgrade has been an improvement and I have been impressed with how the Bricsys team have expanded this program. We came to Bricscad from a 25 year background in Autocad. I started on Autocad back in 1984 working on an IBM 286 clone. I can't even remember what version of ACAD but it was a low number. Switching to Bricscad has been easy and productive.
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