Sorry for the delay, but here it is.

In my experience engineers come to CAD with an open mind are keen look at new packages to test potential.

However architects tend to be in denial of anything other than AutoCAD. I’ve had AutoCAD users tell me that unless you use AC, no one will take you seriously or give you work. The reality is that AC is old technology, hopelessly clumsy, but because it was the first one there and lots of people were trained in it, it still keeps a respectability beyond its power in today’s 3D orientated design world. Just as engineers are eager to find new solutions, architects are desperate to do things the same way, with the same tools, come what may.

The construction business is feeling the pinch and because of this companies are looking away from AC to rather more reasonably priced CAD software. I sell every week to AutoDesk users that are fed up paying AD prices for software. I will not try to put my finger on a percentage, but I’d estimate that the overwhelming majority of CAD users at present using AC, Inventor, SolidWorks etc have paid for functionality that they do not need. And as money is tight, they look elsewhere and they often look TurboCAD way.

So the answer to your question is that you will find an element of snobbery against TurboCAD with some, not all, of the bigger companies. However, I’ve sold TurboCAD into everyone from Taylor Wimpy to McAlpine and despite what people will sometimes say it is used in big projects.

As for AutoCAD/AutoDesk, I’ve heard that their turnover last year was anything from between 29% and 42%, (depending on who you listen to), down. That must tell you something.

Paul

There’s not a short answer to that question. It is used widely, although to talk to some architects you’d think that unless you were using AutoCAD you’d never get any work.

I’d like to answer this in some detail, but I’ve been out demonstrating TurboCAD and now am off to do a homebuilding show at the NEC for four days.

Give me a few days and I’ll have an informative answer for you – sorry about the delay.

Paul

I live in South Africa and am thinking of moving to the UK but am not sure how many of the Architectural companies use Turbocad. Can u help me please.

Regards

Paul

Paul