AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a Computer Assisted Design (CAD?) software package for 2D and 3D design and drafting, developed and sold by Autodesk?. It runs only on Microsoft operating systems. A version for the Macintosh was released, but was met with limited acceptance and was later dropped.

Initially for mechanical engineers, it has been extended and is very widely used by architects and other design professionals. Its file formats (DWG and AutoCAD DXF) have become the default standard for CAD packages.

Version 1 was released in December 1982. The current version is AutoCAD 2002, which was released in June 2001.

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If you're interested in the development of AutoCAD, check out http://www.fourmilab.ch/

John Walker is the founder of Autodesk? and co-author of AutoCAD.