Instead, Miller uses VectorWorks and says the switchover was painless and fast. VectorWorks, formerly the Mac application MiniCAD, is a powerful and popular cross-platform CAD package. In the year since MAG started using VectorWorks, they have converted completely from hand drawing to CAD for production drawings, and have made limited use of the modeling and flythrough abilities of the program. Personal preference is one element, but Miller cites several tangible benefits, including lower support costs and better productivity. The loss of one workstation in productivity can destroy a delivery date in a small firm like mine, which would actually lose money for me due to loss of clientele.
Architecture is about style as well as function.
The decision to stick to the Mac platform has so far paid off. It now has a whole stable of Macs on active duty. There's also a Tangerine iBook that employees take home to do training on. The firm uses Photoshop for working with images of buildings, and converts their CAD files, including specs, to PDF for distribution. Canoma , a 3D package from MetaCreations, is a favorite in Miller's toolkit for creating preliminary models of existing buildings.