AutoCAD

Logo since 2022

Screenshot of AutoCAD 2022.

### List of Languages

English, Brazilian Portuguese, Spanish, French, German, Czech, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Polish

AutoCAD (formerly MicroCAD) is a 2D and 3D computer-aided design (CAD) drafting software created by Autodesk co-founder Michael Riddle.

## History

From 1977 to 1979, a prototype CAD program called Interact CAD was developed by Autodesk co-founder Michael Riddle, which later became the basis for today's AutoCAD. Initially, development moved slowly, as Riddle soon realized that "he needed a processor that could support hardware multiply," and soon used a computer created by Daniel Drake and John Walker's Marinchip Systems. After Riddle showed how the program worked well on the computer, John Walker "was interested in acquiring AutoCAD for $8,000." However, Riddle believed that the program was worth $15,000, and also "wanted to retain the right to develop competing products" in case AutoCAD became a failure. "Michael Riddle ... decided he'd be willing to sell Walker AutoCAD for a dollar, plus 10% of the profit from the sales of AutoCAD and any products that were derivative of it," according to StudioDaily. A couple of years later, John Walker, Michael Riddle, Daniel Drake, and a few others would found Marinchip Software Partners, now known as Autodesk. The Interact CAD software was rewritten and renamed MicroCAD, and after copyright issues, was renamed AutoCAD. The original version of AutoCAD was introduced to the public at a 1982 Comdex trade show and was later released in December of that same year.

## Variants

* AutoCAD LT: A lower-cost version of AutoCAD that lacks some features, such as 3D modeling and network licensing.
* AutoCAD Mobile & Web: Mobile and online versions of AutoCAD. Both were initially called *AutoCAD WS*, were later renamed as *AutoCAD 360*, and were once again renamed as *AutoCAD Web App*.

## DWG Files

A .dwg (short for "drawing") file is a vector graphic format created by Autodesk to store 2D vector graphics for AutoCAD. These kinds of files can be used in the architecture, industrial designing, engineering, and video game designing fields.

## References

1. ↑ Autodesk. Autodesk Support. February 26, 2019. "AutoCAD 2020 Language Packs." https://www.autodesk.com/support/technical/article/caas/tsarticles/ts/6zcH4hmHofZMLbnaJkBly2.html
2. ↑ Index Librorum Liberorum. Walker, John. "Micro-CAD Progress." https://www.fourmilab.ch/autofile/www/section2\_9\_7.html
3. ↑ Cambridge Dictionary. English. "CAD." https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/cad
4. ↑ Autodesk. AutoCAD. "Autodesk AutoCAD: Trusted by millions, built to accelerate your creativity." https://www.autodesk.com/products/autocad/overview?us\_oa=dotcom-us&us\_si=ff1dad71-9d1e-49ae-bc68-dcf76b353e0f&us\_st=autocad&us\_pt=ACD&term=1-YEAR&tab=subscription&plc=ACDIST
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Retro Thing. Grahame, James. May 17, 2007. "Mike Riddle's Prehistoric AutoCAD." https://www.retrothing.com/2007/05/mike\_riddles\_pr.html
6. ↑ Michael Riddle's Thoughts. Riddle, Michael. "About." https://www.michaelriddle.com/?page\_id=2
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 3DCADWorld. Yares, Evan. February 17, 2012. "AutoCAD’s ancestor." https://www.3dcadworld.com/autocads-ancestor/
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 StudioDaily. Plantec, Peter. January 7, 2012. "The Fascinating Story of How Autodesk Came to Be (Part 1)." Made viewable via the Wayback Machine. https://web.archive.org/web/20230120095143/https://www.studiodaily.com/2012/01/the-fascinating-story-of-how-autodesk-came-to-be-part-1/
9. ↑ InfoWorld Magazine. December 3, 1984. "One Company's CAD Success Story." pg. 39.
10. ↑ All3DP. Fuentes, Lauren, et al. Kyle Preedy. "AutoCAD LT 2022 vs AutoCAD 2022: The Differences." https://all3dp.com/2/autocad-lt-vs-autocad-the-most-important-differences/
11. ↑ Autodesk. AutoCAD LT 2011. "Questions and Answers." PDF. pg. 4. http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/autocad\_lt\_2011\_faq.pdf
12. ↑ Between the Lines. Hurley, Shaan. May 21, 2013. "AutoCAD WS is now AutoCAD 360." https://autodesk.blogs.com/between\_the\_lines/2013/05/autocad-ws-is-now-autocad-360.html
13. ↑ Autodesk. "AutoCAD Web App." https://web.autocad.com/
14. ↑ All3DP. Ponce, Genaro. January 25, 2019. "DWG File (AutoCAD) – All You Need to Know." https://all3dp.com/2/dwg-file-autocad-all-you-need-to-know/