I blogged previously about Project Butterfly, an Autodesk Labs Technology Preview that allowed AutoCAD users to edit AutoCAD drawings over the web just using a Web browser. Autodesk has announced the commercial availability of AutoCAD WS. AutoCAD WS is a web application that allows you to view, edit, and share drawings (.dwg)
through a web browser or a mobile device.
It includes
- autocadws.com - web application and online workspace
- AutoCAD WS - mobile app for the for Apple iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch
- AutoCAD WS Plug-in – to upload and synchronize files automatically from AutoCAD
You can sign up for the web application here. The mobile apps are available from the iTunes store. The Plug-ins are available for AutoCAD 2011, AutoCAD Map 3D 2011, and other AutoCAD based products here. A video, tutorials and a FAQ are available.
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I'm a network admin for an engineering firm in Los Angeles and my behind is still sore from an Autodesk audit we just went through. Strangely, at the same time, my boss calls me and tells me how awesome AcadWS is on her iPad and when I discover that there's an intermediary host (if you are indeed working with someone else) that houses all your drawings. People are flocking to the cloud without reading any legalese during install and are throwing their data - incredibly valuable data - onto servers that they have no idea who owns, who has access to, or what can and cannot legally be done with those uploads by the system owners. Have people lost their minds??
Posted by: Matt Sutherland | June 07, 2011 at 04:39 AM
You make a very good point about the risks associated with putting valuable data in the cloud. This is one of the reasons that AutoCAD WS now allows you to store your drawing files on your own servers.
http://geospatial.blogs.com/geospatial/2011/05/autocad-in-the-cloud-store-drawing-files-anywhere.html
Posted by: Geoff | June 07, 2011 at 10:17 AM