Why most Distro are Lacking of CAD software?

[Ioky]

This seem a little "non-sense" in a way, but when i start doing some research about CAD software under Linux/OpenSoucre software, I actually find a few really interesting and seem good quality software that will work under linux. Such as FreeCAD, BRL-CAD, and opencascade. But it seem like not much to no distro actually including them for some reason. Q CAD seem Like the Only CAD software that is everywhere, and upon all the other I have find, it see like the least useful/interesting one.

Did anyone has any idea? is because they are hard to compile? is because they are simply bad software? or something else?

I mean I don't mind to start making package for difference Distro, but it feels like I need more knowledge in this kind of software in the Linux world.

Thanks

[papenpj]

Because CAD is expensive, and people love windows and paying for CAD.... so why on earth would someone want to make a really good free CAD. Eventually when Microsoft goes broke from releasing crap, maybe people will realize money isn't everything or software on linux will become like windows and sold.

Actually is there anything you really have to buy for linux?

[shavenlunatic]

unlikely any distros will "Bundle" cad software pre-installed really s it's a very small number of people (comparatively) who would use it.. but aren't there a couple of CAD packages in the ubuntu repos? :-k (sorry, can't check, at work)

[Ioky]

Because CAD is expensive, and people love windows and paying for CAD.... so why on earth would someone want to make a really good free CAD. Eventually when Microsoft goes broke from releasing crap, maybe people will realize money isn't everything or software on linux will become like windows and sold.

Actually is there anything you really have to buy for linux?

Well, I mean there is a few kind of good free and OpenSource CAD softwares out there as I mission, Like BRL-CAD. I just wondering why Distro don't have package for those OpenSource Projected. Of course, they might not be as great and powerful as AutoCAD, but they are there, and Seem working well at least in some degree. Why didn't Distro makes Package for those software?

Of course, you can always complie it yourself, but this isn't the point of this topic.

[juancarlospaco]

On Ubuntu Repos:
-PythonCAD
-qCAD
-OpenCAScade
-SagCAD

Maybe more, just the result of my apt-cache search

[Chronon]

I agree that BRL-CAD looks very interesting. I also agree that it's a bit unfortunate that it doesn't seem to be packaged regularly for Linux distros. The .tar.gz downloads from their site lag behind the Windows versions by a couple of version numbers, it seems.

You might be interested in CAE-Linux: http://www.caelinux.com/CMS/

I tried to run it a while back but I had issues with my monitors/video card. It looks like their most recent release is based on Hardy Heron, so it should be fine on my system now. I'm planning to burn a LiveDVD and have a play with it soon.

[juancarlospaco]

There's a Tunned version of Blender, called BlenderCAD i remember.
its abandonware?