

This allows you, the user input on the software’s future without actually having to know how to write code.Īfter using DraftSight for a few hours, trying to dig in and find out what’s under the hood I’ve learned that its really not that much different than other 2D packages. This feedback will be collected and voted on by the user community in much the same was as SolidWorks Brainstorm works. The DraftSight source code will not be distributed but it will be updated and enhanced based on user feedback. With open source software, the source code is freely distributed, upgraded and altered by users to add features and functions.
DRAFTSIGHT 2016 INTERFACE SOFTWARE
The idea is based on the open source software model.

The idea being, in order for the software to grow, mature and be widely adopted it needs to have a supportive user community behind it. When you activate your free copy of DraftSight you’re also signing up to be part of the DraftSight co mmunity. It will also be offered in Mac and Linux flavors later this year.ĭraftSight is more than just software. Unlike the Solidworks 2D Editor that was free to all SolidWorks subscription customers, Draftsight is free for everyone. You could easily use DraftSight to create 2D layout and detail drawings from scratch for any design in a variety of industries. It’s not limited to this type of work however. DraftSight is aimed at the 3D CAD customer who needs to keep a seat or two of 2D CAD current to work with legacy data, do some 2D drafting, create schematics and offer other company departments (sales for example) some simple drafting tools. Surprisingly, it’s all about 2D and it’s named DraftSight.ĭraftSight is not a replacement for the SolidWorks 2D Editor (formerly known as SolidWorks DWG Editor). The two applications have similarities but are based on different technology. Like the SolidWorks 2D Editor, Draftsight reads and writes DWG and DXF files. It functions basically the same as the SolidWorks 2D Editor and other 2D CAD software you’ve previously used. That’s why I was surprised when I learned the newest software release from Dassault isn’t cloud based and has nothing to do with 3D.

I sat in the audience during the conference and listen to Bernard Charles talk about the Dassault family of products and their mantra of “3d for all”. Dassault had the CAD world talking when it showed a cloud based version of SolidWorks at SolidWorks World 2010.
