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Alibre under Linux?

nenad

nenad

Member
As others have mentioned, Linux is not platform for professional CAD. Though in my opinion, it's not (just) the CAD and Linux desktop issue, but everything else that comes with the job, such as PDM/PLM software, 3rd party add-ons (CAM, rendering, simulation...), suppliers' software (e.g. Festo FluidDraw, Bosch MTPro...). So even if Alibre was available for Linux (or MacOS), it doesn't mean users could and would switch from Windows.
But also, not all users have the same requirements, and for some, CAD is just enough. Or it's significant part of daily work, so they can actually justify to use VM from time to time for some other stuff or in multi-user environment, some PCs could be with Linux and some with Windows

And while there are some professional (M)CAD programs for Linux (VariCAD, OnShape, BricsCAD, Ares Commander), they are all bit different from traditional and mostly used MCADs. OnShape aims to be better SW replacement, but it's licensing model, prices and lack of options for local first data handling will turn down many companies/users. So Alibre would probably be the best option for MCAD work.

In my opinion, Atom3D might be attractive to Linux (non-Windows) users. I don't know if it's worth porting, but maybe enabling it to work via Wine (CrossOver/Steam Proton) would be enough. Even if it wouldn't be officially supported but if it just worked, that would be enough for many. I don't know if someone has considered to distribute it via Steam, and make it even easier for hobby users and small workshops, though I'm not sure how updates and payments can be handled in that case.
 
stepalibre

stepalibre

Alibre Super User
I don't dislike Windows, I prefer macOS/Linux for daily use and development. I routinely work under macOS or Ubuntu for Windows development. It depends on what apps I need for a given task but VM performance is adequate for non performance/memory/GPU intensive work. I utilize remote desktop on macOS and it performs well enough for design and development. Remote debugging is painful but my setup is simple and I try to keep it that way, for sure. When I need to use certain apps e.g. SolidWorks, Alibre Design, Solid Edge, Rhino/Grasshopper I boot directly into Windows or use a VM. Windows Subsystem for Linux does help me when I need something to work on both OS's but, I have a lack of storage space now (14.4gb free) because of all the development dependencies needed and VMs.:(

I don't do this for Alibre Design (not yet), but for other CAD Apps I have developed on macOS or Ubuntu, using RDP or a VM to run and debug code running on Windows. It works perfectly fine 90% of the time. The other 10% is work that requires more memory and/or the GPU. Also, some software features are disabled or degraded if they detect that they are running under RDP or a VM, which is why I boot directly into Windows more often than I would like to.

For development you can use Rider or VS Code on macOS and Linux for programming applications running on Windows. For .NET you will need to use libraries compiled for .NET standard or .NET Core to have all the supported features work in the IDE or VS Code extensions. You can use ssh and other remoting methods to connect to PCs from macOS and Linux inside VS Code. VS Code has many great extensions for this that I use daily.

It really depends on what software and packages you need and how isolated the software and packages are from the rest of the system. I tried to setup Arch Linux years ago and all the software and packages I use under Ubuntu simply didn't work together under Arch Linux. Yes I could find alternatives and workarounds but I don't have time to do that every time.

I make heavy use of VM copies, snapshots, and images in order to reduce the damage done after I update a package or application that breaks other things. I consider software/OS's as tools and don't really care about one over the other, except when they don't get the job done. I prefer CLIs over GUIs which is another plus for macOS and Linux although Windows is adding better native CLI support for software management WinGet.

Any supported solution for Alibre Design on more platforms would be a game changer.
 
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D

danwrnr11

Member
Mika said:
Windows is most used OS in worklife, so I think sotware companies are not going to put effort to develop Linux versions. Linux is for hobbyists.
Click to expand...
really? when it has been stated windows 12 will be on subscription basis and Linux is free. You watch how fast Linux support is pursued.
 
L

Latitude

Member
Mika

Mika

Senior Member
danwrnr11 said:
really? when it has been stated windows 12 will be on subscription basis and Linux is free. You watch how fast Linux support is pursued.
Click to expand...
Yes. Send me a message after 10years, I highly think we are still on same situation. Windows is still biggest.
 
Mika

Mika

Senior Member
And yes, I would like to use linux also, but I just cannot, I need to do my work and be sure that I can always install what ever software I want. There is only one OS where we can install almost the all available softwares. Windows.
 
J

JimCad

Senior Member
If my only option is windows on subscription I'll beat the sh*t out of my computer and take it to the dump.
I REALLY hope some clever people come up with a working alternative.
Jim
 
M

multicaduser

Member
With all due respect to those who say linux is not a serious cad OS, we went from running NX on Sun Sparc to less expensive x86 hardware with cheap gaming cards without issues. In fact I would have up to eight or nine sessions open with different projects without slowdowns or memory leaks, which were very common in windows software back then. We moved to windows xp in 2009 when they downsized and let go our only linux administrator (I was backup with too many other duties). Windows was slower on the same hardware (un-scientific model rebuild tests) by about 10%, and file writes were slower.

NX support on linux was dropped in 2020, but it's sister, Solid Edge, started out on linux and was the testbed software for a lot of the new features.

The things I will concede to windows are a larger market, due in part to the fact that there is more training pushed in public institutions, and the larger number of available software, also partially due to the public push. The philosophies of each OS are different and have their own strengths and drawbacks. I will commend the Alibre team on what they are able to do, they have difficult decisions on where to put their development dollars and efforts.
 
stepalibre

stepalibre

Alibre Super User
In recent years many technologies, toolkits and frameworks make serious 2D and 3D CAD on Linux and macOS more possible. And with GPUs, Apple Silicon, Vulkan, Metal, Microsoft cross platform APIs and Windows Application to macOS and Linux app converters the tools are available. I work with Godot, Stride3d, Silk.NET and compiled apps run great on Linux. I mention 3D engines because they run on .NET Core. Yes building a CAD system is more than toolkits and libraries. My point is only that the tech is available and serious CAD software can move to (or back to) macOS or Linux and things are becoming easier.

Mcneel's Rhino moved to macOS and is getting better every release. I prefer the Windows version but the macOS version works well in the macOS way. They migrated to .NET Core and Eto Forms for the cross platfrom GUI. Alibre could take a similar path to get to macOS and/or Linux. It is possible after moving to .NET Core.

1700093983348.png

Rhino for Mac is the only CAD software I'm aware of that is based on C++ and .NET and has transitioned to macOS or Linux via .NET Core.

Windows WPF to macOS and Linux : https://avaloniaui.net/XPF
.NET mutilplatform Apps : https://platform.uno/
Eto Forms cross platfrom UI: https://github.com/picoe/Eto
Silk.NET or similar could replace Windows DirectX for a cross platfrom alternative: https://github.com/dotnet/Silk.NET
Veldrid or similar with backends for Vulkan, Metal, OpenGL : https://github.com/veldrid/veldrid
www.stride3d.net

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Evergine is a powerful component-based industrial engine developed on .NET and designed to be completely multiplatform.
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Mika

Mika

Senior Member
If Win12 will be paid and part of MS365, I will pay it. It is nice to know that my computer stays working fluently and I do not need to ”apt get” from text based terminal anything and get stressed because almost everything is not working without extra hassle. And I think I’m not the only one, so do all the companies around the world, they stay with windows.
 
Ex Machina

Ex Machina

Senior Member
Mika said:
If Win12 will be paid and part of MS365, I will pay it. It is nice to know that my computer stays working fluently and I do not need to ”apt get” from text based terminal anything and get stressed because almost everything is not working without extra hassle. And I think I’m not the only one, so do all the companies around the world, they stay with windows.
Click to expand...
By the way, I worked for a while using Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. Never apt-got anything. Everything was handled automatically. I just wish I had a decent CAD package. I'd still be using Ubuntu. Or Mint. I like Mint a lot...
 
Joseph_L

Joseph_L

Administrator
Staff member
Ex Machina said:
By the way, I worked for a while using Ubuntu 18.04 LTS. Never apt-got anything. Everything was handled automatically. I just wish I had a decent CAD package. I'd still be using Ubuntu. Or Mint. I like Mint a lot...
Click to expand...
Have you tried pop-OS by chance? That's my latest daily. It's built off Ubuntu, but has a desktop environment that I just LOVE (after I move the dock to the left like Ubuntu haha) and has its own software to implement NVidia graphics.
 
nenad

nenad

Member
That's also one of the good (unique) things about Linux - it can be customized to fit specific needs, e.g. CAD. Just like Valve did it with Deck. So in theory, Alibre could work with e.g. System76 to create CAD workstation which would be tested (& certified). Of course, it will probably work on many other hardware+distro setups, but there would be no need for official support.

Mika said:
If Win12 will be paid and part of MS365, I will pay it. It is nice to know that my computer stays working fluently and I do not need to ”apt get” from text based terminal anything and get stressed because almost everything is not working without extra hassle. And I think I’m not the only one, so do all the companies around the world, they stay with windows.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately, that is far from true. Hardware, OS and application software are becoming more complex, so it's more common for users to face many kinds of issues, even in enterprise environment. Plus Microsoft is making Windows Professional worse with every new realize (really, there's nothing professional in Pro version, some people are moving to Andoird/AOSP for this reason). So unless you have LTSC/Enterprise, which is not an option for small companies, you will have to fight your PC besides the work you need to do. Though there was news yesterday that at least in EU Microsoft will have to back off and stop putting some of its dark patterns in OS we just need to run some programs.

Mika said:
And yes, I would like to use linux also, but I just cannot, I need to do my work and be sure that I can always install what ever software I want. There is only one OS where we can install almost the all available softwares. Windows.
Click to expand...
But majority of users have no need to install almost all available software, just those programs they use ;) And there are people who use professional CAD programs on Linux. I don't know how many, but number is larger than 2 :D Plus, there are many (engineering, professional) windows programs that can be installed and used via Wine.
And the other thing is - there are more and more SaaS programs, so you might not need to install anything but a browser, even for professional CAD, photo & video editing, ERP, etc. Not that I prefer it over local installation, but the fact is people like that and market is growing. So the question is - will companies switch to other suitable platforms (mac OS, ChromeOS) and start using available software (OnShape, Fusion 360, Shapr3D...), or they'll stay with Microsoft and follow their release model however good or bad it is, just to keep use programs they've been using so far. To be honest, if I were an owner of (small) engineering company, and realized all the work can be done by macbook air and ipads, I would probably go for it over windows setups. And it would be purely financial decision, even though it sounds strange :)
 
stepalibre

stepalibre

Alibre Super User
nenad said:
you might not need to install anything
Click to expand...
I agree. I've worked for many companies, or different departments in a company, where it was standard practice to use VMs, remote desktops, VNC or Citrix for engineering and design software running on Windows or Linux.

I believe this discussion is conflating personal/home and business/enterprise users and use cases.

Also, Linux is used mostly for free and open source software. One reason I needed to use Linux professionally was because engineers used open source software in college and preferred it over Windows. Another was custom programs were written under Linux for speed and couldn't be migrated to Windows. Every Linux software I used professional that wasn't proprietary was free and open source.

Unfortunately, I think that macOS is better for businesses than Linux. Paid 3D CAD software on Linux is often web based or older applications or tech. I would love a professional grade 2D/3D CAD software with a .NET SDK on Linux. BricsCAD is an option but the API and other aspects of how it works is not the same workflow and other limitations.

www.bricsys.com

What is BricsCAD? | One Design Platform for everyone | Bricsys

BricsCAD is a powerful native-DWG platform that can further detail your drawings and speed up your 2D and 3D design workflows. A set of professional CAD and modeling tools made for designers, innovators and engineers.
www.bricsys.com www.bricsys.com
 
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Ex Machina

Ex Machina

Senior Member
Joseph_L said:
Have you tried pop-OS by chance? That's my latest daily. It's built off Ubuntu, but has a desktop environment that I just LOVE (after I move the dock to the left like Ubuntu haha) and has its own software to implement NVidia graphics.
Click to expand...
OK, you've gotten me thinking there. I will try it over the weekend. I need to bring that old laptop back online to use as a second screen viewing YouTube... for some reason... Hmmm... What could it be...
 
stepalibre

stepalibre

Alibre Super User
Ex Machina said:
OK, you've gotten me thinking there. I will try it over the weekend. I need to bring that old laptop back online to use as a second screen viewing YouTube... for some reason... Hmmm... What could it be...
Click to expand...
Yes, Pop OS/Ubuntu is the only Linux distro that work for the software and packages I need (I tried 10)! My old dell has Pop OS with NVidia drivers, it runs great, and all my VMs are Pop OS or Ubuntu.

Microsoft's Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL2) allow you to install Linux distros with GUI app support. I have Ubuntu setup.

learn.microsoft.com

Windows Subsystem for Linux Documentation

Overview of the Windows Subsystem for Linux documentation.
learn.microsoft.com
learn.microsoft.com

Run Linux GUI apps with WSL

Learn how WSL support running Linux GUI apps.
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