ITC Begins Rolloutof "New" IntelliCAD

The way IntelliCAD currently stands is as a mishmash of code from IntelliCADD (the original company), Softdesk, Visio, Microsoft, and others. Its APIs are stuck in the pre-AutoCAD R13 days -- ie, pre-ARX. Despite all this, it remains a successful AutoCAD clone. (Other clones include VDraft from Softsource and PowerCAD/FelixCAD from Grabert Systems.)

The patrons who make IntelliCAD possible realized some years ago that the software needed to be released: (1) released from its heritage; and (2) released from its aging APIs.

The solution has been in the making for three years now. IntelliCAD 7 is its working name, rewriting the code and implementing an ARX-like API is the working game. Today, the IntelliCAD Technical Consortium made its first official announcement on what it tentatively named "The New IntelliCAD":

The new IntelliCAD will offer greater speed and wider functionality, and is based on DWGdirect, a non-proprietary design format compatible with ARX and Autodesk-related systems available from the Open Design Alliance.

The consortium offers developers:
* Webinars.
* Newsletters.
* Beta testing opportunity.

Alpha becomes available in July, and the New IntelliCAD ships early next year. Register here.