AutoCad
AutoCad has been my primary 2D CAD drafting tool since 1983.
Back then, you had to use a seperate computer to plot your files so there was a lot running back and forth from one computer to another with drawings on 5.25" disks.
Even so, it was quite a big deal to be able to reduce the amount of time spent on repetitive detailing.
Auto cad has become far more powerful since then and it has become by far the most popular 2D drafting and detailing program.
Architects, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical and Structural Engineers all consider it their drafting tool of choice. Mostly because AutoDesk has always tried to meet the needs of everyone who have a need for technical drawing and drafting.
One aspect of the program that has always been popular is that it can be customized to suit the needs and standards of just about any company that needs drafting.
The software keeps getting added to and the result of that is that there are always 9 or 10 ways of accomplishing the same task. It's just that one way suits a particular discipline more than an another.
Another big deal is the sheer volume of legacy .DWG drawings that exist. It is easiest just to buy the software that originally created them.
If you are thinking of purchasing the software for your company, I can help advise you about how well it might suit the needs of the type of drafting that your are doing.
For example, why purchase the full version of AutoCad if you are not going to make use of all of its features. Many companies make do perfectly well with seats of AutoCad Lite or a compatible version of this software.
There are competing products nowadays that can handle drafting tasks at far less cost than AutoCad. You may find that these products are better suited to what you do.
Architects love Google Sketchup for example and DraftSight from SolidWorks gives Mechanical designers plenty of capability in CAD. We are living in a time of transition and the traditional pay thousands per year subscription based model may well be in its death throes.
