MicroStation与AutoCAD比较，谁是最好的？

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原文地址：http://www.cad-notes.com/autoc ... best/
原文作者：Edwin Prakoso, published on October 27, 2011
翻译：Naier
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我看到很多人拿MicroStation和Autocad进行对比，使用AutoCAD的人会强调它的功能强大，从而质疑别人为什么去选择另外一个：microStation？反之也是一样，那么，谁是最好的？我们应该选择哪一个？
这篇文章只是我的个人观点，如果你有不同的看法，也欢迎跟帖讨论（原来文章在一个论坛上）。
**两者不具有可比性**
对于我来讲，两者没有办法进行比较，因为，两者的定位不同。
这是真的吗？两个软件不是做相同的事情吗？是的，他们确实在某些方面可以做相同的事情，但是，这并不意味着两者可以在同一个应用领域进行比较，特别关注在可持续发展的基础设施领域。

**AutoCAD的定位是绘图工具Drafting Tool**

AutoCAD在被开发时，它定位为一个绘图工具，事实上，它也确实是一个不错的绘图工具。如果你的主要工作是大量的详图设计，那么，我认为你肯定会说AutoCAD比MicroStation要好。后来，许多的应用程序把AutoCAD的作为平台，例如国内的天正、广联达等（这句是我加上去的）。基于不同的应用需要，AutoDesk公司开始把很多的功能放进了AutoCAD里，甚至把3Ds Max的渲染引擎mental Ray也放到AutoCAD里去，但是，AutoCAD的强项还是绘图能力，而不是渲染或者其他功能模块。

**MicroStation的定位是平台Platform**

MicroStation是作为一个平台被设计并不断优化的，Bentley公司几乎所有的应用程序都是运行在MicroStation上的。这些应用程序满足不同的领域和应用方向，这涵盖了整个基础设施行业的全生命周期流程。多样的功能需求促使MicroStaiton具有绘图、渲染甚至强大的动画制作能力。对于强大的动画能力，在此不做表述，如果大家有兴趣，可以查看下面Youtube的案例（原文章里有动画，大陆屏蔽掉）
在Youtube上也有很多的MicroStation动画制作教程供你参考，国内的youku上也有很多。
是的，你也可以创建照片级的渲染，如下图所示：（照片是用MicroStation渲染，但不是原作者作品）

所以，MicroStation作为一个CAD的平台来讲，是远远优于AutoCAD的，但不是作为一个绘图工具来比较。
当然，你也可以使用MicroStation进行图纸绘制，它有很多的工具来辅助你进行这项工作。但是对于二维绘图来讲，我发现AutoCAD比MicroStation在某些方面会更方便，但这里面也有习惯的问题。
我相信，这也是AutoDesk公司为什么会收购Revit，用Inventor来代替Autocad Mechanical。并且把它们作为一个组合，这是因为AutoCAD作为一个绘图工具，是无法满足基础设施的多种需求的。

**最后，我们谈一谈解决方案**

今天，二维设计在很多的行业领域仍然占有主导地位。这也促使AutoCAD的使用率大于其他的CAD软件。但是，现在很多的行业正在飞速发展，增长的需求促使了新技术的产生，在建筑领域，我们称之为BIM（建筑信息模型）在机械制作领域，我们称之为数字样机（PLM），其他的领域也有类似的概念。
AutoDesk公司已经具有强大的绘图工具AutoCAD，在它的产品组合里，也有强大的可视化工具。我在这里不放置AutoDesk的动画作品的原因在于，很多的好莱坞影片特效就是使用他们的解决方案。
AutoDesk公司的问题在于需要强化他们的产品组合的解决方案。AutoCAD的能力已经到达了瓶颈，系统框架已经不支持太多的功能扩展，所以，他们有了Revit应对建筑
行业的需求，把Invertor作为机械制作行业的主打产品。他们每一个都是不错的产品。但是很多时候无法共通，也无法实现协同。
Bentley公司没有这个问题，因为他们已经有了一个很优秀的CAD平台MicroStaiton。AutoDesk公司需要打通各个产品之间的数据通道，使各个产品不是简单的**，而是真正的协同。这一点上，Bentley公司已经做得很好，因为，他们所有的产品都是基于一个平台，用同一种数据格式进行交流，实现整个生命周期的实时协同。
是的，AutoDesk有最好的绘图工具和可视化工具。但是MicroStation提供了足够强大的功能，使用它或者其它基于MicroStation的应用程序，你会缩短学习实践，因为，在底层上
他们都是相同的操作流程。
你是怎么想的呢？
以上只是我的一些看法，我相信有很多人使用AutoCAD和MicroStaiton，也欢迎分享你的看法。




**英文原稿：**
**AutoCAD versus MicroStation, which one is the best?**By http://www.cad-notes.com/author/edwinp/, published on October 27, 2011

I’ve seen people comparing AutoCAD and MicroStation. How they love it, and don’t understand why would people choose the other one. So which one is the best? Which one should you use?
This article is my personal opinion, you are welcome if you want to write yours on comment section below.
****It’s not an apple-to-apple comparison****To me, it’s not really apple-to-apple comparison. They are not really competing each other.
Really? Aren’t they both can do about the same thing? Well yeah, but it doesn’t mean they are competing on the same area.
**AutoCAD was designed as drafting tool**Yes. AutoCAD was designed as drafting tool. It was the best ever, and still is. If you mainly work with detailed drawings, I think most likely you will say AutoCAD is better than MicroStation. Later, many applications use AutoCAD as platform. Autodesk puts many tools to AutoCAD, even change the rendering engine to mental ray. The same rendering engine for 3ds Max. But still, the AutoCAD strongest point is its drafting capability.
**MicroStation was designed as platform**MicroStation was optimized as a CAD platform. Bentley is working hard to make almost all of their products run on MicroStation. It makes MicroStation has the ability for drafting/detailing, 3D modeling, rendering, and even animations. I’m not talking about simple walkthrough here, but complex animation like I found here on YouTube:
Here also some sample tutorial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdDKC6zSIUE, and http://youtu.be/LtAF0YXYKfU.
Yes, Bentley can create great renderings too.
So MicroStation is better than AutoCAD? As a CAD platform, yes. But not as drafting tool.
Of course you can create detailed drawings in MicroStation. MicroStation has tools for drafting, but I find AutoCAD is much more convenient than MicroStation.
I believe that’s why Autodesk acquire Revit, replace AutoCAD Mechanical Desktop with Inventor, and http://autodesk.com/suites. Because AutoCAD is not enough.
**In the end, it’s about solution**So Bentley is better than Autodesk? Not really.
Today, 2D drafting probably is still dominating many industries. So it makes sense if more people use AutoCAD than other CAD software. But today, many industries emphasize to move further. In building industries, they have BIM. In manufacturing, they have digital prototyping or PLM. Not sure what are other terms in different industries.
Autodesk already have AutoCAD as the most powerful drafting tool. They have the most powerful visualization tools in their portfolio too. The reason why I didn’t put Autodesk rendering samples is because you must have seen them. Almost every computer graphics in Hollywood movies used their solution.
The problem is they need more power in their arsenal, because AutoCAD can’t handle more than what it can handle now. So now they have Revit for BIM. They have Inventor for manufacturing. Each of them are good.
Bentley won’t have many problem because they already have good CAD platform. Autodesk needs to create interoperability between their products. Bentley doesn’t have to. They all use the same CAD platform and file format.
Yes, Autodesk has the best drafting and visualization tool. But MicroStation offers enough capabilities. By using it, you can avoid steep learning curve because basically it’s the same tool.
But do you really need to master that many software?
**So what do you think?**Above is just my two cents. I believe there are many of you who use both AutoCAD and MicroStation.
You probably want to share yours?