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It certainly could be great as a viewer- an interactive blueprint- but are you suggesting they will do actual design on the iPad?

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No, I don't think there is much value during the design phase. Punch Lists are created when the building is near completion. The architect walks around the building, taking notes of what's not acceptable, and sends photographs + descriptions of an issue to the other contractors. With a portable version of AutoCAD this process could be made more efficient by allowing the architect to enter notes in the drawing file while at the site (and maybe attach images to it taken with iPad with the help of a macro or some other add-on).

No, but AutoCAD isn't used by designers anyway.

But by people who design something. Using the verb is entirely appropriate.

I know several designers who use AutoCAD (and other CAD programs). There are more types of design than doing web pages you know.

Go to any medium to large architecture firm.

You will find 20% of the employees doing "big idea" design. They don't use AutoCAD.

You will find 80% of the employees (who wish they were the other 20%) implementing the designers "big ideas" in AutoCAD.

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