Re. http://mail-index.netbsd.org/netbsd-users/2003/07/17/0003.html

One question is: What do you want this "3-D Solids CAD Program" to do?

There are 3D modeling programs (GIRAM, Blender, and one nice toy that comes
with KDE 3.0) that you can get from pkgsrc.  Blender takes some getting used
to, from what I've seen (and if you want to use it you need to pay, I recall).
KDE's 3D modeler looks a little easier to pick up, but less sophisticated.
GIRAM, I recall, has a "clunky" feel, and tends to have features disabled
(due to not yet being implemented; (^&).  (Calling KDE's modeler a "toy"
is perhaps a little harsh.  It supports POV-Ray and lets you do some fun
things fairly easily.  But it's not (yet?) quite as serious as Blender
felt when I last used Blender.)


Then there are *CAD* (as in Computer Aided *Drafting*) packages.  I think
that there was *one* that ran natively on NetBSD a few years ago.  Look on
the NetBSD site for Commercial Software at:

  http://www.netbsd.org/gallery/software.html

CYCAS is still listed.

They used to have a NetBSD version, but their current web-page doesn't list
it anymore(?).  You might contact them and see if they will still do a
NetBSD version, or if you can run the GNU/LINUX version.  It looks like you
can purchase it "via email", so you can presumably get it more or less
instantly...  (They had a "netbsd/cycas_193c_386_demo.tar.gz" download
at one time, according to their logs.  Dunno if you can still request/grab
that file; there appear to be no links for it.)

(Then again, you might find a decent option to run under a pkgsrc emulator.
E.g., DynaCAD under UAE...if you can get your hands on an Amiga ROM image.
I remember that DynaCAD resembled the very nice MicroCADDS software, which
in turn was easily far better than AutoCAD, IMHO.)


So, to rephrase the question: Are you looking for an artsy modeler, or
a technical/drafting tool?  Or do you need an "artsy" modeler that lets
you make *precise* constructions for some things (rather than eyeballing
everything as artsy modelers tend to do)?

A secondary question is: How much money, if any, are you willing to throw
at it?  (^&

Not that it matters *that* much, since the pickings are pretty slim, alas,
if you really want a native NetBSD option.


Take care.

-- 
  "I probably don't know what I'm talking about."  http://www.olib.org/~rkr/