Requirements

DesignCAD and Designer Plus require remarkably little resources. This is because when DesignCAD was written computers were slow and expensive. Creating a program for the masses which requires the most advanced gizmo to function would have made it more expensive than the masses would buy (1949 Volkswagen beetle with turbo charging and air conditioning). DesignCAD is a DOS program and it will run on considerably less resources than I am recommending here. The recommendations below are based on your intended use, if you are going to use color shaded or textured images the the minimum line drawing recommendations will drive you crazy waiting for the computer.

A Note for Windows XP and VISTA users, DesignCAD 4.0 will only run directly (like another program) on the 32 bit versions of these two programs . DesignCAD 4.0 will run on the 64 bit version using Microsoft Virtual PC which is a free program.

Microsoft's help page if you don't know which you have.

A Note on HP computers with built in Nvidia video cards (laptop and desktops). These video cards (or drivers) are incompatible with directly running DesignCAD 3D v4. You will have to replace the video card or use Microsoft Virtual PC in order to run DesignCAD 3D v4, HP support will not or cannot help with this. I have installed an older video card (ET-4000/W32 4 M ram) in a desktop Presario, Athlon 64x2 4800+, 32 bit Vista machine and it runs DesignCAD 3D v4 well - but offers little in the way of video options.

Line Drawings:

Processor Speed:        486 / 100

RAM:

DOS:                            16 Meg

Windows                      32 Meg

HD space available:             80 Meg*

Shaded Drawings: **

Processor Speed:        Pentium class 450

RAM:

DOS:                             32 Meg ***

Windows                       96 Meg

HD space available:            200 Meg****

If you are not sure the computer is even the answer to your needs, do not invest money in hardware until you know what you do need. I started using DesignCAD 3D and wrote the beginning of what has become Designer Plus on a PC-AT 286/16 Mhz computer with 4 M RAM, 40 MB HD and DOS 4.0 OS. Most of Designer Plus was written on a 386/33 with the same 4 M RAM and 360 MB HD, inside of Windows 3.1 under DOS 5.0 OS. So the machine is not the issue, that you can use it, is what is important.

* The DC3 and DP will use less than 10 meg, however each job you estimate and draw will use about 6 Meg.

**Texture mapping will require even more advanced technology.

***Texture mapping is not even worth trying in DOS

***** Shading is the same as DOS but texture mapping needs a lot more. DC3, DC2000 and DP will use less than 100 meg, however each job you estimate and draw will use about 15 Meg.

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