LinuxQuestions.org - Possible for Vectorworks to run under Linux?

Hi there,

Couldn't find the place to introduce me, so I'll do it here in my first post. My name is Petra, I'm 18 years old and I live with my boyfriend together in Amsterdam. My knowledge with computers and especially Linux isn't much. I hardly know anything.

I've got a laptop which I use for my education. I study for Interior Architect, which is why we use Vectorworks on Windows.

My boyfriend is Unix System Administrator for a big company, so he knows about Unix and Linux. At home, we've got a Sun computer which runs on Unix. I understand how the desktop works, and I know what a terminal is(however not understanding it's purpose). On the Sun pc, my bf Nico created 10 different Desktops. Haven't got the faintest clue how he did that, on the bottom all 10 desktops names are visible and if you click on it, you go to that specific desktop. It took me 2 months to figure that out when I started dating him. But none of our friends however have figured it out. Anyway, this is to show you all how little I know about this all. :D

Now this laptop with windows needs to be re-installed and then configurated, because it's malfunctioning quite often. Nico will do this, because I would screw it all up probably.

Anyway, he is trying to convince me to start using Linux. He wants to install Ubuntu, cause he says the display will be very similar to Windows.
He wants to put both Windows and Linux Ubuntu on the laptop, so I can choose every time and get used to Linux.
So I asked him about the advantages for me.

- Every thing will work a lot faster
- I'm able to use the same programs as in Windows (or similar)
- I don't need a AntiVirus programme, and don't need to worry about bugs, trojans, spyware, virusses etc.

If everything will be working faster and maybe better, I'd be very happy. Also point 3 makes me very happy.

However the second point, i'm sceptical. Because I like MSN Messenger, but this doesn't work with Linux. And I don't really favor Gaim. My bf satisfied me with saying that for all the normal programmes, there are other programmes that are just as good.

However, and finally I'm coming to the subject of this Thread, I don't know if Vectorworks will work with Linux. Does anybody here know?
Or if it's not possible, does anyone here know a programme similar to Vectorworks for Linux?

I don't know any terms of computers either (or atleast very few), but you don't need to simplify your posts for me, cause my bf will understand.

Thanks to all that can help me.

Greets