I've decided to get AutoCad. I am a beginner at AutoCad, but a reasonably experienced CAD user (other systems).
I have a lot of need to exchange files at work with other CAD workers, and most use AutoCad.
But I'm also pretty married to my MacBook Pro.
There seems to be an unlimited set of variations on AutoCad, and I'm trying to sort out where to start (without breaking the bank).
My immediate needs are fairly basic (floorplans, site plans).
Within 4-6 months, I will be doing piping and electrical drawings, topographicals, and P&ID's. I will need to be able to layer these onto floorplans I have drawn.
I will be building a complete set of as-builts and new expansion documents for a small chemical plant over the next 12 months. That's a lot of piping, valves, and instrumentation. The hope is that each layer and import builds on the previous until we have a complete set.
I also need to be able to import drawings from architects, engineers, and subcontractors, and add them to my drawings. Most of them use PC's, and run AutoCad 2010, or 2012. Some use larger packages.
Sometime after the first year, it is possible I will be wanting to expand the drawings into a full 3D model. This is NOT a definite- the software does not need to 3D model initially, only be building drawings that potentially can be converted later.
So, I don't want to spend a fortune, but the needs will be expand reasonably quickly. Automotive design would be fun, but completely unnecessary. 
I would buy Lite, but I am concerned that when I import data from vendors with more complete systems, it may update the files to the point I can no longer read them.
Thoughts? Where do I begin?
