Nano,

In some ways I have to dissagree with you regarding the changing file formats.  A file format does not change.  A program may change how it derives the data it uses, but the format to save/store that data stays the same unless the company writting the software changes the file format to its benefit.

Just because 3DS has been around a loooong time doesn't mean that the file format is outdated or useless.  The only time a file format becomes outdated or useless is when no one is using it.  Lets face it, 3D models are composed of X,Y & Z points and 3D faces.  It doesn't get any simpler than that.  Textures, however, are a different story.  No reason I see for 3DS to be "outdated".

I'm running ACAD 14, 2002, 2005 & 2007 on the same system & I have not encountered any issues.  Problem could be in the way the different versions of AutoCAD are installed on your network server.

I took a MicroStation course 4 years back, when I was looking for a job, thinking it would help me.  When I think of the differences in concepts from ACAD, and relate to previous posts that Ryan Spaulding had about it, I find myself reaching (almost instinctively) for the Holy Cross and a ring of garlic.

Maybe I should also mention that Hexagon (by all looks an AMAPI derivative) also has AutoCAD14 DWG import that I have used sucessfully.