Not sure if everyone is aware but Carlson released an update to their AutoCAD/IntelliCAD versions of the 2010 software a couple weeks ago - 7/13/2010 (I think).
One of the new additions to the IntelliCAD engine is the CONVERTDWG command. While you are still only allowed to "open" drawings created in AutoCAD versions through 2009, the CONVERTDWG command allows you to convert a single or multiple 2010-2011 versions down to 2009.
Autodesk has a free program called DWGTrueView that does this as well but now you can do it directly from IntelliCAD.
Hey Jennifer,
Think you can convince Carlson to take their intellicad and port it to Linux? Bricscad has done it with theirs but nobody has any software for surveyors in Linux.
I'm happy to mention it but I've seen Ladd Nelson's name on this forum a few times and, since he works with Carlson, I'm sure he'd have more influence.