This was native SolidWorks-style behavior inside vanilla AutoCAD. For 2D mechanical design, this was a revolution.
AutoCAD 2010 was the last version to fully support Windows XP 32-bit without severe performance penalties. It also ran natively on Windows 7 (released six months prior), taking advantage of Aero Snap and Jump Lists. Autocad 2010
A helpful breakdown of how the Ribbon interface became "context-aware" in 2010. This post explains how the interface began automatically changing its tabs based on the object you selected (like a Hatch or Mtext), a major workflow improvement at the time. Free-form Modeling in AutoCAD 2010 using .NET (Through the Interface): It also ran natively on Windows 7 (released
. This allowed designers to create, smooth, and manipulate complex 3D forms that previously required specialized software. Architects often used this feature to create complex masses in AutoCAD before importing them into Autodesk Revit 3. The New Application Menu & Ribbon Free-form Modeling in AutoCAD 2010 using