MicroStation SE was packed with new tools and capabilities that made it an immediate hit and a reliable workhorse for years to come.

MicroStation SE featured a customizable interface, supporting both the standard Microsoft Windows look-and-feel and the Motif style for Unix workstations. Key UI elements included:

Ironically, SE runs blazingly fast on modern virtualized hardware—snapping lines and regenerating views instantly.

MicroStation SE was one of the first mainstream CAD packages to embrace the World Wide Web. It introduced basic internet capabilities directly inside the design workspace. Users could link URLs to design elements, allowing engineering drawings to connect to external web pages, manufacturer specifications, or component databases. This laid the early groundwork for what would eventually evolve into Modern Building Information Modeling (BIM) hyperlinks. 2. Enhanced Raster Graphics Support