I purchased the AutoCAD version several years ago and was a bit dismayed to see that it would not take the lisp routines that I had come across over the years. HOWEVER, while digging through the software, I discovered that what I had been using lisp to do was already in Carlson, I just had to find it. I had 8 lisp routines and everything they did was on the pull downs under a different name. I lost nothing in the long run.
Another thing that you will be told that you will lose in the embedded version was all of my Quick Keys. That's true but you will find a workaround on this site that will restore your Quick Keys via your *.PGP file. I can help you install the *.PGP file so that you can reset your Quick Keys.
Everything that you want to use is probably built into Carlson, you just have to find it. If you are going to change software, then you have to change the way you think. Carlson does it simpler than AutoCAD and is more intuitive. It "thinks" more like you do. Remember, change is usually a good thing. Go with the flow and learn new and simpler ways to do things.
I would strongly recommend a Carlson College training session and/or the training manuals available at
www.thatcadgirl.com . These are VERY good training manuals. Perhaps you should get a copy of one of the manuals for review prior to any final decisions. Jennifer's books cover both the Intellicad and AutoCAD versions. The "Carlson Configuration and CAD Settings" manual will give you a lot of insight to the software.
A phone call to Jennifer DiBona may answer all of your questions and help you make a choice. She is also the dealer that I would recommend for the final purchase. You will receive free admission to her webinars and probably the best support from most VAR's. (If you were thinking of using a local dealer, I would recommend that you rethink that. I have yet to meet one that could show me the in's and out's of setting up the software much less how to use it.)
If you are coming straight to Carlson from AutoCAD, there is a transition paper on one of the web sites that talks about changing from LDD to Carlson and what is what in both software. Send me an email if you would like a copy of that document and I will send it on to you.
Long story short, in the long run, the embedded version is well worth the extra money.