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Issue #179: 30 November, 1999

CoCreates Runs On Linux

CoCreate's ME10 Revision 10 mechanical CAD software is now running on the Red Hat variant Linux operating system. Price was not announced. (CoCreate Software is a subsidiary of Hewlett-Packard.) Wolfgang Stanik, manager of CoCreate's 2D business unit, said, "The combination provides the best of Linux -- high reliability, low cost of ownership, and stability -- with ME10's well-established ease of use, 2D/3D integration, and a growth path to allow collaborative engineering."

ME10 software is also available in UNIX and Windows-compliant versions, and is used by more than 80,000 users. ME10's data MI-format is a hybrid that allows multiple formats, such as bitmaps, documents, and spreadsheets, to be stored with the drawing. ME10 includes translators for VRML, DWF, IGES 2D, and Mi for easy data exchange.

SGI Continues to Falter

Silicon Graphics failed in its attempt to find a partner to take over its Intel-based Visual Workstation line of computers. "The demise of SGI's 320 and 540 models marks the end of a grand attempt to bring the special-purpose, expensive hardware of the Unix workstation realm into a more price-conscious market," according to CNET.

SGI marketing direction Geoff Stedman said "Intel's new 840 chipset provides most of the internal data transfer speed advantages that SGI worked for more than two years to add to its first Intel-based PC." Canceling the two computers is costing SGI US$60million.

Their next-generation Intel-based computer, due in 2Q00, will simply add improvements to the Nvidia-designed graphics board. Meanwhile, the Web site is brimming with good news:

Autodesk's Investment in Buzzsaw

How much did Autodesk invest in Buzzsaw.Com, its first Internet venture? The amount had been undisclosed. As reported in upFront.eZine #175, "The company has attracted US$15 million in funding from Crosspoint Venture Partners, plus an additional amount from Autodesk (to be announced when allowed by American regulators)."

Fortune magazine, however, reveals indirectly the amount: US$50 million. The December 6 issue has John Mumford of Crosspoint Venture Partners "shooting the breeze with [Buzzsaw.Com] ceo Carl Bass" (p. 182). "Crosspoint ... invested $15 million for an equity stake that gave the company a $65 million valuation."

Elsewhere in the same issue, an article titled "In Desperation, Autodesk Takes Cannibalization to the Extreme" (p. 316) notes that "last month, 66 people left ... Autodesk to work for Buzzsaw.Com. Everyone departed with millions of dollars in funding from Autodesk...". Later, p. 318 paraphrases ceo Carol Bartz saying that "launching a new e-commerce company would eat up at least $60 million..."

upFront.eZine in Portuguese

XYZ Publishing is pleased to announce that the Portuguese edition of upFront.eZine is being launched this week. You can contact editor Ricardo Montes at upfrontezine@cadnews.com.br to subscribe. The related Web site is at http://www.casabrasil.com.br .

The Portuguese Edition joins the German, French, Spanish, and Russian Editions of upFront.eZine. I find it interesting that some reader subscribe to another language as a means of helping them improve their second language abilities.

Conferences

E-Business in the Construction Industry at San Francisco's Fairmont Hotel, May 8 and 9, 2000. It's not clear where you go for more info; you might try http://www.purchasepro.com

Computers for Construction 2000 (AEC Systems Fall) at the Anaheim Convention Center, Nov 6 - 9, 2000.

People on the Move

Mike Kopf is the new CADD and Drafting acquisitions editor for Delmar and Autodesk Press.

Joe Costello has announced he has decided to remain with think3.

Redo

LT Toolkit 2000 (with LISP) will go to beta in January, 2000; release is scheduled for February.

CAD and Computer News Summaries

3DPowerTools
A new 3D modeling plug-in, 3DPowerTools (US$195) provides a  suite of 3D editing and visualization tools for AutoCAD 2000, Mechanical Desktop 4, and Architectural Desktop 2. A fully functional trial version can be downloaded from http://www.3dpowertools.com/downloads.htm . Before starting 3DPowerTools, co-founder Jon Tyson led the team that implemented the 3D graphics system in AutoCAD 2000.

Altek
ALSCAN II is a desktop scanner for documents up to 38" wide at 0.5" per second. Includes Windows software, SCSI interface board, and cable. Can be upgraded for higher resolutions.

BricsNet
BricsNet.Architect (DM795 per year) is 3D building model software with ACIS kernel, parametric parts, and includes IntelliCAD 2000. BricsNet.Statik (DM1,950 per year) performs structural design and analysis. BricsNet.ProjectCenter (DM390/month) provides Web-based project management.

CADdis
MechSoft PROFI for Solid Edge incorporates a group manager to solve mutually linked calculations, and a database of one million standard parts based on 1,500 international standards.

Colorspan
DisplayMaker Series XII prints 240 sq ft per hour with 12 printheads, with an apparent resolution of 1800dpi.

Geocad
Version 5 of the architectural application GEOCAD v5 is the first fully functioning Windows version of the software: tablet menus have been replaced with nine interchangeable on-screen toolbars.

The WorthWhile Web

http://alibre.com/
A friend called, and asked about a new 3D CAD company that had a lot of old timers.

Letters to the Editor

Re: Reliability of Digital Media
"And do I hear XML here? Maybe I.T. finally came up with something actually worth some thought, even though it still is a reinvention of the wheel."
     - Tom Eugelink

"Here is one solution for recording information over a long period. I was shown an interesting item the other day: the working parts of a steam engine illustrated in black ink, drawn to scale on a sheet of fabric-like material, and dated 1898 (3/8" to foot). We printed it on a dyeline printer.
     "Do we need longterm storage since things made now seem to have a short life? Well, according to a recent TV programme the Eiffel Tower in Paris was only supposed to be a temporary structure!"
     - Peter Brown

"Hmmm, stone tablets and papyrus spring to mind."
     - Richard Weiner
 

"Thanks for putting out such interesting and informative material."
     - Chuck Spink

Spin Doctor of the Moment

French "movie-makers called for a ban on all bad reviews until the weekend after the film goes on public release." The petition was released without signatories' names.
    - http://www.sunday-times.co.uk/news/pages/tim/99/11/25/x-timfgneur02001.html?999

Notable Quotable

"The argument you'll be hearing in the coming months is 'Transform and Lighting, who needs it?' Or 'Transform and Lighting, next big thing.'
     - The Peddie Report

Contact!

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