Issue #137: 19 January, 1999

SolidWorks Patents Tree View

There were rumors that SolidWorks owned a U.S. patent on a "graphical browser for computer models" - their Feature Tree. The rumor turns out to be true: the patent was applied for in late 1995 and issued (#5,815,154) about three months ago. It seems to cover all standard Windows tree-type controls used to display feature and geometry information. That would affect just about all CAD packages with features and a Windows interface.

At first glance, this seems to be a similar case to the Ashlar patent, where CAD vendors ended up paying royalties for employing a user interface that shows geometric relationships. For this reason, I asked SolidWorks these questions: Does SolidWorks feel that other CAD vendors employ a Feature Tree or similar interface? If so, will SolidWorks be pursuing royalties or other arrangements with these vendors? Holly Stratford, general counsel for SolidWorks, replied:

"SolidWorks was very pleased to have been awarded the patent for the graphical browser but at this time has not made any decision to seek royalties from third parties. SolidWorks has not conducted any survey of other products to determine whether they may be infringing the patent. Under patent law, there is no obligation on SolidWorks' part to enforce the patent (unlike trademark law, SolidWorks does not weaken any legal position by failing to enforce the patent against others)."
 

Switch or Stay?

A couple of issues ago, I asked readers what would cause them to switch CAD packages, if anything. I received many emails, which I will summarize in the next issue of upFront.eZine. The overriding response was, "No!" The responders saw the expense in switching CAD packages was much more than any savings they might get from paying a lesser price for another software package. One respondent, John Taylor, summed up it up this way: "I'm not in the mood to try another commercial CAD system, at any bargain."

Some other reasons for not switching are:

All of these factors contribute to "stickiness," the tendency of a customer to stay with their current suppliers.

A minority of respondents did switch. The most common reason was because their office had moved from 2D drafting to 3D modeling. Since that entailed the cost of new (or additional) software and training, as well as the inevitable productivity loss, this was seen as an opportunity try a different, more modern CAD system. One CAD vendor responded with a three-page report written by a testing lab showing their software made users more productive than that of two competitors. Excerpts from readers' letters next week.

Switching software may be tough; switching hardware is easier. Reader Mike Golin asks: "As a diehard PC user, I had some reservations with my IS decided to pull all my PC workstations and make a full switch to a NC [network computing] environment (Citrix Winframe).  While a thin client excels when deploying business apps, I thought for sure that the hardware requirements of mechanical CAD would bring a thin client down to earth. To date, this has not been the case.  We have just begun testing of Autodesk Mechanical Desktop, Solid Edge, and Solid Works.  The question I have, is why is so little written about this technology as it relates to mechanical CAD? Are there underlying limitations we have just not reached yet?"

Instantly Updated Poll Results

The http://www.solidworks.com Web site asks this question: "What is the most important future CAD trend?" but limits the vote one of thee answers. When I visited last week, the result of 2,040 responses was:

Windchill 2 Ships Soon

Parametric Technology last week announced that Windchill Release 2.0 will ship later this month. The software is an integrated suite of solutions for product and process lifecycle management;  Release 2 includes new workflow capabilities that are completely Web-based and integrated with other core Windchill services and applications. "Unlike traditional product data management systems that have focused on managing product definition within the engineering department, Windchill addresses product and process lifecycle management across an enterprise." Windchill Foundation is US $1,000 per named user;  Windchill PDM Package is US $1,000 per named user; Windchill Information Modeler, the rapid application development environment, is sold separately at US $10,000.

Free GeoMedia Viewer from Intergraph

GeoMedia Viewer gives you a taste of GeoMedia, which uses data server technology for viewing data in native Microsoft Access and ArcView formats, as well as GeoTIFF files as a backdrop to the vector map data.  The viewer lets you spatially filter your query, and visualize your data by creating thematic maps, complete with legend. An introductory set of sample geographical data for the USA and Europe is at the Intergraph Web site. Visitors can choose from nearly 500MB of data, which features places of interest and demographic information.  The Viewer is a free download from http://www.intergraph.com/geomedia/viewer

CodedObjects for AutoCAD

The initial release of CodedObjects application for AutoCAD R14 is now available for general review and evaluation. It is an application that allows custom user-developed programming code to be attached to objects, such and lines and text. The code can be written in a multitude of languages and environments. AutoLISP and Diesel are supported, as well as HTML, DOS and VBA ( with appropriate AutoCAD Extensions). Numerous code examples and a "Plotstamp" sample is included with this release. Visit http://www.comnet.ca/~tkubicek or email tkubicek@comnet.ca for more info.

Custom Chemical, Petrochemical, Engineering Project Programming

Nelcon Engineers develop AutoCAD add-on programs for your company from their office in New Bombay on interactive basis through email, or they can visit your office to study and advice about the software requirements. They have developed software for piping isometrics for chemical process piping; an AutoLISP program for designing jib cranes; pipe detailing; and engineering scale models. For more info, email lele@vsnl.com for more information.

Internet-based CAD Training

Command Line is a UK CAD service and training provider with an innovative Internet-based training service, called the "On-line CAD College". The site at http:// www.cmd-line.com lets CAD users test their current knowledge, build their own development plan, and access on-line, interactive training courseware working at their own pace. For all upFront.eZine readers, the company is offering a free assessment of their CAD skills. Interested readers email mikeg@cmd-line.com.

Fix AutoCAD's WMF Problems

Better WMF is a software product that solves common WMF problems for AutoCAD, including: The product is available as stand-alone version or as an ARX plug-in. It supports AutoCAD R13, R14, LT, and AutoSketch. You can download the fully functional trial version (239KB) from http://leden.tref.nl/glipman

Parasolid Viewer

Actify's 3D View now supports the display of Unigraphics Solutions' Parasolid native format, a 3D solids modeler used by ProDesktop by Parametric Technologies, MicroStation Modeler by Bentley Systems, Solid Edge and Unigraphics by Unigraphics Solutions, and SolidWorks by SolidWorks Corp.
 

More Conferences

Thanks to Arlene Moskowitz and Mike Cavanaugh for sending these additional conference dates:

Feb. 9-12 - MICAD, Paris, France

March 9-12 - CAD Rally 1999 during PC-IT'99, Sydney, Australia http://www.echomags.com.au March 18-24 - CeBIT, Hannover, Germany

April 21-22 - Solid Modelling in the UK

May 3-4 - ACIS European Developers Conference, Monchengladbach, Germany May 2-6, 1999 -  Intergraph International Graphic Users Group,  Huntsville, AL http://www.igug.org/

June 7-8 - ACIS U.S. Developers Conference, Boulder, CO June 9-11 - ACM Symposium on Solid Modeling, Ann Arbor, MI

October - Systems, Munich, Germany

German Edition of upFront.eZine Resumes

After a six-month hiatus, the German edition of upFront.eZine resumes publication. Christian Immler translates this edition into German, adds local CAD news, and makes the newsletter available in plain-text, HTML, and PalmPilot versions. Subscribe by sending the email 'subscribe upfront' to upfront.ezine@gmx.de

Die deutsche Ausgabe wird uebersetzt von Christian Immler. Senden Sie eine email mit dem Inhalt 'subscribe upfront' an upFront.eZine@gmx.de. Alle deutschen Ausgaben sind auf der Web-Seite http://home.pages.de/~clic/ zu finden. Hier finden Sie auch eine Version im DOC-Format für den PalmPilot.

Redo

Last week's edition (upFront.eZine #136) report on MicroStation GeoWater was not strictly accurate. As Bentley Systems explains it: "While only SELECT versions are at this moment available, both SELECT and non-SELECT versions (know as full kits) will be available before the end of the month.  Further, the cost of SELECT versions is less (we do not publicly publish SELECT prices) than the $7,900 full list price quoted in the press release."

A reference in the same issue to the Iomega Jaz drive implied it holds 2MB of data. The older models hold 1GB; the newer and almost-impossible-to-purchase 2GB model reads 1GB disks and can be drive-compressed to hold 3 or 4 GB.
 

CAD and Computer News Summaries

IMSI
Graphics software maker IMSI says it has signed an advertising deal with Yahoo to put its Web site on the Internet search engine and portal in the hopes of getting more exposure. "Yahoo guaranteed that this deal will put our visual content site, ArtToday (http://www.arttoday.com) in front of 10 million Internet users. Conservatively, this could translate into thousands of new customers for ArtToday.com." IMSI says that Yahoo had agreed to display an animated GIF banner promoting ArtToday.com when they performed a search for the words "clipart, fonts, or desktop publishing."

Intel
Intel Monday announced that the name for its new processor: [drum roll!]  Pentium III, which is  due in March '99. (One industry observer, tongue-in-check, suggested the new name beat out other contenders, such as Speedy I, AMDSUX, and ZingWowsaZowie!.) The new CPU adds 70 multimedia-enhancing instructions and will cost US$50 more than current Pentium II chips. If you want to replace a Pentium II with a Pentium III, the upgrade should be easy but may require an update the PC BIOS.

Market News

Cadence Design Systems has agreed to buy Design Acceleration for about US$27 million in cash and Cadence common stock. Design Acceleration is a supplier of design automation technology used in system-on-a-chip design.

Diehl Graphsoft reported lower revenues of US$1,187,495 and a net loss of US$106,854 for the second fiscal quarter ended Nov. 30, 1999 as MiniCAD 7 sales softened in the second fiscal quarter in anticipation of the Company's major new product upgrade in its core technology, VectorWorks, which was introduced early in the third fiscal quarter.

The WorthWhile Web

http://futureswest.com/discus/board.html
Cadvance Forum
This is said to be the most active Cadvance forum on the Web, hosted by Futures West, Inc. a 3rd party developer for Cadvance. They provide a custom floating toolbar for Cadvance, called CV Toolmaster, and later this month they will be releasing a new product called C:\MACROS for Cadvance.

http://members.aol.com/ktrelski/sites.htm
AutoCAD Virtual Users Group
Claims to be the largest (600+) listing of AutoCAD related Web Sites.

http://www.avat.com/site/contact/Dzine_subscription.stm
Dzine News
Avatech Solutions, the biggest AutoCAD dealer in the USA, has launched an eZine.  Between now and March 31, one hundred new subscribers will win a free copy of Autodesk View.

http://www.cadalog.com/list.cfm?category=piping
CADalog
Download AutoCAD shareware for piping section of CADalog. Programs include iso_z12.exe (draws piping isometrics), pi.zip (drawing P&IDs), pipegap.zip (minimum gap to be maintained between two adjoing pipes), and  fitting.lsp (draw to-scale pipe fittings in metric).

http://www.architecturalcadd.com/cup/results.html
"The link in the current upFront.eZine is broken for the Architectural Cup results.  I believe this is the link you need."
     --  Rick Stavanja

Letters to the Editor

"Heard you're the latest word... Thanks a bunch!"
     -- Grace Mann

"I would like to subscribe to your e-zine. Looks great. I have enjoyed your writings for years."
     -- Mike Schmechel

"Enjoy your newsletter, your comments, and your opinions. Keep reporting it 'as it is', and not as: we would want it to be/think it should be/ or the way marketing hype tells us the way it "really" is."
     -- Ken Dellenbach

Spin Doctor of the Moment

"It would HELP ME IMMENSELY to have a survey showing that 90 percent of developers believe that putting the browser into the operating system makes sense ... Ideally we would have a survey before I appear at the Senate on March 3rd."
     -- Bill Gates

Notable Quotable

"I've heard umpteen stories about clueless consultants and marketing newbies who wonder aloud at meetings why advertorials need to be labeled, why paid links need to be disclosed, why promotions need to be treated differently than editorial content."
     --  J.D. Lasica, Online Journalism Review

Contact!

All contents copyright XYZ Publishing, Ltd. Inc., 1999 and all rights are reserved. No material may be reproduced electronically or in print without written permission from XYZ Publishing, PO Box 3053, Sumas WA, 98295-3053, unless otherwise noted.