www.upfrontezine.com
B2Bs Face FTC Scrutiny...
The B2B (business to business) portals, some of which we saw at
AEC Systems, have an implied monopoly. If you are hosting your
projects on, say, Buzzsaw.com, there is going to be inertia against
moving to another B2B site, such as PunchNetworks.com.
The inertia comes in several areas: (1) resistance to moving or
copying your files from one site to another site; (2) setting
up yet another set of passwords and permissions at another site;
(3) having to learn the new site's different user interface and
supplemental software; and (4) having to deal with a different
set of vendors.
It could be that dealing with multiple B2B Web portals becomes
no big deal in the economy of the future. These portals are based
on Web browsers, and I have become comfortable running four Web
browsers, according to my needs -- Opera v4, Netscape v4.x, Netscape
v6, and Explorer v5.x.
The nature of a B2B portal, however, leads to collusion and exclusion.
To make sure that B2Bs don't get into monopolistic behavior --
intentional or not -- the American FTC (federal trade commission)
has begun to investigate. Last month, it called a meeting to see
how the B2Bs could be regulated.
Another concern in dealing with a Web-based service is the
security of your project data. What happens to your data -- stored
on a server located in England or Hong Kong -- when the company
goes bankrupt? B2Bs need to provide an insurance fund that would
keep the servers operating long enough for customers to retrieve
their gigabytes of data.
Not just project data, but also contact data, such as the names
of your clients and contractors. This data is supposed to be kept
private, but as B2C sites go bankrupt, we read of their liquidators
demanding that the private data be sold to pay down the debt.
In an ad it had placed in the Wall Street Journal, ToySmart was
offering to sell its URL name, databases, customer lists, marketing
plans, and Web site content. The customer data ToySmart was prepared
to sell included names, addresses, shopping preferences of online
toy shoppers, family profile information, and names and ages of
children.
The kindly Mr. Walt Disney bought ToySmart and its private data,
which solved the problem for now. I am sure you can image the
kind of data that the CAD industry's Web sites could sell. In
the USA, at least, legislation is being prepared to outlaw the
sale of private information.
...and P2P Competition
It could be, though, that some B2Bs may not have long to live.
The threat comes from P2P software (peer to peer), such as Napster
and Gnutella, who eliminate the middle man. Why pay to have your
project files stored on a physically distant server, when all
project participants can access the files off your firm's own
hard drives?
In the Wall Street Journal, Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Netscape
Communications, says the P2P technology is one of those once-in-a-decade
ideas that will change the face of computing. Josh Becker of Redpoint
Ventures says, "Next month will be key. That's when a lot
of the P2P winners will be incubated." Graham Spencer, formerly
with Excite@Home, says, "There are about 100 uses for peer-to-peer.
So far, we've thought of maybe two of them [sharing files and
doing database searches]."
Although the American record industry is trying to shut down Napster,
the concept behind it is revolutionary once you get beyond trading
MP3 files. One of the founders of Napster has launched AppleSoup
based on the peer-to-peer technology of Napster. In this variant,
users exchange film and music files, but content owners have control
over how their copyrighted products are used on the Internet.
Going one step further, Wrapster lets you share any files via
Napster. "The name comes from the idea that you're 'wrapping'
a collection of files in a legitimate looking MP3 header."
The files, of course, can contain anything, including CAD drawings.
You search for these file by specifying preset bitrate and frequency
that identifies Wrapster files.
So we can see the elements for a CAD-oriented "Napster"
community falling into place. Project files reside on local computers,
but can be shared anywhere via the Internet. Access to files can
be restricted via AppleSoup technology. And Wrapster makes it
possible for any kind of file to be shared. All we need now is
an AEC dot.com to put this together.
I haven't tested it, but Sigma Design's eZ
"direct Internet technology software" might be the first
to fall into this category. According to the company's promo material,
eZ (US$199) makes direct PC-to-PC connections from multiple sites
anywhere across the Internet for real-time collaboration on files.
Success for P2P is not, however, a given. Some readers may remember
when 'Wired' magazine proclaimed that "push computing"
would replace the Web browser. The excitement over P2P may eventually
subside, too.
What's
Been Happening with Visio?
Since Microsoft acquired Visio last January, things have been
very quiet. Even the occasional press release hasn't had much
oomph: items promised -- such as updates and the VME library --
haven't materialized on the Office Web site, where Visio apparently
makes its home.
Last week I traveled to Seattle WA USA to talk with members of
BTD, the Business Tools Division of Microsoft, of which Visio
is one component. In speaking with a half-dozen BTD employees,
including Visio co-founder Ted Johnson, it is clear that making
Visio visible inside of the Microsoft behemoth is proving very
difficult.
You can read the full story on what's been happening with Visio
at Visions.eZine, our sister publication's Web
site.
Miscellaneous
Items That Caught My Eye
CalComp's TabletWorks v7 (and earlier) drivers are
disabled by Windows 2000 during the upgrade. The digitizer can
no longer communicate with software. New Windows 2000 drivers
are being developed for CalComp, GTCO, and Summagraphics digitizers.
Beta drivers are available from http://www.gtco.com/Beta%20Support/Beta%20Testing%20Program%20Form.htm
Nemetschek NA is declaring itself impervious to the "kernel wars" by licensing SMLib from Solid Modeling Solutions. Although we tend to hear mostly about ACIS and Parasolid, there are alternative geometry and topology kernels. Says the press release, rather pointedly: "In the wake of the recent, controversial sale of Spatial Technologies' core product, ACIS, to Dassault Systems of France, Nemetschek N.A. proceeds undeterred with its current 3D plans for VectorWorks. VectorWorks will prosper from the stability offered by SMLib, while other companies rely their products' fates on the consequences of this sale."
Revit says that a hundred AEC firms have purchased Revit subscriptions within the first 90 days of it being available; Revit did not, however, reveal the actual number of subscriptions. Revit v2 is due to be released this month.
As an incentive to upgrade to AutoCAD 2000 or 2000i, Autodesk is making all nine volumes of its 2.6MB Express Tools collection free to registered users of its http://pointa.autodesk.com Web site until sometime in October.
SolidWorks is offering a program to encourage Autodesk Mechanical Desktop users migrate. Until September 15, MDT users who purchase one to two seats of SolidWorks, along with one year of Subscription Service at full price, get another free. Additional purchases of SW get even better deals, as do purchases of add-ins and participating partner products. This includes the SolidWorks feature to feature translator for MDT. SolidWorks does not require the MDT customer give up their current license.
Autodesk
Goes XML
Ever in tune with Microsoft's future directions, Autodesk recently
announced it too is going XML. In addition to supporting a variety
of XML initiatives, Autodesk plans to apply XML
(extended markup language) throughout the Autodesk product line.
The company is working with no less than five XML schemas:
* adpML for developing and distributing electronic design
catalogs; to be unveiled later this year.
* aecXML for the exchange of AEC data; more info at http://www.aecXML.org.
Originally developed by Bentley Systems; not yet supported by
any Autodesk products.
* DesignXML SVG (simple vector graphics) and other on-request
formats; to be unveiled later this year.
* LandXML for land development; spec was introduced last
December by Autodesk, Intergraph, and several other vendors.
* RedlineXML for the exchange of design-related markups;
incorporated in Autodesk Volo View software release, and will
be added to other Autodesk software in the near future.
Computer
News Summaries
Polaroid has teamed with Olympus to create a digital
camera that prints pictures immediately. The C-211 Zoom will be
available this fall for US$800.
Whistler will be available in beta form in October, one month after the release of Windows ME, an update of Windows 98 for the home. Whistler is the first version of NT that Microsoft is targeting at home and business users.
Sony has prototyped a 640x480 digital camera the size of a pack of gum, called "Video on Silicon". You can see its specs and photos at http://www.dpreview.com/news/0007/00072601sonyminidigicam.asp . Meanwhile, more photos and details on Sony's upcoming Palm OS computer are at http://www.spug.org/writers/henrykong/sonypda.htm
CAD
News Headlines from www.TenLinks.Com
-- July 25 --
Boeing Arms with IBM, Dassault Systemes Technologies
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500boeing.htm
ITI, Tech Soft America Integrate CADScripts and HOOPS 3D
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500iti.htm
Eagle Point Releases Intersection Design Module
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500intergraph.htm
Paraform Technology to Power Unigraphics' Quick Shape
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500paraform.htm
FGL Graphics Forms Alliance with Expertcity.com
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500fgl.htm
NVIDIA's Quadro2 Workstation Graphics Break Barriers
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500nvidia.htm
Graphisoft Unit Retains US Defense Deal
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500graphisoft.htm
Autodesk Names New Members to Board of Directors
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500autodesk.htm
Caligari Announces trueSpace 5
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500caligari.htm
Geomagic Studio 3.0 Enables 3D Photography Applications
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500geomagic.htm
EAI Announces Availability of WorldToolKit for Linux
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500eai.htm
Haitek Authorizes BHE Consulting for Envision ERP Software
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072500haitek.htm
-- July 26 --
Eagle Point Releases Intersection Design Module
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072600eaglepoint.htm
Cimmetry Includes 2D, 3D Solid Edge Support in AutoVue
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072600cimmetry.htm
Mechanical Dynamic Software License Revenues Soar
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072600mechanical dynamics.htm
-- July 27 --
CADKEY's e-Commerce Site Attracts Highest Traffic Ever
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072700cadkey.htm
PlanetCAD Announces Japanese Web-hosting Deal
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072700planetcadjapan.htm
MSC.Software Launches the Engineering Exchange
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072700msc.htm
EAI Q2 2000 Results Show Improvement
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072700eai.htm
-- July 28 --
ACIS 3D Expands to 575 Customers as Modeling Standard
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072800spatial.htm
Unigraphics Grows Like a Weed During First Half
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/072800unigraphics.htm
-- July 31 --
Autodesk Inventor 3 Hits the Market
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/073100autodesk.htm
OfficeCAD Debuts, with CAD-Enabled Website Technology
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/073100officecad.htm
Eagle Point Introduces New Construction Software
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/073100eaglepoint.htm
Meridian Project Systems Joins aecXML Initiative
http://www.tenlinks.com/News/pr/073100mps.htm
Market
News
SDRC's new ceo Glenn Wienkoop has realigned the
company into four products groups: e-Mechanical Design Automation,
e-Collaborative Products, e-Product Knowledge Management, and
e-Business Integration.
Second quarter revenue for Unigraphics, excluding a 40%
decline in hardware, grew 19% over the 1999 comparable period.
Software revenue advanced 21% and total revenue rose 15% during
the first six months of 2000, compared to the same period in 1999.
The
WorthWhile Web
http://www.islandnet.com/~kpolsson/comphist/index.htm
Ken Polsson
Chronology of Events in the History of Microcomputers
"I agree the [Flash graphics at] www.planetcad.com site
was pretty neat. I think you would like ours at http://www.valmont.com
"
- Dave Poppe, Valmont Industries, Inc.
Letters
to the Editor
Re: Microsoft.NET
"Is it just me, or does anyone else worry about an operating
system that won't work without a connection to the Internet? We
just had five days with our frame relay connection not working.
It helped me realize how little I want my office to be dependent
on our Internet connection to get our work done.
"It sounds good when Gate talks of us all being interconnected.
I wonder how many Microsoft minions spend their time making sure
Bill Gates is reliably connected at the fastest possible rate
when their boss sits down to a computer, any computer. I imagine
he computes in sort of a sanitary bubble with no feel for the
real world.
"Sure, we will all have faster connections in the future,
but the great leap of the PC over the old mainframe/terminal world
is the standalone productivity. The MIS guys hated it, but now
they are recovering their domain."
- John S. Brunt, American Samoa Telecommunications Authority
The editor replies: "I share your concern that Microsoft is stuffing too much into the operating system. In a recent example of the problems this causes, the initial release of the 'Internet enabled' AutoCAD 2000i (as if earlier releases weren't) stumbled because of version conflicts with three different Microsoft operating system components."
Re: Number 9
"Number Nine Computer Corporation (later Number Nine Visual
Technologies, and now absorbed by S3, Inc.), was founded in 1982
or so by Andy Najda and Stan Bialek, and was indeed named after
the Beatles song, Revolution 9.
"As I recall, when Andy and Stan were college roommates,
one of them rigged a stereo to be an alarm clock, set to play
Revolution 9 as its alarm. The repetitive Number Nine intonation
gave the company its name. In fact, if you look at all the product
names of Number Nine's products, you'll find that they are mostly
based on Beatles song titles: Revolution, Pepper SGT, Imagine
(actually a Lennon song, not a Beatles song, I think), etc.
"So, Ralph was right, and Joe kind of was, since Revolution
9 was in part a Lennon work."
- Jake Richter (a Number Nine alumnus - 1986-1988, and yes,
I'm still around, but doing non-CAD stuff on the island of Bonaire
(however, I still read Ralph's missives each week ))
Re: LISP Missing from LT
"George Anderson wrote of how Autodesk detracts from its
sales potential of AutoCAD LT because it doesn't provide Lisp.
Naturally, Autodesk would much prefer to sell you an AutoCAD (the
margin is far greater). Providing LISP would further detract from
sales of the Big Brother.
"There is though, an alternative to another (possibly incompatible)
CAD program: LT Toolkit 2000 by drc auto at http://www.drcauto.com/products/lttoolkit2000/index.html
"Combine the LT, dc auto's 3D and LISP packages, and you
virtually have a full AutoCAD (won't that fire up Autodesk)."
- Alan Reese
Re: Looking for Mac CAD
"Take a serious look at DesignWorkshop for the Macintosh.
You can download the light version free from http://www.artifice.com/dw.html.
The Pro version come with libraries of furniture and cabinets
already done, which gives you a good guideline for making custom
cabinets of your own.
[Another alternative is] the 3D modeling portion of VectorWorks.
Take a look at this software, and the wider options of tutorials
available. http://www.nemetschek.net/"
- Geoffrey Moore Langdon, Architectural CADD Consultants
Re: Improved GPS Accuracy
"I heard that the motivation for this action was that other
countries, including Europe and Japan, were considering putting
up a GPS system of their own (and even a more accurate one). This
would mean that the US would lose their grip on GPS. By removing
the restrictions, the US probably hopes that such initiatives
are stopped and that, in case of trouble, they have the power
to turn the error back on."
- Tom Eugelink, OV Software
"As an ATC coordinator, Autodesk User Group Portugal coordinator,
and AutoCAD/3D Studio writer, upFront.eZine is the most reliable
and independent source for important recent news, also with frequent
amusing descriptions. I'm recommending your e-zine in my CAD personal
page (only in Portuguese, sorry) and to all my CAD trainees."
- Joao Santos <http://www.ip.pt/augpt>
"A great newsletter that I always look forward to reading,
not only for the professional insight but also for the personal
views."
- Warren Cross
"Thx for the good news every week on the desktop. Keep
on the good work."
- Rob A.M. Oud, " <rob.oud@cad-company.nl>
Spin
Doctor of the Moment
"Dear Engineering.com Founding Member: It gives me great
pleasure to welcome you to Engineering.com.
By virtue of your early registration, you are one of the core
Founding Members of Engineering.com and a part of a growing worldwide
community. Which means you'll get special privileges once the
site is fully operational."
- Email received months after its www.engineering.com was
first announced by Rand Technologies.
Notable
Quotable
"We've decided that we're officially sick of Grandma shilling
products for Intel and everyone else. This time out, the old fraud
is claiming she'll be using the Dot.Station in the kitchen to
check on the kids' Web sites, communicate with Grandpa, and time
the pot roast. We see no reason why you should believe her."
- The Peddie Report
Contact!