www.upfrontezine.com
Some of you have been wondering why you weren't getting your weekly
"fix" of upFront.eZine lately. I'm now back from my
annual summer vacation.
You may notice in this issue at least one change resulting from
the Reader Survey: I've decided to drop the 'CAD News Headlines
from www.TenLinks.Com' section, which numerous respondents
listed as the Most Annoying feature of upFront.eZine. For readers
who want the CAD headlines delivered to their desktop on a daily
basis, you can subscribe at http://www.tenlinks.com/News/subscribe.htm.
And if you prefer to bookmark a live page, go to http://www.tenlinks.com/news/cad_news.htm
.
Your survey responses were thoughtfully written, and I found them
very interesting to read. I'll provide more details in a later
issue, but the most amusing response was from readers who complained
that I (1) give too much coverage to AutoCAD; (2) give too little
coverage to AutoCAD; (3) am too biased in favor of Autodesk; (4)
am too biased against Autodesk; or (5) strike an even balance.
eCADLite:
A MicroStation Clone
In a pattern of history repeating itself, a British company last
week announced it would soon ship a software package that could
edit MicroStation design files. GraphStore
last week announced eCADLite, a 2D drafting tool for MicroStation
users. The product will be launched 19 September at the AEC
Systems UK show in London, England.
GraphStore describes eCADLite as "a high-performance, low-cost
CAD software package that provides easy access to native 2D MicroStation
data. eCADLite provides viewing and editing of MicroStation-based
DGN files, reference files, and cells using a Microsoft Office
style interface that is both familiar to use and simple to learn.
And eCADLite will take MicroStation data further by offering unique
functionality not available elsewhere." The price will less
than a six-month MicroStation maintenance fee -- estimated to
be US$299.
Until now, GraphStore has focussed on facilities management software
for AutoCAD and MicroStation. The company is a wholly owned division
of Authoriszor, a developer of Internet security tools. While
the press release talks only of MicroStation, the GraphStore Web
site mentions "a Windows-based application for the viewing,
redlining and editing of MicroStation and AutoCAD files"
at http://www.graphstore.com/index3.html.
The irony is
that MicroStation itself began as a clone of another CAD
package. Originally named PseudoStation, the software allowed
users to view IGDS drawing files without needing Intergraph's
proprietary (and expensive) turnkey hardware and software. The
next version, renamed MicroStation, added the ability to edit
IDGS files, upon which Intergraph sued Bentley Systems (BSI).
Bentley somehow convinced Intergraph to invest instead, and Intergraph
purchased 50% of BSI.
Around that time, Intergraph released its IDGS file format to
the public domain. BSI, however, added proprietary extensions
to IGDS, and renamed it DGN. Next year, with the next version
of MicroStation, BSI plans to replace DGN with a completely new
file format.
While Bentley was successful with MicroStation, there have been
other less successful cloning efforts. SoftSource's Vdraft, Graebert
Systems's FelixCAD, and SoftDesk's IntelliCAD simply haven't had
the volume to impact Autodesk's licenses of AutoCAD -- despite
a price 20 to 30 times cheaper than AutoCAD.
If AutoCAD clones aren't able to become commercially successful,
I wonder about the chances of a MicroStation clone in a market
that's ten times smaller.
I asked GraphStore and Bentley Systems to comment on each other, but received no answer -- perhaps because of the long weekend holiday. I did request opinions from MicroStation users. (Letters have been edited for clarity and brevity.) An American reader replied: "I like the idea of a low cost 2D MicroStation editor."
A European reader responded: "Clearly GraphStore sees a marketing opening to provide a light version of basic MicroStation. This means that Bentley is using a nonmarket-driven licensing structure, because there are customers who only use the 2D part. I would only buy such a product if I were very limited in cash, or very sure that I'm not going to upgrade MicroStation for at least two years. This is all without knowing the user interface of eCADLite, which might make it all worthwhile -- knowing MicroStation's ;-) "
Martyn Day, editor of the British CADdesk magazine, commented: "The software looks like a little Windows application, and has OK but limited drafting capability. It doesn't have a zillion ways to draw lines, circles, or arcs -- more like AutoSketch. Could be seen as an interesting low-cost DGN viewer/editor/plotter, one for every desk? It's based on the Pangaea DGN reading code, which has been enabled to write data. While it can read MicroStation's proprietary multilines, it drops [explodes] them back to single lines when edited. The man in charge is David Blaine: ex-Intergraph, Bentley's ex-UK managing director, and ex-managing director of Meta4. I think they are developing the product to work in ASP mode, too. I hear they have a lot of backing from their parent company. While they are hoping for big sales, I'm not 100% convinced that the size of the MicroStation installed base will prove big enough. I'm sure Bentley will talk about how Powerdraft is much better, which it probably is, but it costs thousands more."
With the British eCADLite using a Canadian DGN read-write engine, I asked Steve Shein of Pangaea CAD Solutions about the MicroStation clone, and Bentley's proposed changes to the DGN file format: "eCADLite looks like a low cost solution for people who need to edit DGN files, similar to our DualCAD product, which edits both DGN and DWG for less than $300. This niche has not been filled by other developers (especially for DGN), nor has BSI shown any interest in pursuing this market. The proposed changes to the DGN format is, in my opinion, another move by BSI to distance themselves from the current group of third-party DGN developers to create a unpublished proprietary format, as Intergraph had in the early 70s. I have not seen any announcements from BSI that the new format would be an open format.We all know that the public release of the original IGDS specification to the public was the best thing to happen to the DGN format. The enhancements to the IGDS spec by BSI were not documented, of course. The reason? To try to hamper the efforts of the third-party developer network. As members of the OpenDWG Alliance, BSI should take a lesson from them and propose a completely open format. We are founding members of the OpenDWG as well."
GDL
Alliance
At the AEC Systems show, Graphisoft
ceo Gábor Bojár had expressed a wish that his company's
Geometric Description Language (GDL) be taken over by a standards
body. The GDL Alliance
was formally announced 31 July at the GDL Forum in Tokyo. GDL
is a 3D object-based parametric modeling language magnitudes smaller
than ARX and JPEG.
"The GDL Alliance will stimulate a grass-roots movement that
promotes GDL as an international standard for creating parametric
3D objects for use in 3D models of virtual buildings, and computer
generated digital models used by the construction industry,"
says Kimon Onuma, head of the alliance's Steering Committee. The
GDL Alliance will:
To maintain a neutral standing, the GDL Alliance will not be affiliated with any corporation or group. Central offices will be in Pasadena CA USA.
Replacement
for DCL
3rd Day Software has released ObjectDCL, which replaces
the DCL (dialog control language) in AutoCAD. ObjectDCL lets AutoLISP
and VisualLisp programmers draw their dialog boxes and controls,
just as in Visual Basic.
New controls have been added, such as BlockView, Tab control,
Tree control, and the PictureBox, which allows AutoLISP programmers
to create their own custom, Windows-style controls. Other features
include auto control resizing and font setting. The royalty-free
product is available in two flavors: ObjectDCL Lite (US$199) and
ObjectDCL Pro (US$499); a 30-day eval version is available from
http://www.objectdcl.com.
For more info, contact Chad
Wanless.
ASP
Survey
Portalsoft, a CAD/Modeling consultant hoping to
start an ASP service, has a survey at http://websurveyor.net/wsb.dll/3743/ASPquest.htm
. The survey is being conducted to prove to the ISVs that an independent
ASP approach is what the small user wants and would consider paying
for. Says Marvin Johnson, "We have been developing a service
that should allay present fears (of which we assess in the survey)
on ASP's in general & problems with data server centric solutions.
As an SME who has been using CAD software for 12 years, our approach
is to benefit the end-user seamlessly instead of creating mass
revenue for data centers with services smaller companies would
never envisage using."
Conferences
The Research Seminar is a pre-conference event for the
Bentley International User Conference <http://www.bentley.com/biuc>.
On Sunday, 17 September, 12.30-5.30pm, join Robert Aish, and leading
researchers and practitioners from Foster and Partners, Arup,
MIT, CMU, UVA and the University of Cambridge, who will focus
of current research into advanced building geometry and associative
modeling, and its recent application in practice from concept
design to digital construction. More info from robert-aish@tcp.co.uk.
Engineous Software is holding its 2000 International iSIGHT User Conference Oct. 2-4 at the Carolina Inn in Chapel Hill NC USA. For more details and to register, visit http://www.engineous.com/2kug.html
The second annual BEST PRACTICES CONFERENCE takes place this year on October 2- 4 at the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach, California. http://www.infomanagementcenter.com/conference.htm
New
Newsletter
Adena Schutzberg <aschutzberg@tenlinks.com>
is the editor of 'GIS Monitor,' the newest newsletter from
Tenlinks.Com. The e-newsletter provides news and commentary on
the GIS and mapping world. Subscribe at http://www.tenlinks.com/MapGIS/subscribe.htm
Companies
on the Move
CSB Systems has acquired CAD/CAM Solutions of Canada Inc. CAD/CAM
Solutions, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, is the largest
Autodesk Authorized Dealer in Manitoba, as well as the only Premier
Autodesk Training Center (ATC) in the province. http://www.ccsc-online.com
Computer
News Summaries
ATI has once again delayed the release of Windows
2000 drivers for their RAGE PRO, RAGE LT PRO, and RAGE XL graphics
boards. The release date has been pushed back into an October
time frame." - Betanews; more info from http://support.ati.com/faq/win2k.html
Microsoft has released the second beta of DirectX v8.0
Agenda is a Palm-like computer that runs Linux. http://www.agendacomputing.com/products/agenda_linux.jsp
Microsoft Germany has reacted to a court defeat by slashing Windows prices [by 20% - 30%] and radically revamping its licensing model. In July, a German appeal court ruled that Microsoft did not have the right to stop dealers selling [whitebox] software that the company intended should only ship with a new PC; this has effectively created a secondary market for Microsoft software in Germany, and the company is now attempting to adjust to this. - The Register
The
WorthWhile Web
http://cs1.cs.nyu.edu/waldman/publius/
Publius Censorship Resistant Publishing System
This is an experiment in censorship-resistant publishing, by storing
random portions of encrypted text on multiple servers.
http://www.iccwbo.org/ccs/imb_piracy/weekly_piracy_report.asp
Weekly Piracy Report
A summary the daily reports broadcast to all shipping by the Piracy
Reporting Centre.
Brand
New CAD Book
Object
Making with ArchiCAD: GDL for Beginners by David Nicholson-Cole
List price: US$25; published by Graphisoft.
Letters
to the Editor
Re: AutoCAD for Linux
"I wonder if there will soon be a re-release of Autodesk
products on the UNIX and Linux platforms? I don't think Autodesk
can afford to ignore the Linux momentum. Check out http://www.mainsoft.com/index.html"
- Randy Maxey
The editor replies: "With the incompatibility between 2000i (the "Internet version" of AutoCAD) and Internet Explorer v5.5, is Autodesk beginning to wonder about its reliance on a single operating system? Autodesk has recently strayed from Windows OS with the version of OnSite for the Palm OS. See http://www3.autodesk.com/adsk/index/0,,210657,00.html"
Re: Metric Revit
"I have an evaluation copy of Revit, and was amazed to find
that it offered no options for metric usage! I quickly lost all
interest in it at that point, since it is useless almost anywhere
outside USA. Moreover, I think its 'rental' licensing scheme would
make it unattractive for regular usage. Over a few years the rent
would be far more costly than the likes of ArchiCAD with all updates."
- Geoffrey Harrod
The editor replies: "Metric is something they'll have to consider for v4 or 5. As for the rental licensing, you raise an interesting issue. Here's how I work out the math: ArchiCAD is about $5,000 in the USA. Revit is $200/month, so that comes to the same as ArchiCAD after 25 months. There may be a slight edge for Revit because: (1) you might not have to pay sales tax on Revit since it is purchased over the Internet; buying ArchiCAD locally (here in my area) would cost an extra CDN$507 in sales tax; and (2) a business can write off the expense of leasing Revit at 100% a year; under Canadian tax law, purchased software, like ArchiCAD, can only be written off over two years."
Notable
Quotable
. . . . .
CYBERCHONDRIA is identified by the Southern Medical Journal as
a modern manifestation of Munchausen's Syndrome, in which people
lay claim to illnesses they don't have in order to garner sympathy
and attention.
- http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Marc_Feldman_2/
Contact!