issue
#354
16 September 2003
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a l k i n g a b o u t c a d
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issue
#354
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Contents AutoCAD
2005 ZipCAD
for PalmOS: Under
the Radar - - - Donate Write - - -
(ADVERTISMENT) Updated and Expanded for AutoCAD 2004! Tailoring AutoCAD 2004 is the first book for AutoCAD 2004. Download as a 204-page e-book in PDF format (US$24.95) or on CD ($29.95). Covers all areas of customization, from changing the user interface to writing toolbar macros and LISP routines. Click here to sample preview pages and place your order. - - -
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AutoCAD 2005 A recent survey by Autodesk hints at the nature of the next release of AutoCAD. The survey asks customers for their level of interest in the following functions [my comments in square brackets]:
Other questions in the survey hint that the next release could be distributed on a DVD, might include more interactive help, and may do away with printed documentation [fine with me, I never read printed docs anymore]. - - - Where are Extensions? As little as a year ago, "big release" was a bad word at Autodesk; instead, major releases were called "roll ups" or "big R." The idea was to ship one or more Extensions every 3-4 months, which would feed AutoCAD subscribers one or two new features at a time -- replacing upgrades that historically came with a large number of features, which apparently overwhelm users. [We book authors dislike extensions.] Extensions were supposed to be the reason for subscriptions. Even if Autodesk failed to deliver a new release of AutoCAD within the 12-month period (as it often has), subscribers would at least get most of the features new to the next release. That system happened for a couple of years. Recently I realized there had been no extensions for some time; last week Martyn Day searched the entire autodesk.com Web site and found no new extensions; and most tellingly, CEO Carol Bartz has failed to mention extensions in any recent quarterly calls with financial analysts. - - - Spatial Trial Starts Last week, Spatial's 19-month-old lawsuit against Autodesk went to trial, starting with jury selection. Spatial (owned by Dassault Systemes) is accusing Autodesk of hiring away personnel from its Cambridge, England office. You can read the genesis of this suit at www.upfrontezine.com/upf-280.htm - - - In unrelated news, Autodesk is working with Apple to port its Express Viewer software for viewing DWF files to Mac's Unix-based OS X operating system. Price and date of availability were not announced. ZipCAD for PalmOS Several CAD packages have been available for handheld computers tied to Microsoft's operating system. ZipCAD (US$150) from 123-D Software is the first for those running the dominant PalmOS. The software is a fairly full CAD package, oriented toward architecture. In the new release, for example, the Wall & Gaps tool draws walls, windows, and doors without changing commands. The 60 other commands include infinite undo/redo, symbols, layers, linetypes, custom colors, entity snapping, shortcut keys, and context sensitive help. Data exchange is via DXF, so drawing data can get into most desktop CAD packages -- whether running Mac, Linux, or Windows. Memory requirement is low (just 412KB), while typical drawings are 2-150KB each. www.zipcad.com IGDS = IP$ After Intergraph won its lawsuit against Intel (for using Clipper cache memory management technology illegally in Pentium chips), the company announced a new Intellectual Property department to collect royalties from computer manufacturers. Texas Instruments says it'll pay Intergraph US$18 million in royalty fees to settle the patent dispute. Intergraph had sued TI back in January, and TI counter-sued in May. Those suits have now been called off. Intergraph is still going after HP, Dell, and Gateway. A judge recently dismissed a patent-infringement lawsuit filed by HP against Intergraph. The trial against HP, Dell, and Gateway starts Aug 2, next year.
Below the Radar A summary of CAD industry news you may not have read elsewhere, or that I found interesting: - - - Availl allows CAD files to exist at many locations through real-time mirroring that moves only the file differences (deltas) to minimize bandwidth. www.availl.com For Think3 users, a parts catalog of ANSI inch-size fasteners and related hardware is available from www.GraphicsEngineering.us Dassault Systemes is emphasizing PLM collaboration in V5 R12 [shorthand for the 12th release of version 5], the next major release of CATIA, ENOVIA, SMARTEAM, and DELMIA. Ed Goldberg tells me his new book "The Autodesk Architectural Desktop 2004 Book" is being shipped by Prentice Hall to bookstores in early Fall 2003. Weber Systems has released their Synergy CAD/CAM software on Linux. www.webersys.com EDS is shipping Unigraphics NX 2, its CAD/CAM/CAE software. www.eds.com/nx Get away from photo-realistic rendering with Penguin for Rhino (US$195). Beta for AutoCAD available for download from www.penguin3d.com Tailor Made Software's DGNXchange (US$3,995.00) converts all versions of MicroStation DGN files into PDF, DWF, and other raster and Web formats. www.tailormade.com CDV Systems has a series of courseware for Revit 5.1 written by architects. www.cdvsystems.com QuadriSpace's Presenter Pro 2.4 now supports SolidWorks for creating interactive 3D documents, publications, and presentations. www.quadrispace.com And Frank Nitithamyong at Purdue University would love to have you participate in his survey on implementing Web-Based project management systems. His online questionnaire is at rebar.ecn.purdue.edu/WPMS_survey . Five free 128MB USB PenDrives to the first 250 participants. Deadline is 30 Sept 03.
Seminars & Conferences National Manufacturing Week is Feb 23-26 at McCormick Place, Chicago IL USA. /www.manufacturingweek.com
People/Companies on the Move Daratech promotes Sue Churchill to vp of sales and marketing, and Tim Hickey to managing editor. GiveMePower Corporation appoints J.L. Bolokoski as acting Chief Financial Officer. Applied CAD/CAM changes its name to Applied Engineering Technology, and moves its office to 6901 East Fish Lake Road, Suite 160, Maple Grove, MN 55369 USA. ACS Software is moving to 2463 208th Street, Suite 202 Torrance, CA 90501 USA. Informative Graphics moves to 4835 East Cactus Raod, Suite 445, Scottsdale AZ 85254 USA. Synergis Technologies makes an alliance with Michael Baker Corporation to provide integrated Autodesk MapGuide solutions.
Redo Graphisoft's investor relations manager, Orsolya Nitsch, provides this explanation for de-listing Graphisoft stock from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange: It "is a part of the restructuring and streamlining process of Graphisoft's operation. Trading volumes on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange did not justify the expense (listing fee and designated sponsor fees) and procedural conflict (there were some serious contradictions between the German and the Hungarian rules and regulations). Historically, two thirds of Graphisoft's trading volume has been on the Budapest Stock Exchange." monitor.tdc.hu/monitor/bet/napi_stat/en/GRAPHI.html
Letters to the Editor Re: Longivity of CD-Rs "In the latest issue, a study revealed the poor long-term
reliability of CD-Rs. Does this also apply to CD-RWs and DVDs?" The editor replies: "It certainly is controversial, isn't it? I think that what the Dutch magazine found was that CD-Rs made by specific _manufacturers_ failed after two years. I am guessing there are different levels of quality in making CD-Rs. I don't know about CD-RW and DVD."
Re: Seminars in New Zealand "Loved your New Zealand story. Makes me want to go there, but on a tour with an itinerary planned by others! No doubt airline arrangements, like layering standards, can be messy. "'Kiwis and Aussies standardizing???' your story asks rhetorically.
Until such a time, at least standardize internally with AutoLayer
</www.ArchMedia.net>." "Thank you for the wonderful story, well-told about your
trip. I especially like the tid-bit about Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu.
I'm always on the lookout for interesting words." "I'd like to see Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu
fit on a postcard. Hopefully they have a zip code." "Love the NZ story. As I often seem to be too busy for vacations,
I may start to pay for you to go where I fancy, and then write it
up so that I can enjoy it at my leisure!" "Nothing to do with CAD, but in #353 you mentioned the All Blacks and rugby. The All Blacks are in fact New Zealand's national rugby UNION team. There are two codes of rugby: There is fifteen-a-side rugby union and thirteen a side rugby league. "In NZ, union is bigger than league, although the Auckland
Warriors are a top league team that plays in the Australian National
Rugby League. League is Australia is significantly bigger than union." - - - "I've been reading your eZine for quite awhile and enjoy
it immensely. One of the few CAD-related publications that give
real world, practical information / solutions for the average user.
Keep up the good work!" "Thanks for the great publication."
Spin Doctor of the Moment "The SCO Group today announced the signing of its first
Intellectual Property Compliance License for SCO UNIX Rights." "As of Tuesday [Sept. 2], we actually began making the license
available. Selling it and mailing it to someone is not something
we've actually done as yet, but as of today we are able to do that."
Notable Quotable "While colleges strive for ethnic diversity, they actively
oppose ideological diversity."
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