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#356
30 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
#356
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Contents IMSI
Conference Call CATIA
V5 R12 And - - - 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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Spatial Fails to Win Spatial loses its lawsuit against Autodesk over the ACIS-based ShapeManager solid modeling kernel. The jury's reasoning was that Spatial hadn't enforced its contracts strictly enough in the past, and couldn't start now being strict. (This to me reads like a ruling based on Common Law.) Autodesk told me the verdict means "no breach of contract involving people, and no breach of contract involving location." When asked if they had a reaction to the loss, Spatial told me, "At this point no."
Oce's Color for CAD Oce is pretty enthused about its new color printer-scanner-copier for CAD users. In a telephone interview, product manager Sal Sheikh told me the TCS400 (short for "technology color system") beats the competition -- primarily Xerox and HP -- because of its unique controller. The PowerLogic controller multitasks, so that the is no delay between print jobs: while printing job #1 it is processing job #2. The controller runs the embedded version of Windows XP on a Pentium CPU with 512MB RAM and a 60GB hard drive. Price starts at US$12,495. - - - upFront.eZine: Who is using color? Sal Sheikh: Who is _not_ using color? Use of color has grown in the last five years, especially in 3D. upFront.eZine: What percentage of prints are now in color? Sal Sheikh: Over 50%. upFront.eZine: Why is color growing? Sal Sheikh: Because HP has been successful in pushing color, especially on desktop printers. - - - Other features of the TCS400 include: ink wells, so that ink cartridges can be changed during printing; two paper feeds for two paper sizes, and so that one roll can be changed during printing; dual black printheads for 2x faster printing, and remote printing over the Internet via printer's IP address. /www.oce.com/en/Products/Printers-copiers-plotters Wondering About PLM I wonder if the problem CAD vendors have selling collaboration and PLM is how they've explained it. Here is an explanation of Adobe's collaboration product: "Version Cue collects and disseminates information on Adobe-related files stored on networked PCs. The head of a graphics department, for example, could use Version Cue to locate and call up the current version of an Illustrator-created ad that a designer is working on. All changes would be saved in the file stored on the designer's PC. The result is that several people can work from the same file instead of having to integrate changes submitted through e-mail attachments, saving time and frustration with juggling multiple versions." - CNET Now, THAT makes sense to me.
Below the Radar A summary of CAD industry news you may not have read elsewhere, or that I find interesting: CoCreate Software releases OneSpace Designer 2004 with 250 customer requested enhancements. The software is for creating, changing, and managing designs using 2D drawing, 3D modeling, and data management. Joe Greco gives it his thumbs-up: "...one of the smoothest, slickest interfaces available in MCAD software today." Download the 30-day trial at www.cocreate.com/products Haestad Methods will be announcing GISConnect (US$495) next week. It's an add-on to AutoCAD and to ESRI's GIS products that ties both together -- "the data management power of ArcGIS and the drawing capabilities of AutoCAD," says Scott Devoe of Haestad. Read more at www.haestad.com/software/gisconnect/ GibbsCAM 2004 features hole grouping, native support for more MCAD systems, 2.5 solids option, and Windows UI. www.GibbsCAM.com General CADD Pro is shipping version 2.1 (US$499). Free download from www.generalcadd.com/downloads.htm Intergraph reports that 4.0 of its SmartPlant P&ID software will be available by year's end. ppo.intergraph.com/smartplant RealCADD v3.5 is shareware for Mac OS9 and OS X users. Download from ftp://ftp.adx-online.com/RealCADD3.50/english/MacOS/RealCADD.sit Autodesk says all its CAD products will have the same core rendering technology based on a future release of VIZ by sometime in the first half of 2004. MultiCIM Technologies releases PRO Menu for AutoCAD 2004 and AutoCAD LT 2004. "Features most liked by users continue to be the one-click, transparent restore of saved views, quick switching of displayed toolbars, and the background grid of guidelines," reports product manager Tim Skene. Trial download from www.multicim.com/pmenu.html And AutoSolids is updated for AutoCAD 2004 (US$495). The add-on extends the solid modeling, viewing, and visualization of AutoCAD-based products. Demo version from www.autosolids.com
Redo IMSI corrects a number I quoted last week: "The purchase of Cadalog.com gives IMSI approximately 100,000 opt-in CAD names." - - - Also, a clarification regarding the Dassault-Ghery press conference:
"The press conference was via telecon, but also live at
the CATIA User Conference in Seattle, where press and analysts attended
in person, including Cyon Research, which asked numerous questions.
So they were not part of the announcement."
Computer News Summaries According to one count, HP has now announced 20,000 layoffs since its acquisition of Compaq. IBM has cut 15,000 this year, and Gateway nearly 4,000. Here at upFront.eZine, we pledge to not lay off a single employee. A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles against software monopolist Microsoft attempts to hold the company responsible for the damage wrought by the systemic failures of security in its software, and for its conspicuous failure to fix them adequately. A new projector (PowerLite 9300i) from Epson boasts 1400x1050 resolution, 2500 ANSI lumens brightness, 1100:1 contrast ratio, and network interface (US$11,299).
Market News K Bank provides US$2 million worth of credit to Avatech Solutions Subsidiary, the operating subsidiary of Avatech Solutions. The upFront.eZine stock index is at /www.cadwire.net/to?upfrontezine/stocks
Letters to the Editor Re: Autodesk Extensions "The lack of extensions only shows that the subscription
programs are a complete bluff. AutoCAD 2004 already has been out
six months. IMHO, A2000 was the last great innovative version and
as this version will be discontinued at the end of the year, an
important percentage will keep using it. - - - Re: Printed Manuals "With the price of we pay for software (any software) you
would think it is the LEAST they could do is print some darn manuals." The editor replies: "I prefer paper-based magazines
and books, but I find I never use the printed documentation of any
software product anymore. Alt+Tab works fine for me. "I don't know how you are set up, but Alt+Tab doesn't work
in my bathroom." The editor replies: "I don't read computer documentation in my bathroom. That thrill is over." "I'm talking about appropriate use of time and location
for the information you are gathering. <g>" - - - Re: DesignCAD "I was smiling by seeing that AutoCAD was asking to the
users if they were interested by commands that we already find in
low-cost product, such as DesignCAD (e.g: password on layers). Did
you know that AutoCAD did Boolean operations one year later than
DesignCAD?. That DesignCAD supports 16 million colors since a long
time, that with DesignCAD you can easily manipulate any objects
with one, two but also with four references (useful in cartography
to adjust a vector plan on a bitmap map). "With DesignCAD you can easily create objects directly in the 3D view eversince the first 3D version), but of course you can also crate 3D objects from 2D views. "In summary, I think that DesignCAD is a bargain in
comparison with AutoCAD, not only for the price (this not the only
consideration for professional users), but also for the ease of
use. I think that for a lot of users, AutoCAD is not necessary.
Of course for some users, I understand this choice (eventually combined
with a third-party application)." - - - "Keep up the great work. I enjoy catching up now and again
with an industry I really enjoyed working in."
Spin Doctor of the Moment "Leading Industry Analyst Report Validates PTC PLM Leadership
in Architecture and Capabilities" "EDS PLM Solutions Recognized as the Leader By Industry
Research Firm in PLM Vendor Comparison"
Notable Quotable "It's not only a story easy to report... but also one that
few journalists would refute, for fear of violating the law of the
pack." |
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Return to www.upfrontezine.com. Entire contents copyright ©2003 by upFront.eZine Publishing, Ltd. All rights reserved worldwide. Article reprint fee $500. All trademarks belong to their respective holders. "upFront.eZine," "Talking About CAD," and "On your desktop every Tuesday morning" are trademarks of upFront.eZinePublishing, Ltd. Letters to the editor may be reproduced in an edited form for clarity and brevity. Opinions expressed in letters are not necessarily shared by upFront.eZine Publishing, Ltd. |
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