upFront.eZine
t h e   b u s i n e s s   o f   c a d

a publication from
upFront.eZine Publishing

Issue #524   :  :   June 26, 2007


In this issue:

Adobe Integrtes With--
Everyone (Nearly)

 

Ubantu For a Day

          - Readers Respond

 

Out of the Inbox, plus the other regular columns.


Make the editor smile. Write him.

Through Paypal, consider donating $25 in support of upFront.eZine. Or else.

We're trendy. We have a Weblog. WorldCAD Access.


Previous Issue <

> Next Issue



 


Adobe Integrates With--
Everyone! (Nearly)

It's looking like a press release a week involving Adobe and some CAD company. The company is craftily forming relationships with Everyone, it seems. Here's a list of announcements since the start of the year (in reverse chronological order):

 

June:

Jun 20 -- XVL Studio and XVLstaff to Integrate with Adobe LiveCycle Rights Management.
(Lattice and Hitachi Software Engineering integrate their products with Adobe's LiveCycle Rights Management.)

Jun 4 -- PTC AND Adobe Expand Relationship to Offer Enhanced IP Protection in Distributed Environments:
(PTC integrates Adobe's LiveCycle Rights Management ES software with PTC Pro/E.)

 

May:

May 31 -- Photoshop Plug-In for Google 3D Warehouse Now Available.
(Users can search and download free 3D content from the Google's 3D Warehouse, and then place and manipulated it with the 3D tools in Photoshop CS3 Extended.)

May 30 -- Adobe Announces Availability of Acrobat 3D Version 8.
(Major upgrade with document-based 3D design collaboration and CAD data interoperability.)

May 24 -- Nemetschek and Adobe enter strategic partnership.
(Nemetschek integrates PDF generation based on Adobe's PDF Libraries in Allpan.)

 

April:

Apr 16 -- Adobe Ships Creative Suite 3.
(With support for 3D image manipulation.)

 

March:

Mar 16 -- Alibre Design Version 9.2 Release Provides Support for Windows Vista and Enhanced 3D Publishing:
(Expansion of PDF publishing for 3D mechanical design projects.)

 

February:

Feb 21 -- 3Dconnexion Supports Acrobat 3D Software.
(Control 2D PDFs and the 3D models.)

Feb 15 -- Tech Soft 3D adds European Sales & Consulting Office:
(The company notes that it also resells Adobe PDF Libraries.)

 

January:

Jan 29 -- Adobe to Release PDF for Industry Standardization

Jan 22 -- CADopia 6 [IntelliCAD] SP3 is now shipping.
(Adds PDF support for multiple layouts.)

Jan 22 -- Nemetschek and Adobe Enter Strategic Partnership.
(Nemetschek North America integrates PDF creation directly into VectorWorks 12.5.)

 

Summing up, Adobe is ingratiating itself into the CAD world -- in the true sense of the word ("to establish oneself in the favor or good graces of others, especially by deliberate effort").

 


Ubantu for a Day:
Readers Respond

"Why don't you read up on GRUB and load a CD bootable copy of Ubuntu. Go in and edit the conf file for GRUB and point it to the mount point you want.
        www.gnu.org/software/grub/
Howto Sourceforge helps:
        www.howtoforge.com/

"Granted I use Debian Sid for the past 5 years and OS X since it was Openstep it's not that difficult to catch the human error during the installation of the MBR. The error resided with you thinking that the USB driver loads before the file system inode structure.

"One more caveat that bit me quite a bit: When you have a motherboard with an PATA and SATA controller and the drive connected to the SATA, if you have a pre-existing drive on the PATA controller, GRUB will update using the pre-existing instance of it and so you don't have to swap around which drive boots from the BIOS.

"I hope they fix this for GRUB 2. One should be made aware and given the option."
        - Marc Driftmeyer
        ReAnimality Inc.

- - -

"I've mentioned this before Ralph, but, get a Mac. Together with Parallels (well perhaps v3.5 when it comes out) and budda boom budda bing: best of both worlds. Unix with Aqua interface, and Windows for AutoCAD and such.

 "And yes, head is firmly planted in clouds. Oh well, no money for such a trial anyway ;( "
        - Jim Longley

The editor replies: "I don't get Macs. I don't understand iTunes software. I don't like the QuickTime viewer."

- - -

"I did a lengthy experiment replacing Vista with [Ubantu v7.04] Feisty Fawn on my Dell box. It was a mixed blessing, but it showed me there's hope. Linux still needs more work to truly bump Windows off the average desktop. I hope it continues to improve and put pressure on Microsoft, so we all win from the competition."
        - Dave Stein
        www.skatterbrainz.com

- - -

"I thought the Ubuntu article was really interesting. As was 'Ubuntu Linux vs. Windows Visa' by Serdar Yegulalp. I see from their software catalogue, there is a program called Win4Lin. Does this mean I can run any Windows application on Ubuntu? i.e. CAD software.

"I'd be really interested in a follow up article, reviewing the performance of some common CAD packages on non-Windows operating systems."
        - Kevin Thickett
        GHD, New Zealand

The editor replies: "As I understand it, these Windows emulators need to be fine-tuned for each app, especially for CAD sw."

 


Out of the Inbox

AfterCAD Software releases RealWorld, its server-side 3D publishing product that serves up 3D models for rotation, pan, and zoom -- with no client-side software required for the Web browser. www.aftercad.com/products/realworld.php

Dosch Design updates a whole bunch of its image libraries, including Cars 2007, Trees & Conifers V3, and Skies V2. www.doschdesign.com

Nemetschek North America updates VectorWorks to version 12.5.2 with some bug fixes. www.nemetschek.net/downloads/fundamentals/version12/12.5.2.php

MultiCIM Technologies announces the release of PRO Menu for AutoCAD 2008 ($99) and LT 2008 ($59). Features include one-click create/restore of saved views and layer states. www.multicim.com/pmenu.html

Synergis Software ships Adept PrintWave (US$6,000) for batch printing, plotting, and PDF publishing, either on-demand or in automated mode, from the company’s Adept document management software. www.synergis-adept.com

PTC is offering 50% off a Mathcad Calculation Server when you purchase five floating Mathcad Licenses. [If "That's a tremendous savings..." then it must be r-e-a-l-l-y expensive.] www.ptc.com

Alibre Design Release 10 will feature direct editing and better 2D performance -- whenever it ships. In the meantime, the company releases a not-free version of Xpress -- Xpress Plus is $250 and supports 30 parts in assemblies. www.alibre.com/promos/online/xpress_plus.asp

Speaking of free, CoCreate Software continues to make its OneSpace Modeling Personal Edition software free from www.cocreate.com/free -- after first proposing to stop downloads in June. This 3D dynamic modeler can handle up to 60 parts per assembly.

CADVault 5 drawing security software is updated and available from www.cadlock.com/download/

- - -

These news items were posted during the last week at the WorldCAD Access blog <worldcadaccess.typepad.com>:

  • CoCreate Extends Free (No Surprise)
  • AutoCAD Tip: "Free" Lights
  • No. 65! No. 65!
  • Alibre Figures Out How to Charge for Xpress
  • Not Invited to UGS Media Day?
  • 3d studio max Simulates WTC on 9/11

 And at the Gizmos Grabowski < worldcadaccess.typepad.com/gizmos/> Weblog:

  • The New Killer App
  • Read Those Specs
  • Never Upgrade

 


Seminars & Conferences

VisMasters' 3rd Design Modeling & Visualization Conference is Aug 9–11 in San Diego CA USA. dmvc.vismasters.com/ConferenceProgram.cfm

CMSB 2007 (International Conference on Computational Methods in Systems Biology) is Sept 20-21 in Edinburgh, Scotland. conferences.inf.ed.ac.uk/cmsb07/

International Symposium for Engineering IT 2007 www.iseit.com :

  • Europe is 9-10 Oct in London UK
  • Americas is 22-23 Oct in San Antonio TX USA

TMCE 2008 (Seventh International Symposium on Tools and Methods of Competitive Engineering) is Apr 21-25, 2008 in Turkey. www.tmce.org

 


People/Companies on the Move

Kate Mills is leaving her position as global marketing director at ICEM, following its purchase by Dassault Systemes.

 


Market News

SpaceClaim gets another US$13.5 million in funding, again from North Bridge Venture Partners, Kodiak Venture Partners, and others. The new CAD vendor received $7.5 million in funding the first time around.

Actify get additional funding from new and existing investors. Amount was not specified.

Moldflow sell its Manufacturing Solutions division to Husky Injection Molding Systems of Canada, for US$7 million.

 


Brand New CAD Books/eBooks

"AutoCAD Civil 3D 2008 Update vBook"
"Civil 3D vBook"
by Mike Carris
Published by GTC Group
globaltcg.com

 

"CATIA V5R17 for Designers"
by Sham Tickoo
Published by CADCIM Technologies
www.cadcimtech.com

 

"Tailoring AutoCAD 2008"
by Ralph Grabowski
Published by upFront.eZine Publishing
346 pages; PDF US$34.60
www.upfrontezine.com/ta8

 


WorthWhile Web

http://www.slate.com/id/2168707/nav/tap3/
"The Worst Celebrity Profile Ever Written?"
By Ron Rosenbaum

 

http://blog.outer-court.com/archive/2007-06-22-n66.html
"Google Spreadsheets Live Data"
By Philipp Lenssen

 

http://msftextrememakeover.blogspot.com/2007/06/who-us-leadership-sorry-we-just-vest.html
"Who Us - Leadership? Nah, We Just Vest Here"
By Anon.

 


Letters to the Editor

[In the following letters, I've left out full names to protect privacy.]

"Nice Father's Day note. I was treated to an awesome Sunday brunch by my wife and two daughters who are 9 and 25 years old. We went to a movie and then home for gifts. Daddy got a new leather chair for the office.

"BTW-- In my younger years I competed in short track speed skating. One year I took first place three times in my division which invoked the 'trophy out' rule for mandatory movement to the next bracket. I was now skating against guys that road their bikes +150 miles per week as conditioning for skating -- they had veins bulging out of their legs! At the next event I was first off the line and then they ALL skated around me. I didn't think it was possible to go that fast. I never placed again for two years. Still got the $600 skates sitting in my garage.

"It was a good experience, had good friends, and all the practice kept me busy and out of trouble."
        - W.M.

 

"Although I enjoy reading your ezine for many of its editorial merits, your periodic injections of the realities of family and the world outside of the CAD industry always strikes a lasting cord.

 "When my father was my age, I was half way through high school. Fast forward twenty or so years -- I've only been married for a couple of years now. We're expecting our first child this fall.  

"I considered these life differences while celebrating Father's Day with my dad over the weekend and spent some time thinking about the experiences that I have ahead of me with great anticipation. I thought about all of those times that my dad helped me struggle through my homework in school, or while I played sports throughout my childhood and college years, hoping that I'll be able to do the same for my son some day."
        - P.A.

The editor replies "Perhaps the best thing to spoil your children with is your time."

 

"So your daughter has competed for 10 years and never placed first? I guess she must have come close a few times but not quite got there. In any sporting competition there a collection of competitors possessing all the physical skills to win and the winner is decided by a combination of chance and mental strength.

"Some competitors, when they get their lucky break and the chance to win, are just not mentally prepared for it, and collapse at the last hurdle. Getting into the winning position needs to be rehearsed so the competitor feels being in the lead is an advantage over the others (which it is) rather than feeling it as debilitating weight of expectation!

"The people who compete in sports for many years before finally winning are the ones I truly admire. They are the people who keep a sport going."
        - G. R.
        Hang Gliding Champion

The editor replies: "My other daughter 'suffered' by coming in first place in first attempts -- once in intermediate violin, and then again in a nationwide photography contest. After that, it was all downhill. In some ways, it'ss better that my figure-skating daughter has only been as good as second-place: it gives her something to aim for in her final year."

 

"Belated Happy Father's Day! You're doing great. Your son's lady and I have something in common. I am deaf also. If you have any questions or need more information, then feel free to ask."
        - W. D.

 

"That's freaking awesome! I have four kids: three girls and a boy (youngest).  Ages 8 to 16. We had a day very similar, low key, subtle, but worth every minute in gold."
        - D. S.

 

"I'm occasionally guilty of thinking I should have done more but, in the end, my two kids (18 and 20) are happy and get along with their parents and each other. So I, too, figure that makes it a success.  

"We hope our preference for living a happy life versus a rich one carries on as well, but at least we succeeded in getting them this far. To a large degree I have the Internet and CAD to thank for the opportunity to do what I do and still live here in a small town, and I really appreciate it. There's more to life than making lots of money.

"Thanks also for all your work on your eZine. It keeps me informed about a CAD world that seems to ignore small market sector people like myself."
        - S. H.

The editor replies: "Me too: 16 years of working at home -- thanks to CompuServe and then the Internet."

 

"Nice note about being a father, we enjoyed reading it. Enjoyed your Father's Day card, did you do the printing? Mom wanted to know how you did it, I couldn't tell her how."
        - Dad

 


Notable Quotable

"Kim Jong-Il's Approval Rating Plummets to 120%"
        - The Onion [video]
        
www.theonion.com/content/video/in_the_know_kim_jong_ils_approval

 


 Thank You to Our Subscribers & Donators

  • Cary Concrete Products
  • ALACAD (Alabama CAD/CAM Inc)
  • Cambashi

 


 


Copyright 2007 by upFront.eZine Publishing, Ltd. All rights reserved worldwide

Article reprint fee US$250.0 and up.

All trademarks belong to their respective holders. "upFront.eZine," "Talking About CAD," and "the business of CADg" 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.