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issue #556 : : april 22, 2008 |
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In this issue: Dassault to Target SolidWorks Market -- Carefully
Readers Respond II:
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Dassault to Target SolidWorks Market -- Carefully In addition to his report on COFES Day 3 at my WorldCAD Access blog, Deelip Menezes provides additional detail at his own Weblog -- or additional "color," as financial analysts would say, or as in "colorful language" that some North Americans refer to as "French." Anyhow, the money quote in the "WTF is Digital Prototyping?" item at www.deelip.com/2008/04/wtf-is-digital-prototyping.html . Deelip went around asking SolidWorks and Dassault people what happens when SolidWorks' increasing feature set bumps up against that of CATIA [and, I would add, V6's "3D for all"]. While the SolidWorks folk continue to work under the impression that a wall exists between them and big daddy Dassault -- marketing- and market-wise -- Dassault Systemes' manager of market intelligence has a new answer: "Yes, we are concerned about this, especially since we are interested in making our solutions more affordable to a larger cross-section." Deelip's question is not new; for years I and other CAD journalists have asked the same question. The difference is that Dassault for the first time acknowledges that it wants to sell to the base of the triangle, yet somehow not clash with its American stepchild and its profits. Hence Mr Przybylinski's statement of concern. (Dassault's CEO has already told financial analysts that the SolidWorks dealer network is to carry lower-end Dassault software.) Or maybe not. Perhaps Dassault will find the low-end unattractive. In the early 1990s Autodesk thought it needed broad coverage in the low-end graphics market (Generic CADD, AutoCAD LT, QuickCAD, and Chaos: The Software come to mind). But soon it found that (1) it's a tough fight for shelfspace in Retail Land, and (2) selling software with expensive price tags to the middle of the triangle can be profitable to the extreme. - - - In related news, Deelip reports that Scott Harris (a co-founder of SolidWorks and developer of Cosmic Blobs) will soon be in the news. See worldcadaccess.typepad.com/blog/2008/04/cofes-2008----1.html In somewhat related news, will UGS (Siemens PLM Solutions) tomorrow announce something that solves the similar Solid Edge <-> NX clash? See www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/campaigns/breakthrough/index_analyst.shtml Reader
Responds II: Guest Editorial by Brian Duguid:
I think it should be noted that SketchUp has gained significant presence within firms more used to higher-end packages, such as AutoCAD or 3d Max, and not just because of fresh-faced young things joining from college whose entire toolset seems to be provided by Google. In my own firm of civil and structural engineers we've used SketchUp extensively fothe visualisation of a major light rail scheme worth $500 million. I know of a major architectural firm who used it for a major rail station redevelopment. SketchUp is popular because it's very easy to learn, inexpensive, and for its hand-drawn style features. I sat in on an Autodesk 'What would you like to see in our software?' workshop a few years ago, and my main plea was to make 3D as easy to use as in SketchUp. Since then, it's been very pleasing to see what they've done in copying much of SketchUp's toolset, visual styles, etc. Despite this, we still use SketchUp. It's a tenth the price and, if all we're doing is conceptual visual modeling (albeit sometimes surprisingly detailed), it makes more sense to lock out a license of SketchUp than of AutoCAD. I can't see how Google can keep SketchUp's core appeal (ease of learning and use) yet penetrate further into the AEC market -- there's no prospect of us using it to detail rail tracks or bridges, as the complex and precise geometric modeling required (and the management of relationships between large numbers of files) inevitably requires much more complex products. New No. 1 in CAD, Nearly There are several ways to measure the size of a corporation. Gross revenues. Market capitalization. For the last number of years, Autodesk has been #1 in both. But with the market leader's severe slide in share price, #2 Dassault Systemes is closing in as #1 in market cap. (Market capitalization = share price x number of shares outstanding.) At one point last week, share prices showed Dassault within $0.3 billion of replacing Autodesk as #1 in market capitalization: Symbol Market Cap Trade 52-wk Price Range As of today, the market caps returned to more traditional levels: ADSK at $7.70 billion, and DASTY at $6.88 billion.
These news items were posted during the last week at the WorldCAD Access blog < worldcadaccess.typepad.com>:
WorthWhile Web http://www.cnet.com/8301-13505_1-9924261-16.html?tag=nefd.top
http://www.reportonbusiness.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080421.wrchina21/BNStory/Business/home
http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/4/no_one_likes_the_music_labels_who_cares_
Letters to the Editor "I do 3D modeling all day, every day. Why don’t I use a 3D input device (like 3dconnection)? B/c I have only TWO hands. "One hand constantly uses the keyboard; one hand constantly
uses that mouse to pick at the model. The 'other hand' would use
a viewing aid like the Spaceball. Err... WHAT other hand?" - - - "I enjoyed reading Deelip's summary of COFES Days 1 and
2 [on WorldCAD Access]. Wish I could have attended. "One of the comments from Buzz Kross of Autodesk is just flat wrong. 'Digital prototyping' may reduce the need for physical models and prototyping parts in some instances, but the need will not diminish to zero, as Kross stated. Not even close. "Using his logic, we would have little need for document printers, because we can 'digitally prototype' all of our work on the computer. Don't know about you, but we still use our office printers quite a lot. "The same will become true with 3D printing, especially
as prices drop and capabilities improve. The benefit of producing
'3D prints' for new product development will far outweigh their
cost, both in time and money. Consequently, we'll see more physical
modeling in the design office, not less." - - - "One wonders how many years of careful planning went into
delivering issue #555 (5+5+5) on April 15. Or is it simple
proof that seredipity is more powerful than schemes."
Spin Doctor of the Moment "Each new [FireWire] 1394-equipped device sold now
has 1 billion opportunities to connect to another 1394 port."
Notable Quotable "If you create an artificial scarcity, then be prepared
for someone else to create an artificial abundance."
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