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Issue #602 : : April 25, 2009 |
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In this issue:
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This issue of upFront.eZine is early, because of this afternoon’s departure to Europe -- attending the Open Design Alliance’s first annual conference (in Holland) and visiting Dietmar Rudolph of CR/LF Management (in Germany). Beginning next Monday morning (European time), I plan to blog some of the ODA’s conference live on WorldCAD Access at worldcadaccess.typepad.com
Re-jobbing This email arrived from a reader: "[G.B.] attends our church and has been working as a designer for a construction industry employer. He recently lost his job, and is beginning a job search. He says he is quite proficient in AutoCAD, and he is looking for some help in directing his search. I thought of you because of your presence in the AutoCAD scene. "Would you mind contacting him? If you are willing and able to do it, I think you could help him a lot."
I replied to G.B., the job seeker: "[B.V.S.] indicated I might be able to assist you with some ideas for searching for AutoCAD-related work. Even though I live in the Lower Mainland, I am not, however, particularly plugged into the Vancouver AutoCAD scene, so I cannot provide too much help in that regard. But here are some ideas:
"Atfer I lost my job as a civil engineer during the Great Recession of the early 1980s, I was on and off unemployment for 1.5 years, then landed a job as the first technical editor at ‘CADalyst’ magazine -- the original magazine for AutoCAD users. (It was published in Vancouver back then.) After observing and learning the publishing process within CADalyst offices, I became self-employed in 1991. "Today, I am still a technical writer, combining my engineering knowledge with my love for writing. So far, I am unaffected by the recession, but we'll see how things go in the second half of this year."
G.B. replies: "Thank you for your email and some good advice. I did not know about a AutoCAD User Society. I just started a course at BCIT undergoing Revit training, and a course on the BC Building Code. As I am a student there right now I can get the Autodesk software that way. Free software for unemployed is also a fairly new information for me. "Realigning my carreer or life is another possibility, but I find it difficult to think that way especially when there is no real alternative showing up. I assume it a waste of experience, starting completely new, rather than applying for an industry that might soon catch on again. "I shifted from cabinet maker to architect before and it is not easy to find something in that field after being out of the job for more than 5 years. Of course the fact that my tools are stored in Germany does not make it easier. "Again thank you for your concern, and keep me posted if you have interesting news."
Out of the Inbox Nemetschek announces Allplan 2009 for 3D building modeling. The new features include:
The software ships next month on Windows XP and Vista in 16 languages. The company reports 60,000 users of its software. www.allplan2009.com - - - ThomasNet today has a new Distributor Content Syndication technology that lets distributors host product data from manufacturers more easily, such as through replicating entire online catalogs on each distributor Web sites. websolutions.thomasnet.com TransMagic's TransMagic R8 translates, repairs, and repurposes 3D design data. Seven-day trial from www.transmagic.com Collaber launches its namesake enterprise collaboration software with 14 tools that run locally on Linux, Mac, or Windows, or through Web browsers. www.collaber.com Siemens PLM Software notes its D-Cubed 2D Dimensional Constraint Manager software is being used by IMSI/Design to driven-dimensions in the just-released IMSI/Design DoubleCAD XT Pro CAD software. www.siemens.com/plm/open Autodesk ships AutoCAD P&ID 2010 software, and announces that AutoCAD Plant 3D is "forthcoming." No-charge download from www.autodesk.com/autocadpid Top Systems releases its no-charge T-FLEX CAD 11 Student Edition of parametric 2D drafting and 3D software. Anyone can download it, but files created with this edition cannot be opened with commercially licensed T-FLEX CAD. www.tflex.com/student And Punch! Software [that name makes me want to say "Ow!" each time I read it] announces the next release of ViaCAD 2D for PC and Mac for general-purpose design. New are self-healing walls, single-click hatching, and support for 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator. The company calls itself "the fastest growing retail CAD publisher in North America." $49 from www.punchcad.com/products/viacad2dv6.htm [If they can do cross-platform CAD software, what's wrong with all the others who don't?]
- - - These were some of the news items that were posted during the last week at the WorldCAD Access blog < worldcadaccess.typepad.com >:
Hardware News 60" [1.5m]-long SLA parts from 3D Systems through its online Pro-Parts Marketplace. That's big enough for a car bumper or dashboard. [I imagine that custom car shells are next, made from a nice powered titanium finish!] www.3dsystems.com/xl
Seminars & Conferences First ODA World Conference by The Open Design Alliance is Apr 27–29 in Leiden, The Netherlands. www.opendesign.com/conference Green Roof Conference and Trade Show is Jun 3-5 in Atlanta GA USA. Conference organizers report 65% of booths are sold and that 900 are expected to attend. www.greenroofs.org 24th annual 2009 International Forum on DFMA [design for manufacture and assembly] is Jun 9-10 in Providence RI USA. www.dfma.com/news/events.htm Sixth International Conference on Remote Engineering and Virtual Instrumentation (REV 2009) is Jun 22-25 in Bridgeport CT USA. www.rev2009bridgeport.org ECC [engineering and construction contracting] Conference is Sep 9-12 in Bastrop TX USA. www.ecc-conference.org SNAME Annual Meeting and Expo for marine engineers is Oct 21-23 in Providence RI USA. www.snameexpo.com
Magazine/eZine/Weblog Updates Digital Vision Automation launches its "All Roads Lead to BIM" blog at www.digitalvis.com/allroads
People/Companies on the Move Blueridge Analytics appoints Al Wojcik vp of sales. Mr Wojcik is the former senior director of global accounts at Autodesk.
Market News SofTech reports Q3 revenues of $2.2 million, down 8% from a year ago. Despite that drop, net income improved to $0.3 million, from a loss of $0.1 million a year earlier.
New Books/eBooks "Autodesk Maya 2009: A Comprehensive Guide" - - - "Commercial Design Using AutoCAD 2010" "Parametric Modeling with Autodesk Inventor 2010" "Engineering Analysis with SolidWorks Simulation 2009" "Residential Design Using Revit Architecture 2010" "Commercial Design Using Revit Architecture 2010" All published by Schroff Development Corporation - - - “Inside IntelliCAD 2009” “Tailoring IntelliCAD 2009” “Learn Bricscad V8/V9 in a Day” “Customizing Bricscad V8/V9” All published by upFront.eZine Publishing, Ltd.
WorthWhile Web http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/21/AR2009042103786.html Letters to the Editor Re: Revit 2010 "In an interesting inversion of Carnegie's book 'How to Win Friends and Influence People', Revit 2010's feature list is so light, and the unasked for UI so unpopular with Revit users that users are openly talking about canceling subscription and/or looking at competing platforms. See: forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=99789" The editor replies: “With customers on annual subscription and the software company imposing large financial penalties for skipping a year or two, the software company has lessened incentive to produce compelling upgrades.”
Re: AutoCAD on the Mac "Replying to Robert Green's response, 'It's just a computer, people!' And we all say 'Amen!'"
Re: AutoCAD as Autodesk's Platform of Choice "I wonder if this also fits with recent statements to the effect that: "In effect they want a single 'AutoCAD' corporate identity with various products, much like Microsoft. I find that a lot of non-design people such as customs officers recognize AutoCAD as a CAD product, but have never heard of Autodesk, or Inventor, or Revit, etc." The editor replies: "Civil 3D was built on AutoCAD post-Inventor, and now the new Plant 3D is also."
Re: Airbus A380 "Actually almost all 747 Freighters have always had a nose door. The front is hinged and rotates up. There are a few 747 Freighters that were not built that way, but very, very few. "Clamshell doors" (where there would be two parts that would swing to the side) would be an idiotic thing to build on the nose of a airplane. "Photograph of a typical 747 Freighter: www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/boeing747-400f/boeing747-400f4.html "
Re: 600th Issue "Congratulations on the big 600!"
Notable Quotable "Our research reveals that although many companies are making progress in creating green products, they are overwhelmed by the need to be in compliance with numerous regulations and the high costs and investments needed to take advantage of green technologies such as eco-friendly materials and improved power consumption."
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