u p F r o n t . e Z i n e
t h e b u s I n e s s o f c a d
Issue #636 | March 9, 2010 | English Edition
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In This Issue
1. ODA and Bricsys Form Their Own "ITC"
- How Bricsys Benefits
- Comments by ODA Member Deelip Menezes
- Spatial's Industry Partner Program
2. CorelDraw Graphics Suite X5
3. Out of the Inbox, and our other regular columns
ODA and Bricscad Form Their Own "ITC"
Open Design Alliance today announced that Bricsys will incorporate modifications of its Bricscad code into DWGdirect (aka "the ODA platform"); in turn, the ODA's other members will get access to the improvements. (One of these other members is ITC.) ODA figures it will take about three months to implement the integration plan. Be clear that this involves only the DWG read/write part of a CAD program -- not the entire CAD program (as is the case with the ITC).
The action mimics that of the IntelliCAD Technical Consortium's purpose: member companies improve the IntelliCAD code by sharing their bug fixes and feature improvements through the ITC. Distributing the work load among many would develop IntelliCAD quickly -- in theory. In practice, pace of improvements was so slow that Bricsys eventually rewrote all of Bricscad from scratch so that they could exit the ITC.
How Bricsys Benefits
Now the theory is being applied again, this time through ODA. The benefit to ODA is clear: they become the beneficiaries of Bricsys rapid programming team. But I wondered what Bricsys would get out of the agreement. Arnold van der Weide is president of the ODA, and he thought that Bricsys could benefit in these ways:
"a) More focus on the development of Bricscad.
b) An extended development team.
c) More development resource by less re-inventing wheels.
d) Improved stability and quality."
Erik De Keyser is ceo of Bricsys:
"On top of the arguments mentioned by Arnold, Bricsys wants to stay as close as possible to the original ODA code. The advantage is that we can have quicker releases each time the ODA releases a new version.
"That our colleagues (competitors) also receive our enhancements is not an issue for us. Others will have the same time-to-market benefit if they act like we do; if not, it will cost them more time and effort with each release.
"So this is a very balanced win-win approach reachable for everyone. And it extends the development power of the ODA substantially."
In summary, Bricsys benefits because they no longer need to adjust Bricscad to the peculiarities of each new release of the ODA's OpenDWG API; the API will already have been Bricscad-ized.
ODA member Deelip Menezes explains the complications of working with ODA at http://www.deelip.com/?p=1561. In brief, ODA updates its DWGdirect API more quickly than member CAD companies can implement them. He gives these examples:
- Bricscad V10 uses DWGdirect v2.6.
- Graebert Ares v1 uses DWGdirect v2.7.
- Neither can read/write DWG 2010, which requires DWGdirect v3.0.
- Current version of DWGdirect is 3.2.
To which I add one more item:
- AutoCAD and DWG 2011 are due to ship this month.
Mr Menezes summarizes the benefits like this:
- Bricsys programmers can concentrate on add new functions to Bricscad.
- They no longer need to make "old things work."
- ODA programmers no longer need to deal with support calls from Bricsys.
With the agreement in place, the next step is implementation. Will other ODA members enthusiastically take part, or will the process bog down, as it did with the ITC? And how will Autodesk react?
Link: http://www.opendesign.com/node/514
Spatial's Industry Partner Program
In related news, Spatial this week launches its Industry Partner Program. The idea is that Spatial certifies CAD components developed by members: " By partnering with Spatial, program participants obtain support for their integration efforts resulting in a better integration and eliminating the burden placed on customers to develop and test the integration themselves." Initial members are Optimal Solutions Software, IntelliCAD Technology Consortium, MachineWorks, T-Splines, Lightwork Design, and ModuleWorks. http://www.spatial.com/community/partners
CorelDraw Graphics Suite X5
Corel product manager John Falsetto took a half-hour last week to walk me through the X5 version of the venerable CorelDraw Graphics Suite. This is their raster editor, not to be confused with Corel Designer Technical Suite.
New is CorelConnect for "finding your assets," a standalone app or docked inside CorelDraw. It is kind of like AutoCAD's DesignCenter, but this one adds a tray into which you drag items of interest, those that you think you might use for a project.
Of interest to CAD uses is PowerTrace X5, which converts color raster images to vectors. The X5 version is more accurate in both tracing and color reproduction. Among the new drawing tools are B-splines and connector lines (like Visio's connectors). Intelligent lines are like object snaps, and perpendicular and tangent are added to this release. ,
What I found pretty interesting was the mesh fill feature: after adding a mesh to vector geometry, you can add a blended flood fill to each face -- with control over color leakage, blending, and so on.
Figure 1: CorelDraw Graphics Suite X5's mesh fill.
(Click for higher-resolution version of the image.)
Output Preview mode lets you see what documents will look like in a variety of places, like Web sites, PDFs, etc. The software imports/exports over a hundred file formats, include AutoCAD. As is usual, Corel includes a ton of content, such as over a thousand fonts and ten thousand pieces of clip art. For the API-minded, X5 includes VBA and VSTA programming
In a dramatic turn away from the current trend of shipping no printed documentation, the shipping box for X5 is a hardcover full color user guide, with the DVDs tucked inside. Included is two hours of video training, either from the DVDs or linked to a YouTube channel. The software ships in three weeks and will cost $499 (upgrades $199).
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Out of the Inbox
Lattice Technology releases Lattice3D Reporter v3.1 for embedding 3D data, BOM [bills of material], and related data in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. No-charge demo after registering at http://www.lattice3d.com/3D_product_download/xvl_app_download_popup.html
Explorer Software Group updates Contract Manager to version 7 for the construction industry. http://www.explorer-software.com
Active Sensing introduces the native 64-bit version of its PDXpert ($999) product lifecycle management software. It expanded client-side cache reduces server requests. http://www.BuyPLM.com
Genius Solutions announces GeniusWorks-Manufacturing make-to-order and engineer-to-order software for SolidWorks and handles procurement, sales, inventory control, and financials.
Bentley Systems calls it "new value-creative" pricing: for $5,995 a year, you can get MicroStation with OpenPlant Modeler, Isometrics Manager, ProSteel Modeler, ProjectWise Passport, and ProjectWise Clash Resolution Visa and training. By comparison, perpetual licenses are $7,295 for OpenPlant Modeler, $6,500 for OpenPlant Isometrics Manager, and $25,000 for OpenPlant ModelServer. http://www.bentley.com/openminds
nPower Software announces Power Translators Universal plug-in for Autodesk's 3ds Max and 3ds Design, providing native translation of Pro/E, Catia, SolidWorks, Solid Edge, Unigraphics, Rhino, JT, Parasolid, STEP, IGES, and SAT files. http://www.npowersoftware.com/translators/ptUniversal.htm
And Visualization Sciences Group notes that Michelin developed its in-house Finite Element Analysis for tire design using its Open Inventor library. Eval version available from http://www.vsg3d.com/vsg_prod_openinventor.php
- - -
These were some of the news items that were posted during the Christmas break at the WorldCAD Access blog <http://worldcadaccess.typepad.com>:
- It's official, folks: We have a new "C"-word
- New "CAD on Linux" blog
- Google sets the standard for CAD vendors on how to handle backups on the cloud
- More thoughts on the cloud from bloggers and industry
- Autodesk ships AutoCAD R13 for UNIX 14 years ago
- The fallacious credit-card-on-the-Web analogy
Hardware News
I'd wager that most of us don't even have our first 3D monitor and now nVidia is showing a triple 3D monitor setup. Its GeForce GTX 480 SLI graphics board along with the glasses renders to three 1920×1080 3D displays. Due out later this month. http://www.nvidia.com
Seminars & Conferences
The Be Communities LIVE Conference is May 17-20 in Philadelphia PA USA. http://www.bentley.com/BeTogether
SME RAPID 2010 exposition is May 18-20 in Anaheim CA USA. http://www.sme.org/rapid
Zuken's Z-DAC Americas conference is Oct 12-13 in Atlanta GA USA. http://www.zuken.com/zdac
Magazine/eZine/Weblog Updates
Normand Chamberland launches his new CAD on Linux blog in English and French at http://courira.ca/en/cad-on-linux
People/Companies on the Move
RAND North America (a Dassault Systemes Company) launches its consulting services division, RAND NA Consulting Services. http://www.rand-na.com/pages/support.html
Redo
Out of curiosity, do you proofread these newsletters before you send them out? If so, you may consider hiring someone else to do so and if not, you may consider getting out of the newsletter business entirely.
- Mathew A. Dirjish, components editor
Electronic Design
I am sure some smart ass has already pointed out the Adesk revenue typo in Upfront…
FY 2007: $1.8 million [should be billion]
FY 2008: $2.2 million [should be billion]
FY 2009: $2.3 million [should be billion]
FY 2010: $1.7 million [should be billion]
I was just wondering if you were still feeling the next morning after-effects of Canada winning the hockey perhaps?
- Rachael Dalton-Taggart, director of marketing
Lattice Technology
Your figures on Autodesk should be in billion.
- Daniel Lai, marketing & sales operation
3D QuickTools
The editor replies, "What's a few billion between friends!"
Market News
Print Audit sold 65,000 seats of Print Audit 6 in December and recorded a 450% increase in profits compared to December 2008.
New/Updated Books/eBooks
McGraw-Hill is pre-announcing "Management Strategies for the Cloud Revolution: How Cloud Computing Is Transforming Business and Why You Can't Afford to Be Left Behind" by Charles Babcock. The 272-page book is due out in May. http://www.mhprofessional.com/product.php?isbn=0071740759
WorthWhile Web
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/news/2010/03/why-google-makes-it-easy-to-leave-google.ars
Why Google makes it easy to leave Google
By Nate Anderson
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/01/opera_jon_interview/
Opera's Jon Von Tetzchner on browser choice, the iphone and Google
by Andrew Orlowski
How the Downtown Eastside became an Olympics non-story
by Frances Bula
Letters to the Editor
Just wanted to say great work on the digging up of who was behind the SolidWorks SaaS demo. It was pretty clear it was some sort of client side app technology and now we know.
I have posted a blog on PC-Over-IP on http://aftercad.com/blog, of which OTOY (and Onlive) categorize under. If this technology if is of interest, you may want to take a look at what Teradici is doing as well.
- Christopher Boothroyd, ceo
afterCAD Software
Re: Spin Doctor of the Moment
"I saw that 80% of all Canadians watched the hockey game and I bet the other 20% were upset that they couldn't. That is incredible, even for hockey in Canada."
- Scott Taylor
Tailor Made Software
Re: ADSK FY 09 -26%
Totally unrelated: I wonder about two years from now. Will Autodesk bring out AutoCAD 2013 or will they find another way to avoid that dreaded number? I bet it will be AutoCAD 2012 Cloud ;)
- Steve Ostrovsky
The editor replies: I think they might switch naming so that it is called AutoCAD Release 27.
Always a great read, please don’t stop writing.
- Peter Lawton
Spin Doctor of the Moment
163 million smartbooks expected to ship in 2015.
- Christine Gallen, ABI Research
http://www.abiresearch.com/press/1609-163+Million+Smartbooks+Expected+to+Ship+in+2015
Notable Quotable
Your first idea for your startup is pretty much irrelevant -- you have no clue what you'll find when you get there.
- Henry Blodget
Contact!
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