upFront.eZine Issue #852
I like the simultaneous editing idea. I tried that about 10 years ago but ran out of resources. Two or more people working in the same CAD file: each can see what the other is doing in real time. You should be able to optionally draw a shape around a protected area so others can't modify your section.
Branching and merging. Oh, just that word MERGE! When merge day comes around, it's good day to take a one-week vacation and let somebody else have a crack at it (:
- Chris Hannukainen
It's rather interesting to see how Carl Bass has just reacted to Onshape buzz at http://inthefold.autodesk.com/in_the_fold/2015/03/setting-the-record-straight.html.
- Vitor Neves, chairman of the board
IntelliCAD Technology Consortium
Autodesk is going to do its very best to bury Onshape before it gets a grip. (Solidworks has yet to make its move.) Autodesk has this thing that Onshape are liars, which is perplexing Onshape. It's all about the first Web-based CAD system. Autodesk claims it was, then but Fusion is a 200MB download; Onshape has no download and runs straight from the browser.
- [Name withheld by request]
The editor replies: They are both wrong. Onshape is not the first server-based CAD system; Alibre was the first, way back in 2000. But neither is Fusion at all cloud-based: it runs on the desktop and only occasionally uses Autodesk servers for auxiliary functions, like model translation or advanced rendering.
Great article, the entire team was very excited to read it.
- Joe Dunne
Onshape
Nice job Ralph. Had a chance to visit the Onshape offices last year with Ken Versprille, who of course could ask the more interesting, challenging questions of the team.
- Stan Przybylinski
CIMdata
The editor replies: Read Mr Przybylinski's very early look at the impact of Onshape from his blog of a year ago at http://www.cimdata.com/en/resources/cimdata-blog/item/1779-a-box-of-chocolates.
That was a great article on the challenges of bridging client and cloud processing and availability. Nice work! It also shines a light on how far we still need to go before we can really pat ourselves on the back as it pertains to being "online". Ask anyone in rural areas and it's pretty obvious. We've barely scratched the surface.
If this was the the 1950s, the government would've knocked this out just to spite the Russians. That pervasive paranoia, for good and bad, got us pretty far (interstate highways, national parks, sending people to the moon). Now we don't take those kinds of risks unless it pleases the shareholders. Sad.
- David Stein
The editor replies: Fusion is the better product today, precisely because it runs on the desktop and is more mature than Onshape. OTOH, Autodesk admits that only 10% of Fusion users are existing Autodesk customers, so it's not that popular among Inventor users.
Thank you for taking the time and thoughtfully commenting on us. As many of your readers say, please do keep up the good writing on our industry.
- Jon Hirschtick
Onshape
And One More Thing...
IRONCAD LLC's new Compose Mobile lets iPad users not just view IronCAD 3D models (like everybody else), but configure them as well -- rare in the portable field. To do so, models are published as models or catalog components from IronCAD Design Collaboration Suite on the desktop. Once these files are on the iPad, users can configure new assemblies using the automatic positioning and alignments that IronCAD pioneered. The initial release is free (implying follow-ups might not be free) from http://www.ironcad.com/compose-mobile
Even More News
WorldCAD Access is blogging nearly every day about the CAD industry and tips on using hardware. (The feed is available on RSS and through email alerts.) The following articles appeared during the last week:
- Seven flaws in Onshape today
- McSwain honors decadal bloggers
On Twitter, @upfrontezine offers CAD news, late-breaking updates, and wry commentary throughout the day.
To donate to this newsletter's operation through PayPal, click http://www.upfrontezine.com and then choose the Donate $25 (personal) or Donate $500 (corporate) button.
Letters to the Editor
Re: CorelDraw Technical Suite X7
I was intrigued by this line in the recent newsletter: "New this year are the $360/year and $39/month subscriptions, which an optional alternative to perpetual licenses. Why optional? 'Large enterprise customers have very little interest in subscription model, because they want to own the software for perpetual use,' said Mr Vossen."
This is something that appeals not just to large firms, but often to small ones too. It is interesting to me, as the statement implies that Corel have actually spoken to their customers about what they prefer -- rather than deciding what they want, and then enforcing it on customers.
- Matthew Taylor
United Kingdom
The editor replies: Yah, I was surprised to hear Corel say that, after listening to big CAD vendors going on about big corporations liking the regularity of annual subscription payments.
Me, being a one-man firm, I like the certainty of the one-time payment for perpetual licenses. If my income declines next year, I'm not going to be worrying if I can work because I can't afford another sub payment, which would shut down the software upon which I rely to earn a living.
Mr Taylor responds: Absolutely. I think most small firms prefer a single cost, rather than being tied into ongoing subscriptions, that they then forget to cancel as they downsize etc. The discount for subscription doesn't generally equate to a good enough saving to make it a worthwhile alternative for most smaller firms in my experience.
Re: About Trademarks, Copyright, and Protecting Against Legal Action
I wanted to say hello and tell you that I've been receiving your newsletter for about 5 years now. Your consistency in posting regularly is amazing and seeing the 800s count on the issue is quite an achievement. I'm always looking to find new ways to connect the CAD audience to relevant content and would love your advice. 2015 will be a big year and your ideas and thoughts on approaches would be amazing!
- K. C.
The editor replies: You need to be in it for a long haul. upFront.eZine only had 100 readers after the first year. WorldCAD Access for a long time had 700 readers. Fortunately, my addiction to writing keeps me going, even when the audience was in the 100s. There two keys that I keep in mind:
- I write about other people are doing, not about me (well, once in a rare while I write about I am doing)
- I try to tell readers what they don't know (if they already know it, then my newsletter and blog are not useful to them)
I trust this helps.
Re: Software Reviews
I'm unaware of any kind of serious online analysis of "big iron" plant/piping design software like PDMS or SmartPlant (or even mid-range products). Are you?
- Paul Bowers
P.S. Have go gone to the dark side? I notice you're not poking fun at global warming any more.
The editor replies: I am unaware of any such reviews. There is ever less budget for specialized reviews, and I am unqualified to review plant software. As for poking fun at climate change opportunists, I do that on my Twitter feed. Here is the most recent one:
"Ocean circulation in Atlantic more sensitive to temperature than models projected." Odd, given that computer models are never, ever wrong.
Mr Bowers responds: I've inquired to Aveva and Intergraph about cost of working software so as to start an evaluation (via crowdfunding) but it seems like no one wants to quote a price. Almost as if an independent review would be unwanted.
The editor replies: Not to defend them, but not publishing prices has become more common in recent years among CAD vendors.
Another reason: companies like Intergraph and Aveva deal with huge corporations, selling lots of seats of differently configured software packages. These kinds of buyers get nice prices that are custom-tailored to ensure the sale, taking advantage of the bulk sale. Sometimes you can get a price indirectly through Ingram and other distributors.
Re: Running Generic CADD in 2013
I've just started running Generic CADD on my windows machine in DOSBOX, works great, now I can exchange stuff with the old DOS PC in the workshop. Wish I could work out how to use it with the touchpad on the laptop though: none of the mouse options in CONFIG seem to give me a working right click for the menu.
- Trevor Stride
via WorldCAD Access
Spin Doctor of the Moment
"And since wealthy people don't spend nearly as high a percentage of their incomes as poor people do, much wealth is sitting around not doing its job."
- Mark Bittman, nutrition, agriculture, and health policy reporter, New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/22/opinion/sunday/why-not-utopia.html
* 8069
Comments