WorldCAD Access

Dassault Drafts New Meaning

I've been trying to make sense of recent documents emanating from Dassault Systemes' marketing department. They contain words whose meaning is lost in these new contexts.

Here's a sampling of the "new" words, what I think is their meaning, and how they appear in-context:

Chart (noun) -- contract or agreement? -- "Blog Chart" (1)

Offer (noun) -- software product? -- "DS Design Studio has been working with CATIA R&D to create an offer that directly adresses... This offer, the CATIA Design Studio Solutions Portfolio, includes..." (2) 

Sharp (adj) -- clear? -- "Exact shape outputs are immediately available as sharp and efficient communication support." (2)

Actors (noun) -- employees or clients? -- "...fully understood by all involved extended project team actors." (2)

Federates (verb) -- collects or monitors? -- "It federates all product-related knowledge..." (3) (4)

Effectivity (noun or adverb or adjective or verb?) -- effective outcome? -- "...a new configuration management solution which supports product unit effectivity..." (3)

This collection of brave-new-world words makes me want to embrace words I hereinbefore despised -- collaborative, leverage, solution, leading, PLM, BIM -- as warmly as long-lost parents.

By controlling the language, are they hoping to control the market? Not in this case!

- - -

Sources & Notes: 

(1) 3D Perspectives

(2) Dassault Systemes Announces DS Design Studio Creation

(3) Dassault Systemes Launches V6R2009x

(4) Autodesk used to use "federate" a lot a few years ago, but then dropped it from their marketing vocabulary guidebook when they realized (I am guessing here) that no one knew what they were talking about.

Architecture Firms Skip Pen, Paper For... Pencil, Paper

Strangely written story by Aleshia Howein the Fort Worth Business Press. It's headlined, "Architecture firms skip pen, paper" and it ostensibly talks up BIM [building information modeling] but the bulk of the story denies the headline:

• "Malone said he often brings in new, young architects to his firm as interns and many are fascinated by his ability to draw. "I hear things like, 'How quaint, it’s a hand drawing,' or, 'Wow, you’'re really drawing'."
  
  
• "But the truth is if they can’t draw, I won’t hire them. No matter how many nifty colors they can use or how many computer skills they have."
• ...an architect... said he has had many experiences with clients that make him believe BIM is great, but hand drawing is a must.

I expected a puff piece on the "majik" of today's modern software for forward-thinking architects ["It's a complicated, time-consuming process to get set up..."], but found repeated promotions for hand sketching. Fire the headline writer!

"It’s creating an ideal world and if you don’t take the time to [and] draw it, and it only exists in a computer, then how can it ever evolve?"

Siemens Execs (Not) Jailed for Bribery

Former Siemens executives Ernst Keil-von Jagemann and Wolfgang Rudolph last week admitted to paying e1.3 billion in 75 counts of kickbacks and bribes to Russia and other countries. 

Jagemann was given a two-year suspended sentence and a e12,000 fine; Rudolph was given a nine-month suspended sentence and a e20,000 fine to be paid to charity. 

In another German court,  Johannes Feldmayer (a former Siemens management board member) this week was given a two-year suspended sentence and a fine of e28,000.

He was found guilty of bribing Wilhelm Schelsky (former head of the Association of Independent Employees trade union) with e30 million; Schelsky gets 4.5 years in prison for accepting the bribe. Siemens had attempted to buy the loyalty of the management-friendly AIE/AUB union over the more dominant IG Metall union.

The company has spent e510 million on internal investigations. That adds up to over $2.3 billion spent foolishly.

Source.

No End in Sight: Autodesk CEO

During Autodesk's Q3 conference call with financial analysts, Steven Ashley of Robert W. Baird asked about Autodesk's revenues for the next three months:

Are there any extenuating circumstances related to that guidance [for Q4]? For instance, in terms of the pipeline that might need to drain itself?

(Gotta love that colorful language!) "No," responded Autodesk ceo Carl Bass. He's also the acting CFO, and here's what he sees needs to happen for the economic crisis to come to an end:

• A financial system functioning to the level that allows business to do its job.
• Liquidity in the system.: banks exchanging money, and lending money to businesses
• Some of the stalled construction projects, media, and entertainment projects moving forward.

"And in an environment in which people can’t get credit, the first things on their minds is not, 'How much more software do I need to buy?'" 

- - -

Phil Winslow of Credit Suisse noted that Autodesk upgrade revenues had declined, and so wanted to know if the recession was affecting the growth rate of maintenance (subscription) revenues.

Due to Autodesk's relatively short term maintenance contracts (1 year), Mr Bass thinks those revenues will be affected by:

• New license sales.
• Attach and renewal rates.
• How cash strapped companies are.
• Companies determining that they have no economic advantage to quitting, because they have to make up the difference [to Autodesk] when they come back on subscription.

"So I would see a slowing, [but a] less slowing, generally speaking, of maintenance than you would of new licenses." 

(In related news, the Wall Street Journal reports that the construction industry has its empty palms outstretched to the government: "Home builders are lobbying Congress for a $250 billion stimulus package, arguing that financial markets won't recover until home prices stop falling.")

- - -

Jay Vleeschhouwer of Merrill Lynch wondered why Autodesk had "a pretty significant decline" in deferred maintenance, when a major competitor remained constant [Dassault, I figure]. (Deferred maintenance is where Autodesk collects $$$ from a one-year subscription, but must split the amount into four, and then recognize each as quarterly revenue.)

Mr Bass had a one-word explanation: "FX." That's the foreign currency exchange effect, which is now negative for firms based in the USA. "The big change in there is currency, not actual attach and renewal rates."

Mr Vleeschhouwer persisted: "On the other hand, the number of new customers taking on maintenance has continued to slow year-round. The number of new signings is less than half the previous several quarter average..."

Mr Bass agreed there was a decline in the rates, but could not predict whether that would change [for the better].

- - -

But not all is gloom and doom, as Mr Bass reminds us:

...there’s still some parts of the world that where business is phenomenally good, our emerging markets are continuing to grow...

---

To end things off, a little humor:

Heather Bellini of UBS: "Carl, I apologize if maybe someone has already asked this because I am jumping back and forth between calls but essentially--" 

Carl Bass: "Is the other call better?"

Heather Bellini: "No, they’re both--. I've seen better news from both companies: how about that?"

Source.

("No end in sight" is based on Autodesk's refusal to predict its revenues beyond Q4.)

More coverage of the Autodesk conference call in today's upFront.eZine.

It's B-a-a-a-ack: AutoSketch

What with the likes of the mysterious A/CAD, the competent Bricscad, and the $0 progCAD nibbling at its underbelly -- and with AutoCAD LT selling like hotcakes on a cold November night -- Autodesk has resurrected AutoSketch for $190 on its 21th anniversary -- again as Autodesk's lowest-end (but not cheapest) CAD program.

(AutoSketch has a splendid history, being programmed by the legendary John Walker and a couple of co-workers in the late 80s in just a couple of months, apparently to prove that Autodesk could still whip up software fast. I think it was priced at $79 back then.)

AutoSketch was the first Autodesk program to feature dialog boxes and dropdown menus, which were later added to AutoCAD in Release 9. But 'Sketch had all kinds of limitations, such as just 10 numbered layers and its own file format. Autodesk updated it a few times over the years, but then let LT take over the "low-cost" mantle, which, at $1,200, is really expensive, compared with other office software.

And now 'Sketch's back. I am surprised that Autodesk is selling AutoSketch 10, what with the free version of Inventor (LT) being far more capable. What you get for your $190  is "elementary" 2D drafting with "basic" CAD tools, saving in DWG 2004-8 formats (not 2009), reading back to DWG v2.5, and working with the unpopular Vista operating system. Customization seems to be limited to editing toolbars.

Downloadable from the Autodesk Web site at www.autodesk.com/autosketch .

Recycling Big Box Stores

A pictoral in  Slate shows how abandoned Wal-Mart and KMart stores are being rennovated for other uses: 

The challenges of repurposing big-box stores are not limited to dealing with their unwieldy size. Often, the real estate can be tied up in complicated arrangements.

The potential buyer of a big-box store might encounter any number of stipulations on what the building, parking lot, and land can be used for in the future. The deed specified that the structure could not be used by one of Wal-Mart's various competitors for several decades. But for the moment, at least, churches aren't on that list. 

These stipulations can make it difficult for other businesses to move into an abandoned big-box — but they also open up such spaces for more creative use. The Calvary Chapel in Pinellas Park FL purchased an abandoned Wal-Mart building across the street from its previous home. 

Bricscad Road Map: Windows Now, Linux Next Year, Then Mac

Smaller CAD developers -- less beholden to the Windows monopoly -- have been rewriting their code to make it portable between operating systems. StreamSpace is one. The latest to come out of stealth mode is Bricsys.

CEO Erik De Keyser provides a full explanation on the French-language Ubuntu forums. In brief:

• Brisys began a rewrite of Bricscad four years ago, to make it independent of the ITC.
• The Windows version will be completed by the end of this year.
• That will be followed by Linux in 8-10 months, and last of all, Mac.
• The new CAD code is based on WX Widgets.
• Because many third-party developer depend on MFC classes, Bricsys added it; the result is two code streams.

One note from me: just because Bricscad will run on Linux, don't carry the false expectation that it will be available at no cost. 

(ht: N.C.)

Falling, Falling, Falling

CAD share prices are way down from their 52-week highs:

Avatech Solutions -- AVSO.OB down 43%.

Dassault Systems -- DASTY.PK down 52%.

Parametric Technology -- PMTC down 57%.

Ansys -- ANSS down 59%.

Autodesk -- ADSK down 68%.

CAD Vendors Fight Recesion with Offers

Earlier today I posted on the buy-AutoCAD-get-a-computer-free offer from nVidia (of all people).

Now here's an email blast from Bentley Systems, allowing me to not pay any back subscription fees -- if I join their Select subscription system by the end of the year. Plus, enter for a chance to win a Nintendo Wii!

And arriving some 42 minutes earlier, an email blast from SolidWorks with a less exciting offer:

• Pay $199 a month for three years.
• 0% interest (*)
• No payments for the first three months.

Gee, guys, can't you throw in a free big-screen tv? (*) Plus security deposit, $75 documentation fee, and applicable sales taxes.

Of course, there's Alibre and their $200-$800 discounts, but they tend to have those every month. Sorry, no free leather sectional.

Buy AutoCAD; Get Computer Free

Autodesk has been very successful in bucking the trend towards free software. Instead, it's the hardware that's free. Until the end of the year.

For the price of AutoCAD ($3,995) you can get a a free HP xw4600 Workstation (ranges in price from $599 to $1,549) equipped with an entry level NVIDIA Quadro FX 370 graphics board. Only catch I can think of is that maybe this bundle excludes the monitor?

More info from www.nvidia.com/builtforpros -- or maybe not. When I went to that page, I got redirected to www.nvidia.com/object/builtforadobepros.html -- Built for Adobe Pros. Maybe it'll be fixed by the time you read this.

Update

nVidia's pr firm tells me, "Here is the correct link: www.nvidia.com/object/builtforprofessionals.html, which will take you to information on NVIDIA's work with Autodesk."