The CAD Insider

Fresh Air -- CAD TV

A newscast devoted to CAD? I got the press release from the ever-enterprising Rachael Dalton-Taggart about CCNtv, a bi-weekly news show making its debut online.

I was expecting something stuffy, may be even boring, possibly amateurish. I was pleasantly surprised on all counts. What I saw was lively, entertaining and professional, and at times -- even humorous.

Amy Adams does the first ever CAD news show, produced by Ashbridge Media

The first show covered several topics, including PTC earnings, Autodesk's stock options, the SolidWorks channel, etc. None will be news to you if you have been reading your TenLinks Daily or CADCAMNET newsletters (in fact, much of  the material is recycled from already published articles), but the commentary and presentation is definitely fresh, entertaining and worthwhile.

Rachael's biggest challenge? Getting her editors to be available for filming. Well, I don't blame them. Hey, we don't all look like Amy Adams. "Amy is 'special talent' hired for the show," says Rachael.

It costs nothing to view the video (click here) but Rachael's company, Ashbridge Media, hopes to make money from advertising. Current book rates are $2500 for slots in two shows, but Rachael is offering a introductory discounted price of $1750.

Autodesk and TenLinks Ride Against MS

Help me fight multiple sclerosis. On August 4 and 5, I'll be riding 150 miles around Portland, Oregon as part of the MS Bike Tour150 with an Autodesk team headed by Grant Rochelle.  The team's goal is to raise $5,000 and at the time of this writing, they have already raised over $3,500. I admit I have been slow off the mark, having collected $0 in pledges. I have to get at least $250. Help!

If you'd like to help this worthy cause -- as well as give me some much needed motivation to finish the ride -- please see my pledge page at http://www.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=3691594&pg=personal&fr_id=2510.

Thanks in advance!

Dynamo Spins Down at SolidWorks

McEleney steps down at CEO, Jeff Ray to lead SolidWorks

John McEleney was a dynamo. You could tell at the SolidWorks annual user meetings. Morning, a keynote address. Shaking hands with users and resellers all day. A press social in the evening. Even at the end of the day, his energy was still abundant, his vision clear, his words directed and purposeful. He lived, worked and wore SolidWorks, the company that has been his reason for existence for eleven and a half years. Now he is stepping down.

Jeff Ray (left) and John McEleney on stage at SolidWorks World 2007 in New Orleans

"It was my decision," he makes clear in a phone call a day before the official announcement is made. I've known John almost from the beginning of SolidWorks. Though not one of the original founders, John was key to the company's initial and continued success, having organized and executed an extremely effective marketing campaign that not only established SolidWorks as a lead MCAD product but created an entire market segment -- the midrange.

But in those years, I had also gotten to know John as a person -- this call was mostly personal. John will be getting married and his bride to be has a 8 year old son. "An instant family," says John, indicating that he will now have the luxury of time with them.

Another reason for his decision was John's father, who is sidelined by Parkinson's disease and was recently confined to hospice care. "He had a good day the other day," John tells me. "I can't count on too many more of those and I'd like to spend those days with him."

John's replacement at SolidWorks will be Jeff Ray, currently COO. It's common for COOs to be groomed to be CEOs so this transition seems natural. "I told Dassault [SolidWorks' parent company] that Jeff's the guy, and Bernard Charles [CEO of Dassault] wholeheartedly agreed," says John.

But will the dynamo be able to spin down? John's only 45 years old and I don't see retirement in his near future. I expect he'll be in demand in the CAD industry but, non-competitive clauses aside, I'd be surprised if would do anything to hurt SolidWorks. He leaves the door open for continued employment at SolidWorks, a company in which founding members can still be found. John will remain on the SolidWorks board of directors.

AEC is Child's Play

Brian Farrimond  has created an AEC program program so easy to use that nine year olds are using it. This program is fully 3D and is parametric. Furthermore, it will sell for under $50*. Unlike, many bulky CAD programs of today, it will be a 4MB download and can run off the CD (without installation).

I watched Brian demo the program at the recent CAD '07 conference. In 5 minutes he had most of a building created as well as many of the details. Walls, roofs and other features were adjusted easily with slider bars.

There is one catch. This AEC program is rather specialized. It can only make churches. For now. Plans are underway to make a version that can design castles though it might push the minimum age up to 11 year olds.

What if you don't design castles or churches? How about ships? The program would be a bit more complicated but it could be done. I get the impression that the team in Liverpool could produce the same fantastically easy to use program to make post offices, malls, furniture, what have you. "It would only take resources," says Brian.

Brian, along with Janette Bonar Law, both from Liverpool Hope University in the UK, created Church Builder after they sensed a need for a low cost, easy to use and install design program that would fit into the UK National Curriculum. "Kids are already 3D native," says Brian. However, many teachers know little of current technology and UK schools often don't have adequate computer resources. "We have schools still using Windows 98," says Brian. The current crop of BIM programs such as MicroStation, ArchiCAD or Revit would be out of reach.

"Why churches?" I ask. Every community has one, says Brian. Also, they are usually the oldest building around, and it part of the history lessons for 7-11 year olds. The easy access and familiarly to the church also gives the student a sense of accomplishment, being able to create something that all who view would recognize.

For more information, you can contact Brian Farrimond at [email protected].

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*Software has not been released and price not determined but should be in the $30-$50 range.