Archive for 'Insight'

What’s Happening in Vegas?

Larry Boulden
November 26th, 2007.

We at DESIGN WORLD recently received two press releases from CAD startup SpaceClaim.  The first announced that they would be exhibiting this week at Autodesk University, Nov. 27-30 in Las Vegas.  And the second press release announced the  ”recall” of the first.

Hmmm… never seen that before.

Turns out that SpaceClaim was apparently disinvited to AU.  Disfellowshipped.  Booted.

Neither SpaceClaim nor Autodesk is talking much about the situation.  But the independent CAD bloggers are having a field day with it.  One notes that Autodesk has “asked” other competitors not to participate in the past.  Not frequently, but it has happened, that blogger says.

Another one suggests that SpaceClaim might want to go to Vegas anyway.  Get a suite, throw open the doors, and network in the hotel halls, where much of the real business gets done anyway.

So what will happen?  We have no clue.  The two companies, Autodesk and SpaceClaim, are both being very gentlemanly, very discreet about all this.  So, Gentle Readers, I’m asking you.  Are you going to Vegas for Autodesk University this week?  If so, will you post a response to this entry and tell us all what you saw and heard about the SpaceClaim/Autodesk dustup?  Inquiring Minds Want to Know…

–Larry B

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What’s in a name?

John Gyorki
November 20th, 2007.

Just because you give something a new name, it does not mean that the something automatically becomes the thing you renamed it. For example, I recently received an e-mail message from my Internet provider, SBC Yahoo, which said it was going to improve my e-mail “experience.” They claimed that they were thinking of my best interests, so they were going to start placing advertising on my otherwise uncluttered e-mail service. How thoughtful of them! Just what I need, more distracting images flickering and jumping in front of my eyes while I try to concentrate on writing messages.

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Aiming higher

Scott McCafferty
October 13th, 2007.

Michael Jordan and I share a very similar life experience, but vastly different career paths. Like Mike, I was cut from my high school basketball team not once, but for three consecutive years. Finally, as a senior in high school, I earned the right to wear a high school basketball uniform as a member of the varsity squad. Unfortunately, my playing time mostly consisted of assisting in lopsided games where we won by 20 or more points. My final stat line was scoring a total of 8 points my senior season. While we all know what Jordan accomplished in the NBA and college ranks, my basketball career went onto greatness by playing college intramurals and recreation league games. In my mind, though, I was still like Mike.

My senior basketball season taught me one of my most valuable life lessons. I set the goal to make the high school team, and did everything possible to prepare myself, but I never re-evaluated my goal to go beyond simply making the team. I never set another goal of playing in the game. (more…)

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Notes from the floor

Leslie Langnau
October 01st, 2007.

One of the advantages editors have at a show is the opportunity to see the industry as a whole. By focusing on the bigger picture, rather than on one company, one product, or one aspect of an industry, we hope to provide information that may help you in your decision making.

–Many conversations with exhibitors at the National Design Show in Chicago last week (Sept 25-27) revolved around “green,” or “sustainable” design, the terms now being used to describe products that minimally affect the planet from “cradle to grave.” U.S. exhibitors see the move towards such practice on the horizon, but few have made large efforts in that direction.

While “green” is desirable, some question whether you can really develop such products. For example, one term used in the designing community is “carbon neutral.” As Dr. Gerhard Antony, President of Neugart noted, “how do you determine the carbon effect of your product, especially when you factor in the manufacturing process, not just the design of the product itself? U.S. industry is at the beginning of this trend and has a long way to go to answer such questions. But it is something designers will be facing if they are not already facing it in product design. (more…)

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Engineering is more than a choice–it’s a passion

John Gyorki
October 01st, 2007.

Recently, many engineering, science, and technology magazines have lamented about an apparent shortage of high school students enrolling in engineering schools and colleges. The writers frequently cite the enormous numbers of engineers graduating in foreign countries compared to the much lower numbers in the US. Their conclusions imply an alarming increase of imported foreign engineers and more manufacturing moving overseas, which result in a severe shortage of high-technology jobs for young Americans. Furthermore, some of the arguments suggest that the young people prefer higher paying jobs that do not require as much intense study as engineering. (more…)

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