Published by the Vancouver AutoCAD Users Society
The Oldest and Most Dangerous AutoCAD User Group
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Autodesk Vision for the Future

 Having just returned from the Autodesk Training Center meeting in San Francisco, I am excited about Autodesk’s direction. Participants attended classroom tutorials on 2000i, Architectural Desktop, Mechanical Desktop, Inventor, 3D Studio Viz, and Land Development Desktop.

 The message about AutoCAD 2000i was, “Get online with speed… and come visit us.”. Sitting in a classroom with 700MZ laptops/desktops that had T1 connection speeds was a wonderful experience. We used the ACAD Meet Now feature of R2000i to get in touch with each other through the Internet connection. Based on Microsoft’s NetMeeting technology, Meet Now allows voice and video signals to transmit information between two or more stations. At the same time, one station can control the CADD program while others join in to watch or even access the drawing to take part in the design. With the expectation that ADSL and wireless Internet connections will be widely available by the early part of next year, designers will move to greater comfort levels with this technology.

One of the opening seminars talked about the “cheap chips” of the future. Due to increased production at reduced prices, they will be used to deliver all sorts of information necessary to perform our jobs. One example given was the seeding by farmers of miniature chips in their fields that would report on moisture content in the soil. The future focus is on hardware miniaturization and wireless connectivity. This will allow increased mobility and expanded connectivity. As an example, we are now seeing laptops and handheld computers send requests for copies to any local printer through point and click technology. Infrared technology is also supporting the wireless mouse.

As for the present, most of the new CAD programs demonstrated were designing in 3D. This does not mean that 2D drafting is disappearing. It is an indication that 3D is expanding the designer’s capability to perform more tasks. These new programs offer part libraries, bill of material information, as well as the ability to generate 2D drawings. Autodesk is pouring huge resources into these CADD tools.

Look to the Autodesk website for opportunities to attend online learning classes and seminars. If you would like to save the cost of hotels and airfare, combined with the time spent traveling, then this is the place to be.

See you at the next meeting.

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