If This Were a Perfect World...

I tried to get my voice heard by Autodesk for much of the period between 1996 and 2006, but eventually I just gave up.  I'm not trying to badmouth them or anything.  The reason is simple: they're just too big to hear a tiny squeak anymore.  I was going through some old e-mails and notes from discussions I had with AE's at Autodesk University in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2004 (the last year I attended).  Here's a summary of ideas I put forth into the vacuum of space...

1. Upgrade Visual LISP IDE (VLIDE) to have a more modern interface and license OpenDCL to make it on par with VBA for dialog design. (2003)
2. Restore network licensing for AutoCAD LT (2004)
3. Standardize on ONE format for all software updates (preferrably .MSP) (2009)
4. Standardize the Network Deployment wizard to make nothing but MSI components, no stupid .exe (yes, I'm talking about FARO). (2009)
5. Fix the .NET 4 and DirectX silent install problem when pushing a network deployment through Configuration Manager advertisements. (2009)
6. Include the NetBIOS name of computers that register standalone activation when sending the e-mails to the contract license owner (help customers nail thieves on their own) (2005)
7. Figure out what to do with Raster Design.  Some customers deploy it with AutoCAD, Mechanical, Map 3D, and so on.  The licensing gets confusing at times. (2008)
8. Buy Vital LISP from Basis Software and replace AutoLISP with it (they were already closing the deal when I suggested it, so I was late to the party on that one) (1997)
9. Merge Mechanical Desktop with Inventor or just kill MDT and keep Inventor but make your mind up! (again, they were already executing the plan before I thought this up, although they took their time finishing up) (2000)
10. No more spread-out AU locations per year, do it in one location (1998, Boston, horrible)

AUGI is Coming to Virginia Beach in October

AUGI, that's the AutoCAD User's Group International, not the cartoon dog from the 1970's, is going to hold one of their CAD Camp conferences here in Virginia Beach! Very cool! It's nice to see our shiney Convention Center (designed by none other than Skimore, Owings and Merrill LLC) put to some good use.

If you work with Autodesk products like AutoCAD, Mechanical Desktop, Revit, Inventor, Raster Design, Electrical, Autodesk Map, Alias Studio, 3D Studio Max or Impression, you need to check this out. Very cheap registration fees for a conference like this also. Register before Sept. 18 for the "Early Bird" pricing discounts.

Edit: I mistakenly posted that the VBCC was designed by I.M. Pei, but it was actually designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM). Oddly enough, I almost took a job at SOM in their Chicago office back in the early 90's. Small world.