Between the Lines

Columbus, Montreal, and Edmonton this Week, "Stay Thirsty My Friends"

It has been a busy week of events for the See the Difference with AutoCAD 2010 Tour. We started the week in Columbus Ohio, Montreal Quebec, and then snowy cold Edmonton Alberta.  Next week I will be in Boston and Washington DC and hope to see you there.

Sign Up for the See the Difference with AutoCAD 2010 Tour.

Tuesday October 20 Boston, MA 

Thursday October 22 Washington DC

While spending so much time in an airport or staring at the back of a airplane seat is not exciting, it is all worth it to meet customers and hearing what they like and don't like about our products. I  was wearing a pink shirt in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month at the events as was colleague Lynn Allen.

 

AutoCAD Tip:
Want to Move, Copy, and Scale multiple objects in AutoCAD? Try the AutoCAD Express Tool command MOCORO.

Odds & Ends

Some of the taste bud highlights from last weeks tour was the famous Graeters Ice Cream in Columbus and Molson’s Rickards Red Draft in Canada. I also replenished my stash of Canadian candies such as the Nestle Smarties and Aero bars.

Delta Airlines now has speedy WiFi on most flights! I love Delta.

Has anyone else noticed since the baggage fees started on airlines the dramatic rise in the size of bags being attempted to be carried onboard with passengers causing delays in flight departures?

If I were in airline marketing, I would see that any person identified as a frequent flier from another airline would get special attention on my airline's flights. I would make it my business to know who the passengers were on each flight and give a heads up to the flight crew. Opportunity walks and talks.

I have now been asked twice if I was the guy from the Dos Equis beer commercial. Must be my grey beard. I don't really look like this guy other than the gray hair and I am certainly not “the most interesting guy in the world”.  It is odd as this is the third time I have been confused with a beer character.

The first was from a bottle of Rogue ale that was brought to AU 2006 by a customer to show me the likeness of me and the image on the bottle.  At that AU I found the real doppelganger for that beer image, it was AutoCAD Plant 3D team’s own Peter Quinn. Then there was that time I was confused with former Budweiser beer commercial star Spuds MacKenzie but that's another long story I will save until a later date.

Cheers,
Shaan

How About an Aztec Calendar in AutoCAD?

Occasionally I will do a crazy file to beat an AutoCAD feature into submission or exercise boundary test cases and get rid of some energy. I had a little too much energy and fun last night. In this case it was Polylines and hatches. I finished this AutoCAD drawing at 4AM and not a single crash or performance hit.. Hatches are definitely improved in AutoCAD 2010 based products.

I obtained the rough geometry from a postscript file that was generated from an actual Aztec sunstone photo. I might as well have re-drawn from scratch as I had to edit all the geometry and then had to do all the hatching. I don't think I could have done this with any other product either illustration or CAD and so efficiently. I could also take this and make a 3D drawing and use the AutoCAD 2010 Feature to Print 3D to a physical object. Looks pretty cool to me. The original is a carving into a stone but, my version I did it as an inlaid wood style sculpture. When I really got into the geometry I was amazed at the complex geometry and creativity of this Aztec piece all while having a function of determining and tracking dates in Mexico and Central America.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/btl/3979126861/

“Xiuhpohualliis the Aztec year (xiuhitl) count (pohualli). One solar year consists of 360 named days and 5 nameless (nemontemi). The year was broken into 18 periods of twenty days each, sometimes compared to the Julian month”. 

~ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aztec_calendar.

Apparently the Aztecs have been to the Autodesk University and over indulged in the AUGI Beer Bust.

Just doing final packing and preparation for the start of the See the Difference with AutoCAD 2010 Tour. I will be traveling to warm Orlando Florida tomorrow and presenting there on Tuesday.

Cheers,
Shaan

AU Shutterbug Tour 2009 Update and Signup Form

This fun event will be held again this year. We will be exploring and photographing the scenic  and colorful Southern Nevada desert such as:

•  Red Rock Canyon,

• Valley of Fire

• The new Colorado River bridge. Hoover Dam Bypass on US Highway 93

• Lake Mead

• Hoover Dam

• and other possible locations such as Death Valley and Zion National Park.

I have setup up an online form to gather interested people. This will be a free event but there will be a request to pitch in to those driving fellow shutterbugs for fuel and any tolls.

 

Sign Up Form

Hope to see you at Autodesk University in 99 days!
Shaan

Calling India & Turkey

On June 15th I will be taking a 6 week sabbatical. With so many United Airlines frequent flier miles to use before the end of the year since I no longer fly them I am looking for ideas.

INDIA:
I know I have a large readership from India so please post your suggestions in the comments on locations and why that location. Are their local Autodesk customer groups and students there that I can also meet with as I love talking with students and also customers from all parts of the world. Yes shocking I get time off and still take work with me.

I want to do short backpacking trips around on the cheap but the main purpose of getting off the beaten path seeing the true country, people, and the nature and wildlife like snakes and scorpions and birds most never see. I want to capture some great memorable photos as well as meeting the people and sharing in their cultures and food and making more friends and making India look simply amazing in photographs each with a story..

I was thinking perhaps Delhi,Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Chennai, Hyderabad or . What are your thoughts?

Shukriya,
Shaan

TURKEY: 
I am also considering a trip in Istanbul Turkey to see my friends from the Daily AutoCAD Blog Erhan, Orhan, and Can.

çok teşekkür ederim
Shaan

Shaan 3 Days of Extreme Hiking and Cold Weather Camping

In 3 hours I will be headed about 6 hours South to the Utah Arizona border for 3 days of hiking, climbing, and cold weather camping.

 

I plan to hike the WirePass to  Buckskin Gulch slot canyon, The Rimrocks sandstone hoodoo formations, The Wave, Coral Pink Sand Dunes, and North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Should be a fun and adrenalin filled adventure trek with many photos to be taken and posted to my Flickr Photostream when I return.

As usual in addition to using my Garmin Mapsource for my Garmin portable GPS plans I use Scott’s excellent Topofusion for hike planning. I also carry a PhotoTrackr Pro GPS photo tagging unit. I am  basically a walking photo lab and GPS unit.

Here is the link to my photos from the last hike into the famous wave were you must win a lottery for a permit.  The Wave (Set)

Cheers,
Shaan

2008 What a Year

I am in my final week of holiday vacation (all of Autodesk is) as well as the last Monday of the year 2008. What better time to reflect on the year. There were many highs and lows for 2008 in my life I thought I would mention a few.

The year was filled with travel to visit friends, Autodesk product user groups, and customers around the world including the countries of Brazil, China, Kuwait, Turkey, Kuwait, and UAE in addition to all over the North America. I now have a full passport and need to get new pages added or I will be left unable to travel Internationally. I really enjoy speaking with users of Autodesk software around the world and learning how they use the software and what they design.

Other highlights in no particular order:

• Getting milk and cookies in my room from the AU2008 Team.
• Meeting  celebrity Autodesk customers Jay Leno and Eddie Paul.
• Attended and presented at 3 Autodesk Universities this year China, Japan, and Las Vegas. This makes the total AU events I have attended 14.
• The First Blogger Social at AU2008 was a success and will be even bigger and better next year.
• Traveled with the Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture for a year including a visit with entertainer Jay Leno and then gave it to the real Matt Murphy at AU2008.
• Made so many new friends around the world.
• Presented at FOCUS Kuwait, and over 500 people attended. Thank you Binu!
• Presented in Istanbul, and while in Turkey I visited Cappadocia and experienced the wonderful food, people, and scenery. Thank you to my 3 Turkish friends Can, Orhan, and Erhan of the Daily AutoCAD Blog!
• Had a great time with members of AUGI Japan in Yokohama Japan and a spectacular trip to Kamakura with a traditional Japanese lunch included.
• Meeting the Techsmith Team who develop the two software tools I have used almost daily for 12 years.
• I continue to work with some of the smartest and most creative people in the design and visualization industry. This is not a suck up, it is absolutely true. My success is directly related to those that design, develop, test Autodesk software as well as the awesome customers that design amazing things using our software.
• 2008 was the 10th year anniversary of me working for Autodesk and since I left a mechanical design seat out there in the design world. I received my gold badge.
• Received the top hit count and visitors of any Autodesk blog, and many Autodesk web sites. This blog celebrated 5 years and had 312 posts this year and millions of readers by both web and RSS. Thank You!
• Got the additional Autodesk title of Platform Technology Evangelist which is a fancy title for a geek.
• There are so many design related blogs and the number of Autodesk product blogs continues to climb.
• My oldest son started college.

Lows of the year:

• In November I had a blast, literally when my gas fireplace malfunctioned and blew up with me in front of it.
• Rough personal start to 2008 but after many trips hiking in the deserts of Arizona and Utah got things all worked out. The desert and hiking is one of the most therapeutic environments to get a clear head and to think.
• I still have many photos to process and publish.

As I spend the remaining few days of 2008 on holiday, I am spending that priceless time relaxing with my family as well as some fun with the kids sledding on the large amount of snow we received here in Northern Utah.

  

Have a very happy and safe New Years,
Shaan

See Wayne Newton at Autodesk University 2008

OK not exactly see Wayne Newton aka Mr. Las Vegas, but just perhaps one more reason to attend Autodesk University 2008 granted it would be pretty low on the top 1000 reasons. When flying into Las Vegas on approach to land when you are really close to touching down, you may pass over a large house and horse stables, this is Las Vegas entertainer Wayne Newton’s house. I am not sure why he has located it at the end of a runway as I would imagine he could afford a more quiet location.

Here is a photo of Wayne's place when I was landing in Las Vegas this September.

I had the please of also flying over Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and was able to see the new Colorado River Bridge under construction. I hope to get a chance to see the bridge while attending Autodesk University next week.
 

Hope to see you at AU! I will arrive Sunday and am driving there as I am just North in Utah.

Cheers,
Shaan

Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture and Autodesk University 2008

Only seven more days until Autodesk University 2008!

The Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture was created by a contestant in the clay contest “Shape the future” at the MyFeedback booth last year using an AUGIWorld magazine picture of Matt Murphy as a reference. This green clay head has been held, touched, and for photos with people. It was even 3D scanned and printed as well as posed with well known entertainer Jay Leno.

    
   

  

So now the Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture has traveled around the world, attended many user groups worldwide, but it is looking pretty well traveled. It is made of soft clay and quickly becoming just a blob with rocks and other debris embedded in it in addition to the airline security screeners being tired of having to inspect it in my luggage .

It needs to be retired at Autodesk University 2008, but how?

Post your comment to this post on how we can retire the clay head in a legal and dignified manner at AU 2008.

Cheers,
Shaan

Traveling Home Today

After almost two weeks in China and Japan I am packing to head back home. Due to my flight crossing the international dateline, my flight will arrive before I leave but only on a calendar and clock as there is no time warp travel going on although it would be nice to be able to travel around the globe in a split second.

I had a great time and met many new friends and customers in both China and Japan where Autodesk Universities were held. I spent yesterday with my friends from AUGI Japan in the region around Kamakura visiting the beautiful shrines and temples. We also spent a excellent traditional Japanese lunch with Autodesk Japan’s Wataru Doi.

 

I want to thank all whom I met in China and Japan including customers, employees, partners, user communities, event organizers, and locals for their excellent hospitality while visiting their countries. It was an absolute honor to be presenting at Autodesk University China  and Autodesk University Japan which were both first time events and a great success.

It has been a great trip but I will be glad to be back home in my own bed which I have only seen for a few days in the past 4 weeks. I have so many things to write up, photos to process, follow up from meetings, and of course the time zone adjustment to make in the next few days.

I also must get ready for the Autodesk University in Las Vegas in the not so distant future.

Check out the new Autodesk University 2008 Show Guide.

Cheers,
Shaan

Autodesk University Japan Today

Today Autodesk University Japan starts here in Yokohama Japan. I am quite excited and have my presentation this morning. I have spent the past couple days exploring the area around Yokohama including the Yokohama Ferry Terminal, Sankeien Garden, Nogeyama Park, and the Iseyama Shrine. I feel out of touch in Japan as my cell phone does not work on the 3G phone network. Tomorrow I will be meeting with AUGI Japan and going to Kamakura.

Thursday I fly back home after being in China and Japan for almost 2 weeks and begin the process of trying to re-adjust to the time. Adjusting to time is usually a large challenge for me traveling back from Asia.

Here are two photos from the Yokohama Ferry Terminal which was on the AutoCAD 2005 box.

 

I am writing some AutoCAD tips and tricks to get back to AutoCAD subjects in the blog after all of the travel posts.

Cheers,
Shaan

Konnichiwa, I am in Yokohama Japan Now

The second day of Autodesk University China 08 was excellent and my two presentations went well even though my computer was giving me a fit, and I had to follow a top notch presenter like Lynn Allen. The event was very well attended and organized.

I spent the following afternoon with Lynn Allen, Joseph Wurcher, Ray Eisenberg and Matt Olding and we hit the Autodesk Sponsored DigitalStone exhibition and and the Yuyuan gardens from the Ming dynasty.

 

 

Yesterday I road to the Shanghai airport with Jay Tedeschi on the worlds fastest train the Maglev at 422kph but the ride was only 7 minutes long. The Shanghai Airport was an architectural gem and I posted some photos on my Flickr Photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/btl/.

  
   

I am in Yokohama Japan for Autodesk University Japan 08. I have so much more to write about but must get out and explore Yokohama Japan before it rains. Things to visit on my list today is the famous Yokohama Ferry Terminal that appeared on an Autodesk box and splash image then to Sankeien Gardens for some hiking and fall leaves photos. Where I am staying in Yokohama is a sensory overload with all the lights and the amusement park below at night. There is a huge Ferris wheel that acts like a clock.

Cheers,
Shaan

Congratulations to Mike and Melanie Perry

The big news for me today is not just the US elections (US residents please make sure to vote regardless of your choice), but rather the news that Mike and Melanie Perry have a new son.

Mike and Melanie are some of the most active volunteers for AUGI and I have known them for many years and appreciate all they do, and they do do a lot.

Thanks to Richard Binning @Binrock on Twitter alerting me to this momentous occasion of the birth of a new Autodesk product user.
Congratulations to @MikePerry & @MelaniePerry!

”Birth of beta son:
Declan Glen Perry 
7lbs 12oz and 21" 

I wonder if Declan Glen Perry has long frizzy red hair and an English accent like his father? Baby photos are soon to be released, I am sure of that and if not I will Photoshop Mike on a babies body.

The only sad note is Melanie wont be attending Autodesk University in Las Vegas this year but she does have a valid excuse and I will keep an eye on her hubby to keep him out of trouble.

I am currently in Shanghai China preparing to go to the first day of Autodesk University China 08. Yesterday was spent exploring Shanghai and an area just outside the city with fellow Autodesk coworkers Joseph Wurcher, Ray Eisenberg, Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture, and Matt Olding.

Cheers,
Shaan

Ni hao, I am in Shanghai China for Autodesk University China 08

“Ni hao” “” means Hello in Chinese.  I arrived last night after a long flight and am trying to adjust but was wide awake this morning at 4:30AM about 1PM the prior day my time back in the US. What a long last seven days as I was just in the Middle East just 6 days ago. Yesterdays flight from San Francisco went up over Alaska then down over Russia's Kamchatka peninsula, Siberia, Northern Korea, and then China.

Today I am going to have a look around Shanghai China and then rehearse for my presentations this week at Autodesk University China 08. I have to find a way to trim my presentations down to an hour and also take into account the reduction in time due to translation. I feel a “Lost in Translation” moment coming on.

On Saturday I head for Yokohama Japan to prepare for Autodesk University Japan 08. I should have some great photos throughout the trip, and yes the Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture made it safe and sound to China. My good friend and fellow desker Lynn Allen arrives today.

Cheers,
Shaan

Have a Buddy, Bring Them to Autodesk University 2008

There is a new AU 2008 Buddy Pass: “Economic Stimulus” for New Registrants where you can bring a buddy for discounted price. The first 100 on November 5th get their buddy into AU 2008 for four days free the rest get a discounted rate. See site for specific details.

http://au.autodesk.com/event/buddypass/

I just got back from a great trip to Turkey and Kuwait yesterday afternoon after over 24 hours of travel, so far, no jet lag knock on LCD. I will be home for a few days then Sunday take off for Autodesk University China 08 and Autodesk University Japan 08 where I have presentations and customer visits. I am so tired of planes, but meeting new people and seeing new places makes it all worthwhile.

Cheers,
Shaan

Amazing event by FOCUS Kuwait Users Group Meeting

I presented yesterday in Kuwait to about 450+ people mostly CAD Managers, Architects and Engineering team leads and members of the FOCUS Kuwait users group. Although my computer decided to give me troubles working with the projector so I used another presenter’s machine as Sundar C of Omnix was presenting on AutoCAD for Architects at the event.
Things went very well.

 

 


It was amazing how well organized this users group is and the committee and Binu Mathew, Mohamed Iqbal, Thomas Chandy and many more who worked tirelessly on the events success and helped me greatly. I extend my deepest gratitude to the FOCUS Kuwait committee and the many members that attended. I made many new friends I hope to visit again in the near future. I have never signed so many certificates in one seating or had my photo taken hundreds of times in one day. Speaking with the members was an absolute pleasure and I appreciate all the hundreds of written suggestions and questions which I will be answering.

I would like to sincerely thank the sponsors such as Dr. Jayant Deshpande of Omnix in Dubai UAE who attended and is the Gulf Region Autodesk Distributor for being a generous event sponsor as well as the local Kuwait resellers and partners such as G.I.C. and Al Sarraf computer Services.

I took a photo after dinner of the Kuwait Waters Towers off the Fifth Ring Motorway.

Dubai UAE tomorrow and then home for a few days before heading to Shanghai China for Autodesk University China 08 and then Yokohama Japan (AUJ) for Autodesk University Japan 08.

Cheers,
Shaan

Now in Kuwait for Meetings and Presentations

Today I meet with multiple Autodesk customers in Kuwait. To say it should be a very interesting and educational day might be an understatement.

Tomorrow I am presenting much of the day to many Autodesk and AutoCAD users that are members of the FOCUS Kuwait users group.

I am still amazed at how long the user group members waited for me to clear customs in the Kuwait airport, over 2 hours and they were still smiling when I emerged.

 

 

 

Kuwait is very hot and humid even at this time of the year. The humidity feels like 200% (not really but feels like it) and the temperature is above 31c. I did happen to notice the blue striped water towers on the way to my hotel and must go see those for photos tonight or tomorrow night. My hotel room looks down the waterfront and the city towards many famous landmarks as well as new construction underway. I am trying to learn some Arabic words but that is pretty difficult but I am trying.

Cheers,
Shaan

Back In Istanbul Preparing for Kuwait

I had an unbelievable weekend with new Turkish friends here in Turkey hiking in the Cappadocia region of Southeastern Turkey and catching a bit of sunburn. I literally stayed in a cave hotel in Ürgüp Turkey and ate foods I would have never imagined I would have. Sometimes you have to live for the moment and try things as you may not get the opportunity like that again, and I found I enjoyed all of them and if I lived in Turley would be 400+ pounds in a few months time as the food is that good. I cannot say enough about the people, they are some of the most friendly people I have ever met. Not only did I get apples given to me from locals, but was also offered potatoes, squash seeds, nuts, candies, and felt like a celebrity at a rural village high school with the students pointing and giggling.

Cappadocia Turkey is highly recommended but requires quite a bit of travel logistics and I would strongly suggest not doing the bus tours or not being without someone that can speak fluent Turkish. The only regret is the loss of 100 photos from the inside of the ancient (Karanlık Kilise) or The Dark Church in Göreme Open Air Museum and it’s fresco paintings and then some photos from the evening hike at sunset near Zelve. I lost them in a bonehead mix up of CF cards and formatted over them.

Tonight I spent sometime walking the old city streets and market bazaars of Istanbul and viewing the city from the Galata Tower from the 1300’s. I even ate “kokorec” spicy fried intestines, and they were good.

I am now back in my hotel room packing for travel tomorrow to Kuwait via Bahrain. I will be presenting at the Kuwait FOCUS Autodesk Learning Event on the 24th as well as meeting with multiple customers in the region.

The Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture has survived the many travels and is safe with me here in Turkey.

More Turkey Photos, and still many hundreds to process…when I get time.

Cheers,
Shaan

What a day in Southern Turkey with Friends

I spent the day hiking and shooting over 1000 photos in the Southern Turkey region of Cappadocia. I would venture to guess the day was over 3000 vertical feet if totaled. It was amazing I found I am hooked on a natural snack named dut which is a flower of a tree, and I can’t get enough now. I even stopped at a local nut and fruit roaster and got some as well as some roasted apricot pits which taste like almonds.

One of the highlights beyond the natural geological beauty and historical sites and fresco paintings in Gereme open air museum, Zelve and Cappadocia was the unbelievable hospitality of Turkish people of all cultures.Today after hiking we returned via a rural road in a valley and noticed some local village farmers with one woman up in a tree shaking it to knock down apples on a handmade woven blanket and another assisting. They saw us asked where I was from and then proceeded to give us the best apples I have very tasted ever and each a large bunch of fresh picked grapes which were amazing. Simply amazing and had me shocked at the friendliness.

I have had so many ask where I was from and go out of their way to make me feel welcome. I did not think I would get out of the stone seed roasting store tonight once they realized I was an American as they kept giving me free samples of all the many Turkish treats. The treats, snacks, food, and people are top notch!  The culture can be a shock at first, but the Turkish people make you feel so very welcome. If you are at all concerned on safety, there are many police and military around to prevent any type of problems and it is a safe moderate place.

Turkey is one place that one does not have to worry about politics affecting local peoples hospitality and friendliness, I did not have to fib and say I was Canadian ay. ;-)

Wait till I start posting more of the spectacular places off the beaten tourist paths and my last nights scorpions catching and photos. I fell pretty good once and my shoulder is not feeling so good but it is all worth it. Also how many know and love Autodesk products here but not necessarily the price. I did however manage to accidently format one CF card with a half days photos and am now trying to recover them…

I have one more day in Southern Turkey then head back on the 10 hour drive to Istanbul then off to hot and sunny Kuwait.

Another Great Day in Istanbul

I had a look around and visit to the underground cisterns of Yerebatan Saray Sarniçi and then inside a mosque, and seen architecture from 532BC.

 

 

I even got my fortune told by a chicken although I could have chose the rabbit to tell my fortune.

 

 

Then it was of by tram to the Mimar Sinan Güzel Santalar Üniversitesi to have lunch on the most beautiful waterfront of a University with great company and great local Turkish foods.

I presented to local customers one traveling 5 hours to see me and give me some Turkish candy. My presentation was about 2 hours then a question and answer period with discussions. I was honored to receive so many well thought out and detailed questions and will be taking the feedback to my team for review. The Turkish people are some of the nicest people I have met in all my travels and also the most diverse cultural with great food.

Tomorrow I head to Southern Turley to relax and hike during the weekend in Cappadocia which is similar to Moab Utah in some ways.

Cheers,
Shaan

In Istanbul Turkey

I was greeted at the airport after 16 hours of travel by Erhan, Orhan, and John of the Daily AutoCAD blog, we went to a traditional Turkish restaurant then I went to my hotel. My hotel is located in old town Istanbul and is a small but local Turkish hotel with style but not a big price tag. My room must have about 200 lamps hanging on the ceiling.

I walked around the old town and visited the Blue Mosque and was startled when the loud speakers began the call to prayer as I had never heard anything like that before and it was echoing around the city. It was a surreal evening.

Now it is 7AM and I am preparing for my presentation at a local University. It should be an exciting day and tomorrow I am headed to Southern Turley for the weekend in Cappadocia. Next week I will be in Istanbul one more day then I head for Kuwait and the Kuwait FOCUS users group.

Cheers,
Shaan

Traveling to Istanbul Turkey Today

I begin my latest overseas travel to Istanbul Turkey today with a layover stop in Paris before arriving in the beautiful and historic city of Istanbul Türkiye. I get to finally meet bloggers Erhan and Orhan Toker who write the "Daily AutoCAD" blog www.dailyautocad.com.

I have a presentation scheduled on this Friday at14:00 at Mimar Sinan Güzel Santalar Üniversitesi Link. Then Erhan, Orhan, and myself will spend the weekend trekking in the scenic geography of Cappadocia located in the Southeastern region of Turkey.

The following stops in this trip are Kuwait for the Kuwait FOCUS Autodesk Learning Event on the 24th, and then Dubai before heading back home.

Please tell your coworkers, fellow students or faculty, and AutoCAD user group members about these presentations and visits.

Cheers,
Shaan

AutoCAD Users Turkey, Kuwait, and Dubai

I will be presenting about AutoCAD and its future development as well as other topics in Istanbul Turkey, Kuwait, and Dubai in the next two weeks. I want to invite all AutoCAD customers in the region to the events or to possibly arrange for a private meeting at your office to discuss your use of AutoCAD and the future of AutoCAD. All events and meetings are free. This is not a sales presentation but focused on product use and technical topics. I am extremely excited to visit customers in these locations and honored to have been invited.

• Istanbul Turkey October 16-22 Two events planned. One held 17 October 14:00 at MİMAR SİNAN GÜZEL SANATLAR ÜNİVERSİTESİ Link. 
• Kuwait City Kuwait October 22-26  FOCUS Kuwait Users Group Event on the 24th of October
• Dubai UAE October 26

If you are interested in the events or meeting with me while I am in your region, please contact me by sending me an email or enter your information in my survey for this trip. Sign Up Survey

Please tell your coworkers, fellow students or faculty, and AutoCAD user group members about these presentations and visits.

Sincerely
Shaan Hurley
Platform Technology Evangelist
Autodesk, Inc.

Planned Presentation Visits to Turkey, Kuwait and Dubai

I will be in Turkey, Kuwait, and Dubai in just about two weeks for user group presentations and customer discussions.

• Istanbul Turkey October 16-22 Two events planned. One held at the local University Link.  I will be in Cappadocia Turkey on the weekend with my friends from the Daily AutoCAD blog Erhan and Orhan Toker.
• Kuwait City Kuwait October 22-26  FOCUS Kuwait Users Group Event on the 24th of October
• Dubai UAE October 26

I am truly excited about the events and locations and honored to have been invited. I hope to meet many people using Autodesk products while there. I am also excited to see the geography and architecture and will post photos from the events and local photo trekking,

In keeping with my invitations to chat while traveling, If you are an AutoCAD user and interested in a private discussion about AutoCAD with your team at your office or over a cup of coffee, please send me an email.

When I return I only have a few days rest before heading to Shanghai China for Autodesk University China 08 and then Yokohama Japan (AUJ) for Autodesk University Japan 08. It is like a world tour in a month all before AU 2008 in Las Vegas.

While sitting on plane is not my idea of fun, the reward is meeting our customers around the world and talking with them.

 

 

 

Cheers,
Shaan

Good time in Kansas City

I presented to the Midwest CAD Technology EXPO as well as the Kansas City AutoCAD Users Group yesterday, and had a fantastic time.

  I also showed off the real clay Matt Murphy Clay head Sculpture as well as a 3D laser scanned and 3D printed version of the clay head in ABS material.

Pete Southwood of Autodesk showed some features of AutoCAD Map 3D that non GIS users would like such as drawing cleanup and the multiple users able to edit the same DWG.

Between the presentations I spent some downtime sitting and talking with the lead architect and project construction manager of a major retail chain about their challenges and also about sustainable architecture and technology. One topic of our conversation that we discussed at length was how we need to get more young people interested in technology architecture and engineering, or we are in for a poor future. What was also an eye opening learning experience for me was how retail stores are trying to save energy as well as he told me about how some modular buildings for residential are not your mobile homes, but made of high end construction quality and materials. Sometimes the greatest discussions and educational opportunities take place spontaneously.

After the Kansas City AutoCAD Users Group I spent time talking with several members, so long that I left too late for dinner at Jack Stacks or the Summit Hickory Pit and the only thing left open I the area was McDonalds... I was surprised that Kansas City restaurants on a Tuesday night for the most part close at 9-10 PM. Missing some great KC BBQ was a sad thing, but the discussions were worth trade off.

I am now headed for breakfast (do they have breakfast bbq in KC), then the airport for travel back to Salt Lake.I wish I had more time to visit with more people perhaps even Mike and Melanie Perry up in St Louis, but unfortunately not this time.

 

Cheers,
Shaan

At the CAD Midwest Technology Expo in Kansas City Tomorrow Sept. 30 2008

Tomorrow September 30th I will be presenting about AutoCAD, Autodesk Impression, Autodesk MyFeedback, and to the Kansas City AutoCAD Users Group KCAUG on the future of AutoCAD. I will be cutting it close as my flight lands at 12:05. My first presentation on AutoCAD 2009 is at 1:45 to 3:00PM and I am sharing the session with Autodesk’s Pete Southwood speaking on AutoCAD Map 3D and GIS.

This will be the tenth annual event. A full day Autodesk products event with over 40 sessions of workshops, presentations and tips and tricks sponsored by Autodesk Premier Solutions Partner Mid-West CAD.

Registration is required.
http://www.mwcad.com/
http://www.mwcad.com/CADMW08.pdf

My presentation and discussion on the future of AutoCAD will be at 6:00 to 7:30PM to KCAUG (please RSVP).

I will be going to Jack Stacks BBQ in Lees Summit for a bite after the event then flying back home Wednesday morning. In keeping with my invitations to chat while traveling, If you are an AutoCAD user and interested in a discussion about AutoCAD with your team at your office or over a cup of coffee, please send me an email.

Has anyone else noticed the changes to airlines flight patterns? Over the past few months I have been tracking my flights and noticed a dramatic change in paths and angle of climb and decent. I confirmed this unofficially with a pilot that it was due to gas consumption. So flights are now making more direct flights and less time flying around an area by making a smaller flight path to the airport. What caused me to wonder was that I was no longer seeing commercial aircraft on landing approach above my house and instead they were making a tight turn farther up the Salt Lake Valley for their landing approach decent. I use the same equipment I use for my hiking navigation and logs. I use a handheld Garmin GPS to track the flight pattern and the best software for analyzing GPS tracks is TopoFusion Pro.

Cheers,
Shaan