Between the Lines

Focusing on the AutoCAD Fantastic Four

In June I will begin to focus on my Autodesk Platform Technology Evangelist position and less on managing all Autodesk product betas. I will be the mouth and ears for customers, the design and development, and product management teams.

I am adding 3 more great products to my hat for my position as Autodesk Technology Evangelist. In addition to AutoCAD, I am now involved with AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD MEP, and AutoCAD Mechanical and what I call the AutoCAD Fantastic Four. I am truly excited for having the cross discipline focus. These products are used by millions and relied upon and Autodesk is continuing to improve them based on customer feedback. They are not going anywhere or being retired they are being focused together with the same AutoCAD DNA they share which will result in a much more consistent and powerful features using more coordinated team resources.

I will continue same as always on this blog Between the Lines the same as I have the past 6 years but will have more time to dedicate to writing more tips and tricks and cover more products, user groups, and great customers as well as traveling for events and speaking engagements.

Before coming to Autodesk, I was a mechanical designer involved in a wide variety of large projects from process equipment, pressure vessels, shell & tube heat exchangers, large bridges, hydroelectric and navigational locks, nuclear steam generators,and military watercraft. Having been involved in a wide variety of projects gives me a diverse background of project experience and disciplines to draw upon in my jobs at Autodesk.

Please let me know how I am doing or what you would like to see in the blog. If you want a very large audience for AutoCAD tips, I would be happy to publish your tips and give you a very visible credit and potentially get you fame and fortune, ok maybe not fortune but thousands read this blog daily.

Sincerely,
Shaan Hurley MoMH (Man of Many Hats)
Autodesk Platform Technology Evangelist

Revit Unleashed! Blog dedicated to the interoperability between Revit and 3dsMax design process

Juan Maschio from beautiful Argentina has started a new blog dedicated to using both Revit and 3ds Max in the design process. Juan will also be blogging some tips and tricks for other programs such as: AutoCAD , Autodesk Impression, Revit MEP, Revit Structure.

Please join me in welcoming Juan to the CAD Blogosphere and to your bookmarks and RSS feeds.

Welcome, Bienvenidos, Benvenuti Juan!

Revit Unleashed! (English and Spanish)
http://www.unleashrevit.blogspot.com/

Revit Unleashed Italia! (Italian)
http://www.revititalia.blogspot.com/

RSS Feed

Cheers,
Shaan

New Autodesk Blog – What a Mesh with Guillermo Melantoni

Guillermo will be blogging in English and Spanish about AutoCAD 3D and AutoCAD workflows. The blogs name, What a Mesh http://whatamesh.typepad.com/

If you have seen AutoCAD 2010 and all the cool new 3D features such as the new mesh object then you will now know the person behind that as well as responsible for the nice AutoCAD 2010 building design on the product literature and packaging.

 
Here is a previous post about Guillermo and his bio which will explain a great deal about his focus, background, and his efforts around 3D.
Between the Lines: AutoCAD 2010 and 3D

Please join me in welcoming Guillermo to the CAD Blogosphere. I hope you will be bookmarking his blog as well as following his RSS feed as he is sure to have some great topics in his blog.

Cheers,
Shaan

New Autodesk Blog – Without a Net with Tom Stoeckel

There is a new Autodesk blog in the CAD Blogosphere Without a Net. Tom Stoeckel, global technical lead for AutoCAD product support will be the main host and joined by Tom Bradley, division manager for Autodesk product support, and Dan Scales, an AutoCAD product support specialist.

I have personally known Tom for many many years as both a coworker and friend back when he was a developer of the much beloved AutoCAD Express Tools and then later in AutoCAD core programming teams and now as the Global Technical Lead for AutoCAD Product Support. This blog should be one on your regular reading list and RSS feeds as well Tom has a Twitter account.

Tom is also a Mac user and I am sure interested in the Mac Survey I posted which has been hit by over 1000 people an hour beating up my poor little server today.

 

“The purpose of "Without a Net" is to provide the latest information on support issues, technical solutions, fixes, and tips for AutoCAD. This blog is not intended to replace the usual AutoCAD technical support, Knowledge Base, or Web Support; these are still your best avenue for getting quick resolution to your support issues. "Without a Net" is intended to supplement those sources by providing up-to-the-minute information on new issues and trends that we are seeing in AutoCAD product support. Followers of this blog may find a safety net, if you will, for support issues that are affecting them right now. We'll also toss in a few AutoCAD tips and tricks along the way.”

 http://withoutanet.typepad.com

You can stay current with our posts by following us on Twitter and subscribing to our RSS feed.

I also have a Twitter and Facebook feed
Facebook
Twitter http://twitter.com/mrcadman

Cheers,
Shaan

AutoCAD Exchange Widget for your Blog

Do you blog about AutoCAD topics?

If so you may want to consider putting the AutoCAD Exchange Community site widget on your blog to provide your readers with more content options. It is painless and available in three sizes.

Since I blog using the TypePad blog platform I simply pasted the widget generated code from http://autocad.autodesk.com/?nd=widget into a TypePad TypeList Note item and then added it to my main sidebar.

Cheers,
Shaan

AutoCAD Exchange Community Launched

There is a new free online community for AutoCAD users named AutoCAD Exchange http://autocad.autodesk.com

This new site by Autodesk will feature many videos, Ask the Expert sessions, featured customers like Hollywood's Eddie Paul. There will also be some fun content like The TeknoChronicles of Z series, and even Roger Penwill CAD related cartoons. There is also the ability for members to share content and AutoCAD tips.

It should be another great resource for all AutoCAD users to bookmark and join.

There is also a CAD Management series I filmed in February with CAD Management guru Robert Green. It is amazing how they say the camera adds ten pounds to you, but I see it can also make me look hair challenged especially when appearing with Robert Green's healthy full head of hair. ;-)

Quite a bit in the AutoCAD Exchange community, and more as it begins to grow.

Cheers,
Shaan

New Autodesk Blog Inside the Factory for Revit Users

I would like to welcome another Autodesk  blog to the CAD blogosphere.

Inside the Factory – a blog about designing the Revit user experience authored by 3 people in the Revit user experience team Erik Egbertson, Lilli Smith, AIA, LEED AP, and Tom Vollaro.

Steve and his Gaggle of Geeks

Recently a group of CAD bloggers who were also active AutoCAD 2010 beta customers were invited by Autodesk to attend a behind the scenes event for the AutoCAD 2010 announcement webcast (AutoCAD 2010 Webcast Behind the Scenes). Steve Johnson from Australia was there and was shooting video interviews.

Steve just posted a funny compilation video “A gaggle of geeks” video on his blog via YouTube and at the end with some editorial humor and creativity made me look like I could not spell the word “nerd”. The truth is that Steve he asked me the identification for the Star Trek ship Enterprise which I only knew the first letter as I am not a  big Star Trek fan, but Steve changed the question in the video edit. I am glad he at least mentioned he changed the question to save me from complete embarrassment and mockery.

I did notice in the video that the usual head banging rock music fan Steve has apparently changed his music preferences to techno.

Steve, thanks for the good laugh heading into the weekend!

Cheers,
Shaan

AutoCAD 2010 Webcast Behind the Scenes

This week I had the pleasure of traveling here to San Francisco to attend a special Autodesk event. Autodesk invited several AutoCAD 2010 (codenamed “Gator”) beta testers who were also AutoCAD bloggers to attend the AutoCAD 2010 webcast backstage and also meet with members of the AutoCAD Team for an action packed day. There were many meetings to discuss their feedback on what they liked, did not like, and what they would like to see in the future. There were some great presentations from Guri Stark, Eric Stover, Guillermo Melantoni on Autodesk and the future of AutoCAD. The webcast kicked off at noon with Amar Hanspal, Eric Stover and a live AutoCAD 2010 product demonstration of some of the key new features by Heidi Hewett. It was a great experience but I sure don't feel comfortable seeing myself on camera or photos.

 

The webcast broadcast live is now archived for the next 30 days at: this link

Who attended:

• Brian Benton, CAD-a-Blog http://cadablog.blogspot.com/
• Donnie Gladfelter, The CAD Geek http://www.thecadgeek.com/blog/
• Mark Douglas, In the Dynamic Interface http://mdouglas.blogs.com/
• Randall McSwain, CAD Panacea http://cadpanacea.com/
• Steve Johnson, blog nauseam http://www.blog.cadnauseam.com/
• David Cohn, CADman-Do http://cadman-do.blogspot.com/
• Ellen Finkelstein, EllenFinkelStein.com http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/autocad_tips_blog.html
• Melanie Perry, Mistress of the Dorkness http://mistressofthedorkness.blogspot.com/
• Robin Capper, RobiNZ CAD Blog http://rcd.typepad.com/rcd/
• Todd Shackelford, CAD Shack & The Lazy Drafter http://cadshack.blogspot.com/

Autodesk bloggers
Lynn Allen
Heidi Hewett
Me ;-)

Here are some of the posts on the blogger event and AutoCAD 2010 related blog posts I noticed this morning:

• Kate Morrical AutoCAD LT 2010 is here! (Well, almost.)
• Lynn Allen Let the AutoCAD 2010 Blogging Begin!
• Heidi Hewett 
  Live from San Francisco,
  it's AutoCAD! AutoCAD 2010… WOW!!
  Attention AutoCAD 2010 Beta Participants
  AutoCAD 2010 Demonstrations!
• Robin Capper, RobiNZ CAD Blog
  Watching the AutoCAD 2010 Webcast, without the web
  What do you call a group of AutoCAD Bloggers?
  Meeting other AutoCAD Bloggers at an AutoCAD Event
• Randall McSwain, CAD Panacea
  AutoCAD 2010 in 3 minutes
• Steve Johnson, blog nauseam
  Look out for AutoCAD 2010 news
  Autodesk not listening? The response, part 1.
• David Cohn, CADman-Do
  AutoCAD 2010 Rollout - Behind the Scenes
  AutoCAD 2010 Revealed
  The Show is About to Start
  AutoCAD 2010 Backstage Pass
• Melanie Perry, Mistress of the Dorkness AutoCAD 2010 Launch – Quickie
• Heidi Hewett's Blog: AutoCAD 2010… WOW!!
• Develop3D - Technology for the Product Lifecycle: AutoCAD 2010 ...
• Civil to Inventor AutoCAD 2010 preview guide
• David Harrington Autodesk ANNOUNCEMENT & AutoCAD 2010 is coming
• U2 AutoCAD 2010
• Jimmy Bergmark of JTB World AutoCAD 2010 soon on your desk , No VBA installed with AutoCAD 2010, SmartPurger now works with AutoCAD 2010 and Windows 7
• Civil3D Rocks Want to See AutoCAD 2010? Watch the recording of yesterday's press conference!
• AutoCADder AutoCAD 2010 is coming

AutoCAD 2010 Demo Videos on YouTube

Cheers,
Shaan

Special AutoCAD Event Webcast Tomorrow 02/05/09

There is limited availability to attend a special webcast but I wanted to provide an invitation to my blog readers. I am currently in San Francisco with quite a few bloggers including Aussie Steve Johnson who I had lunch with today.

In a series of virtual press conferences, Autodesk executives and technical managers will demonstrate the latest in design technology, discuss how the new products can help address current industry trends and respond to media questions.

Please join us for the following sessions:

• Thursday February 5, 12:00pm PST - Launch Kickoff/AutoCAD. Please use this link to join.
  
• Friday February 6, 9:00am PST - Architecture, Engineering, Construction, Utilities and Geospatial. Please use this link to join.

Please note that the links will not be active until the day of the Webcast.

There will be a great deal of information after the webcast on the blogs which I will be linking to here.

Cheers,
Shaan

Attention AutoCAD Civil 3D Users

There is another new Autodesk blog and this one is for AutoCAD Civil 3D users. Being Civil (http://beingcivil.typepad.com). Please join me in welcoming Brian Kling, Jason Hickey and Justin Ziemba to the CAD and Autodesk blogosphere.

Here is my latest OPML/XML to add all Autodesk blogs to your RSS Feed Reader. Download Autodeskblogs010809

Cheers,
Shaan

Welcome to Scott Rosenbloom to CADBlogging with CADuzer.com

Scott Rosenbloom AIAA has started a nice new blog CADuzer.com about everything from BIM and Revit to AutoCAD and 3ds max to SketchUp. Nice design to the blog and posts.

Scott you are now part of a large grass roots social movement of sharing information and knowledge regarding design related software from one user to another. Again congratulations welcome to the world of CADBlogging and while blogging is not for everyone or a short term commitment it is powerful and a resource millions use today and continues to grow in respect and influence. Hopefully you can make the second annual Bloggers Summit we hold later this year most likely at Autodesk University 2009 “AU2009”.

http://caduzer.com/

Cheers,
Shaan

Autodesk University 2008 Attention Bloggers!

I wanted to provide an update as well as call attention to those that were not aware of the Autodesk University 2008 Blogger Social.

What: Blogger Social for Autodesk product related bloggers attending Autodesk University 2008.

Why: This social will be a casual gathering for bloggers to meet with each other face to face IRL (In Real Life) as well as meet with many of the Autodesk product team members and some Autodesk executive management staff members. There will be about 300 in attendance, so it should be fun mingling and meeting people. Bloggers will also receive a special “blogger” ribbon for the AU badge. Think of it as cloud or true Peer to Peer networking on the human social level.

When: Tuesday, December 2, 4-5:30PM

Where: Autodesk University location in Venetian to be announced to signed up attendees soon.

How to Sign Up: Sign up for the First Blogger Social at AU

I hope to meet you at AU Blogger Social, please spread the word.

Best Regards,
Shaan

Lazy Drafter – Is not Really Lazy

Josh Jones has a blog that I read in my RSS feeds named Lazy Drafter “AutoCAD tips for the lazy drafter.”. He writes often about how to make things easier with Autodesk products like AutoCAD.

He is not really lazy, just really smart.

Today’s post is about the “Wicked Cool” and also FREE Autodesk Design Review and the ability to compare changes between two DWF files. In case some were not aware, there is also an Autodesk blog by Autodesk “desker” Volker Joseph about DWF and Autodesk Design Review named Beyond the Paper.

Lazy Drafter Post:
Compare Design Changes in Autodesk Design Review

Thanks Josh for the treat, and Happy Halloween

Shaan

Autodesk University 2008 Blogger Social

The time and date has moved to Tuesday, December 2, 4-5:30PM so that it does not conflict with the important AUGI Beer bust and annual meeting. So if you are a Autodesk product blogger make sure to sign up and be there as it will be a great opportunity to met other bloggers, Autodesk employees and perhaps some special guests.

Mike Perry of AUGI BLAUGI has no excuse to not attend now, and perhaps may treat us to a lesson on how to river dance!

Sign up for the First Blogger Social at AU
Sign Up Here

Yes, we love bloggers and respect their independent voices!

Shaan

Technorati Tags: Autodesk,Autodesk University,Autodesk University 2008,AU 2008,AU,Bloggers,Bloggers Social,journalistas,Las Vegas,Venetian,First Blogger Social,Venetian Hotel

Another 2 Autodesk Blogs Are Born

Thanks to BLAUGI, I was made aware that more Autodesk blogs apparently went live bringing the count to 43 Autodesk blogs.

• Autodesk employee’s blogs: 2 AliasDesign Blogs - 43 and counting
• Autodesk Employee’s Blogs.

Welcome to Autodesk AliasStudio related blogs:

• Behind the Curtain
• daVinci: Visual Diary

Between the Lines Blog Foreign Language RSS Feeds

I found a service http://mloovi.com/ that provides RSS Feeds in multiple foreign languages. Below are feeds for multiple languages for the RSS feed of this blog Between the Lines. I don’t expect the translations by machine to be 100% perfect but perhaps they will be close enough to understand.

• العربية
• Български
• 中文（简体）
• 中文（繁體）
• Hrvatski
• Česky
• Dansk
• Nederlands
• English
• Suomi
• Français
• Deutsch
• Ελληνική
• हिन्दी
• Italiano
• 日本語
• 한국어
• Norsk
• Polski
• Português
• Română
• Русский
• Español
• Svenska

Cheers,
Shaan

Some Between the Lines Blog Stats After 5 years of Blogging

I recently celebrated the 5 year birthday of this blog. Between the Lines Blog is now 5 Years Old!. I mentioned I would provide some stats for the 5 years as I was traveling at the time, so here they are.
Rough calculated numbers and sourced from multiple measurement sources over the 5 years.

1,628 posts • 1,089 comments • 341 Trackbacks

Unique Visitors: 1,334,465
Pageviews: 7.64 million+
Average RSS Feed Readers daily: 86,846

Top Keyword: AutoCAD 2009
Top Referrer: Google
Top 3 Sites referring directly: http://usa.autodesk.com, http://discussion.autodesk.com, http://www.caddigest.com

Visitor Details from 222 countries/territories

1. United States
2. United Kingdom
3. Canada
4. Australia
5. India
6. Italy
7. Netherlands
8. Germany
9. Brazil
10. France 

Top browser language
1. English – United States
2. Spanish
3. German
4. French
5. English
6. Italian
7. Dutch
8. Brazilian Portuguese
9. English - Great Britain
10. Japanese

Top RSS Readers

1. (not identified)
2. AutoCAD Comm Center
3. Mozilla/4.0
4. Google Feedfetcher
5. Netvibes
6. Bloglines
7. NewsGator Online
8. Google Desktop
9. RSSReader
10. Outlook 2007 
    

In summary 5 years has been a great ride and perhaps I have another 5 or more in me. I am always interested in your comments and feedback.The stats are by no means firmly based scientific or represent any other site or population.

Thank you for reading!
Shaan

Please Welcome Two More Autodesk Blogs – Mod the Machine and The Building Coder

Please join me in welcoming two more blogs to the Autodesk CAD Blogging world. Both of these blogs deal with development on the Autodesk products Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk Revit API’s (Application Programming Interface).

Mod the Machine is about developing on the Autodesk Inventor API by Brian Ekins http://modthemachine.typepad.com/
Subscribe

Welcome to Mod the Machine, a blog for those interested in Autodesk Inventor’s API (Application Programming Interface). First, you’re probably wondering what’s the deal with the name of this blog. I was recently introduced to gaming by some colleagues here at Autodesk for the Friday evening game of Wolfenstein – Enemy Territory. I learned that it’s possible to download enhancements to the game and these enhancements are called modifications or mods. If we apply this gaming terminology to Inventor, you’re writing mods for Inventor when you customize it. The “Machine” portion of the name indicates this is a manufacturing related blog, and in this case will mostly be limited to Autodesk Inventor.

The Building Coder is about developing on the Revit API by Jeremy Tammik
http://thebuildingcoder.typepad.com/
Subscribe

Welcome to The Building Coder, a blog dedicated to programmers working with the Revit API. My name is Jeremy Tammik and I work in the DevTech team, Autodesk's Developer Technical Services. We provide technical services to members of ADN, the Autodesk Developer Network. This includes programming support, consulting, training and evangelism. I'll be using this blog to share technical information about the use of the Revit API, i.e. its Application Programming Interface. I am part of the AEC workgroup in DevTech, and many of these posts will be contributed by my colleagues.

Congratulations to Jeremy and Brian!

I am losing count of how many Autodesk blogs there are but have provided a OPML XML file for the ones I have subscribed to in my Google Reader RSS Feed Aggregator. We also have a HUGE independent Autodesk product blogger community out there well over 100 and perhaps topping 200 blogs and growing all the time.

Attention Autodesk and CAD Related Bloggers Attending Autodesk University 2008

Don’t forget the Blogger Reception at Autodesk University 2008 which will be an event for bloggers to get together and meet face to face instead virtual and I am also trying to get some special guests to mingle with the bloggers like Autodesk Product Managers and more.
Attention Bloggers - Autodesk University 2008 Blogger Social

Download autodesk_blogs_91008.xml

-Shaan

Explanations of Technology in Plain English

The folks over at CommonCraft create creative videos to explain current technology in plain terms and concepts.So if you do not understand RSS, Blogs, Twitter, Podcasting, Zombies, Social Networking, US Elections, check out their vides.

http://www.commoncraft.com/show

• Video: RSS in Plain English
• Video: Blogs in Plain English
• Video: Social Networking in Plain English
• Video: Twitter in Plain English
• Video: Online Photo Sharing in Plain English
• Video: Wikis in Plain English
• Video: Social Media in Plain English
• Video: Electing a US President in Plain English
• Video: Zombies in Plain English
• Video: Podcasting in Plain English
• Video: Social Bookmarking in Plain English

The videos are also posted to YouTube as well as translations available.

Kudos to CommonCraft!

Attention Bloggers - Autodesk University 2008 Blogger Social

A week ago I mentioned about setting aside a time block at Autodesk University 2008 in Las Vegas this year.

Attention Autodesk and CAD Related Bloggers Attending Autodesk University 2008

Now this AU 2008 Blogger Social is becoming reality! Spread the word to fellow CAD, Design, and Autodesk product related bloggers who may be attending Autodesk University 2008.

This is not for the bloggers that solely blog about their alternative sculptures using only cheese or dairy products but instead for Autodesk product related bloggers who are not considered press or journalist. Although we bloggers do sometimes think of ourselves as “journalistas” that are just not as well schooled in punctuation, grammatical constructs, or advertising, but damn we sure know our products and use them every day. :-)

We love bloggers, and also love the industry journalists which get a separate more formal reception and agenda and should as they are paid for writing. This is just a way to show our appreciation for all of the excellent independent blogging by our product users and the time they spend and great information they provide as well as telling us at Autodesk what we are doing right and should continue, and things we should rethink or stop.

Check out Joseph’s blog announcement!

http://au.autodesk.com/blogs/view/Bloggers_Save_the_Date/

Updated day and time: Tuesday, December 2, 4-5:30PM

Sign up for the First Blogger Social at AU
Sign Up Here

Yes, we love bloggers!

Shaan

A New Autodesk Blog is Born – Welcome The Revit Clinic!

Welcome to the CAD Blogosphere Harlan Brumm. Harlan is a fellow desker who is the Global Technical Lead on Autodesk Revit product for Autodesk Product Support. He is also a Green Bay Packer fan, but I would suggest not asking about Brett Favre at least for awhile.

The Revit Clinic provides customers with preventative and rehabilitative BIM care. 

In Harlan’s words about the blog:

“About this blog, its name and purpose:

Where do you go when you have a physical problem?, A Doctor.  Where do you go when you have a BIM problem?  Well, I’m not a doctor, but I hope that you will start to come here.   I will be focusing this blog on the Autodesk Revit platform of Products, Revit Architecture, Structure, and MEP and trying to prevent BIM problems and provide you rehab if they happen.   

I have to admit, I won’t always know the answer to your problem.  I am more of a generalist, like your family physician, but like a good generalist, I know who to send you to, so I may refer you to a specialists or I may even recommend another hospital (blog or web site).

There will be others who contribute to this blog along the way.  Think of them as the other doctors, radiologists, or therapists that can help provide you the care you need.   

The goal of this blog is provide what a good clinic provides.  I want to prevent problems from occurring, and provide rehab if they do.  In case of emergency you can always break the glass and contact your Autodesk reseller or Autodesk Product Support, but the goal of this blog is to prevent those emergencies from occurring.

Think of us as your neighborhood clinic, walk in, ask a question, and let us make you well.“

Check it out: http://revitclinic.typepad.com
  Subscribe

Welcome aboard Harlan,
Shaan

Autodesk Feeds and Blogs

http://blogs.autodesk.com
Entire Autodesk Feeds OPML file for your RSS Feed Reader Import
Download autodesk_blogs_9508.xml

Technorati Tags: CAD Blogosphere,The Revit Clinic,Autodesk.Autodesk Revit,BIM,Harlan Brumm,Autodesk Revit platform,Revit Architecture,Revit Structure,Revit MEP

Attention Autodesk and CAD Related Bloggers Attending Autodesk University 2008

CAD Bloggers!

It is very important to make sure to keep Wednesday night Tuesday, December 2, 4-5:30PM free and open as we are planning something. Make sure when signing up for Autodesk University to mention and list your blog.

We love bloggers, and also the industry journalist which get a separate more formal reception and agenda. This is just a way to show our appreciation for all of the excellent independent blogging by our product users and the time they spend and great information they provide as well as telling we at Autodesk what we are doing right and should continue and things we should rethink or stop.

More exciting details later!

Have a great weekend all,
Shaan

 

 

 

Between the Lines Blog is now 5 Years Old!

On this day in 2003, this blog was born.

It is hard to believe I made it from the experimental and unofficial start of this blog to the five year mark, but I did. It has been a result of many fellow deskers, customers, and bloggers providing great blog content and feedback, my employer being blog tolerant and open, and also trying to be diversified in topics from product tips to the tips or announcements to photography and even how to catch a piranha while I was blogging from deep in the Amazon Jungle of Brazil with my TabletPC.

There have been ups and downs, but all in all it is well worth it for me.

I have never really been a formal writer or punctuation expert but that's the point of a blog, it is a non edited and raw me. In five years things have changed so very much. I remember being the first CAD “blog” when the word blog brought stares and questions from people as blogging was not well known a few years back. Over the years blogging and RSS feeds has taken off with a vengeance from industry press to CAD users blogging from around the world about tips and tricks. Now you can read literally hundreds of CAD and engineering related blogs with great information.

My simple blog recipe to keep tens of thousands of unique blog readers a day:

• One part good information on Autodesk and Autodesk products
• Using my own words not highly edited print copy or press release speak. If mentioning a press release, ad your own opinion or view on it, not just copy paste and post as that is like a television channel with only commercials and people unsubscribe.
• This blog is not a covert tool or a sales or marketing delivery channel it remains true to the beginning goals of spreading information and tips and tricks.
• Pointing out and crediting other blogger's great posts and using trackbacks and not deep linking to their content
• One huge part off topic subjects to keep it mixed up and varied, never predictable.
• One huge portion of dedication as you cannot just turn of a blog while you are on vacation or sabbatical and must plan to post regularly else like a television channel people will turn off and unsubscribe to your fed.
• One part warped humor
• One part photos as they cross all languages and allow people to see other places through your eyes, even AU.

I follow about RSS 800 feeds now like a morning newspaper by scanning for ones I want to read as like a newspaper you normally do not read every story and I can do this in under 30 minutes instead of surfing web pages looking for new topics for hours. I even enjoy reading and learning from other CAD software vendors and users except when some companies try to use a blog as an easy to up web page PR delivery method which blogging is not. Blogging should be a conversation in your words and people responding in comments, and beneficial to both parties and last but not least fun as most of us do not get paid for blogging nor is it our job. Give a blogger a hug as most blog out of a of need to share knowledge and their take on things.

I am currently in Atlanta Georgia attending the IWF 08 show with Autodesk ISV and OEM partner Microvellum and presenting again today in booth 5013 at noon. I will finalize this blogs stats for the past five years when I get back to my home base this weekend as there is just too much data to mine from many sources of hits and RSS feed tracking as well as listing most popular posts and highlights like meeting Autodesk John Walker last year in Switzerland..

Please join me in celebrating the 5 year mark as some said it and blogging in general would not last 1 year. Please don’t forget to add you comments on what I should continue to do, stop doing or ideas on topics and things to do.

Madonna is now 50, but this blog is turning 5!!!

What do you get a blog for it’s birthday,well because I am in Georgia maybe a cold beer or sweet tea and a nice helping of pralines and a cup of boiled raw peanuts?

In celebration of the this blogs birthday I may drive down the freeway to a local swamp and anger a mother Alligator and sacrifice the infamous Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture, just kidding. Although the clay sculpture is looking pretty beat up from the world traveling and has now ben 3D scanned, I intend to get it to AU 2008 and besides imagine the damage to the poor alligator’s stomach that swallowed it. I have not been outside the Atlanta airport here in Georgia since a short stint at Fort Benning Georgia many many years ago. The only downside is the Hurricane / Tropical Storm Fay who has ben menacing South of here and expected to turn up partially into Georgia but hopefully after I depart tomorrow afternoon. I have always heard the sunsets near a hurricane are very beautiful and if so I will be out photographing them perhaps a drive down to the Southeast  of Georgia area.

Going forward there are so many things I want to do like the localized language versions of this blogs by having guest bloggers translate my posts as well as post their own to spread the blog to far more readers. I am always looking for guest authors to post on topics readers of this blog would enjoy, so if you are interested, please email me.

Thank you everyone for reading and commenting as this is what keeps me doing this this blog.

Sincerely,
Shaan Hurley

This Blog is Turning 5 Tomorrow, and is potty trained, well mostly

Please join me in celebrating the 5 year mark as some said it and blogging in general would not last 1 year. Please don’t forget to add you comments on what I should continue to do, stop doing or ideas on topics and things to do.

Madonna is now 50, but this blog is turning 5!!!

I will be celebrating the 5 year blog birthday from here in hot Atlanta at IWF08 with the Matt Murphy Clay Head Sculpture! I wonder if I can get the Clay Head on CNN while here located next to the CNN world headquarters…..hrmmmm

Cheers,
Shaan