A couple of new blog posts are starting to show up now from the AutoCAD beta customer bloggers. The best thing is it is customers in their own words and many have been using the product since last fall in production.

Lee Ambrosius
http://hyperpics.blogs.com/beyond_the_ui/2005/03/its_loose_autoc.html
Lee's summary:
"If you couldn’t find a reason to upgrade to AutoCAD 2005, you will want to take a close look at AutoCAD 2006.  There are just so many enhancements across the board they every user can benefit from this release."

Jimmy Bergmark
http://jtbworld.blogspot.com/
"There are plenty of nice things in this version. Don't be afraid that you don't see the command line. You can show and hide it by pressing CTRL+9. And do you know what? I actually like having it hidden. The improved heads up design makes it possible."

Who defines what AutoCAD will have in the next version? The customers do and Autodesk listens. Be heard and get involved in shaping the future of AutoCAD. The result you see in AutoCAD today are a direct reflection of your involvement with support calls, e-mails, AU, AUGI, discussion group participation, usability sessions, beta testing, surveys, and many more methods.

http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2004/11/autocad_team_li.html
Bill Fane - Cadalyst Contributing Editor
"Autodesk has obviously been watching and listening to real-world users."

• Participate in Beta & Feedback Programs  http://myfeedback.autodesk.com
• Join AUGI at www.augi.com Its free and many benefits.
• Participate in AUGI's annual Top Ten wish list process.
• Submit AutoCAD feedback direct to the AutoCAD team by using the "contact us" link at the bottom of each autodesk.com web page and then select "Feedback on product". Myself and many others on the AutoCAD Team get these emails and reply to all that we can.
• Participate in Local/Regional user groups.
• Participate in online discussion groups
  http://discussion.autodesk.com & http://www.augi.com
• Respond to AutoCAD Communication Center surveys
• Attend events where Autodesk employees are in attendance. We want to get your feedback. Tell us what we are doing right, wrong, what we should continue to do or what we should be doing.
• Autodesk has been holding customer focus groups, pre-release and conceptual product test drives, and usability sessions at many locations around the world and even at some of the AUGI CADcamps and of course Autodesk University.

More on participating in shaping the future of AutoCAD
http://autodesk.blogs.com/between_the_lines/2005/01/want_to_partici.html

Shaan.