Moss Designs
January 7, 2005 CADzette
CAD News Large and Small

Volume II

Issue 33
Thanks to all who want to know how my broken collarbone is doing. I had another X-ray and physician's visit this week. The doc says I am healing better than expected "for someone your age" and will be able to get back in the saddle in about three weeks.

You know you are getting old when your medical provider ends or begins any prognosis with "for someone your age".

AUGI Elects New Board of Directors
 
The new year brings in a new set of directors to the AUGI board. Mike Perry, Chris Lindner, Mark Kiker, and Rick McNeil. Mike Perry, of Britain, is a historical first...he will be the first director who does not reside in the US or Canada. Chris Lindner served a one-year term on the board previously as a John Clauson appointee (due to another board member's resignation in the middle of a term). Chris won AUGI's Top DAUG award at a prior AU. The 2005 AUGI president will be Yoshi Honda, who has served as AUGI president before and is an excellent leader (he was president during my term as board member). The president only serves a one year term...so while you are on the board you are working under two different leaders.

AUGI structures the board so every year four board members are voted in. Each board member serves a two year term. You can serve three consecutive terms and then you are required to sit out at least one term to give someone else a chance.

Board members are treated to three trips a year...two to Autodesk headquarters in San Rafael, CA and one to AU...which will be in Orlando in 2005. Lest you think these are vacations, these are working periods where the board meets for a week to discuss AUGI business. There are some recreational activities, but for the most part it is serious work.

AUGI membership is free. AUGI is a wonderful organization that supports Autodesk users world-wide with free training, technical support, and free utilities...as well as a great magazine. Any AUGI member can run for the board and I encourage anyone who is interested to submit their candidacy...it is a great way to learn about the inner workings of Autodesk and also to promote user interests. The elections are held every year between AU and the New Year.

Heading to Alaska
 
Alaska Computer Brokers in Anchorage, Alaska has invited me to come up and teach a Revit class from March 21 through March 24. If you are interested in learning more about Revit and are in that part of the world, be sure to contact the reseller and sign up.

I also hope to speak for the local Autodesk user group in Anchorage during my stay...once I have a date and location for that, I will let you know.

SolidWorks Matches Donations for Tsunami Victims
 
SolidWorks sent out an email to it's resellers and developers advising that if you made a donation for the tsunami victims to UNICEF or OXFAM, SolidWorks would match the donation. All you needed to do was email SolidWorks proof of the donation made.

I emailed my friends at Autodesk to see if Autodesk would make the same offer. Here's what Buzz Kross, VP of Manufacturing Software, had to say...

"Autodesk contributed directly to the fund with many thousands of $. Further, Autodesk is matching ALL employee contributions 1 for 1. They did this in Dec last year, the day following the disaster."

So, it looks like both software companies (and probably others) have stepped up to the plate...bully for them! It would be nice if companies let us know when they perform a good deed, instead of hiding their light under a bushel. Buzz tells me that Carol Bartz, Autodesk's CEO, has made a conscious choice not to publicize these types of donations because she doesn't want it to appear that Autodesk is capitalizing on the suffering of the recipients of the largesse.

Quick Links