SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 393 - Tech Alert 2012 SP4

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Tech Alert 2012 SP4:

This podcast covers a few new features and news that was pushed out in the latest service pack of the SolidWorks 2012 product line. The May support monthly FAQ also was pushed out late so we will cover that as well.  Topics covered:

- 2012 SP4 technical alerts

- New features in SolidWorks SP4

- Recap of addressed SPRs

- Upgrading EPDM and Toolbox

- Support Monthly FAQ (May 2012)

Last week we covered the tech news but after EPDM 2012 shipped, I wanted to read through and dig into the release notes to see what has changed. After doing so, I found a few things worth mentioning and figured we'd talk about them now instead of waiting a month to roll them into the July tech news.

SolidWorks has also aligned they operating system support with Microsoft, as they have in the past, and now is sharing that 2013 will be the last version to support Windows Vista.  Along with Vista and XP, Windows Server 2003 will be dropped for the server support of products like EPDM and license managers. It is good to be aware of these retirements early in order to avoid this creeping up on you.

Beta season is close and SolidWorks has begun sending out reminders to get your customer portal profiles updated and to check the option to be notified for beta programs.  They have also explained the benefits of getting into the beta program in their FAQ so I am hoping the launch is close.  Are you going to test or are you of the belief that should be left to SolidWorks? ~Lou

Check out the SolidWorks:Heard! Blog and follow us on Google+, Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD! 

SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 314 - January Tech News

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January Tech News:

This podcast covers the SolidWorks and CAD-releated tech news that broke since mid-December covering the SolidWorks Blog, various tech alerts and other industry news.  Topics covered:

SolidWorks Blog:

SWW11 - Partner Profiles:
- Open Mind Technologies - HyperMill for SW
- Solido - desktop 3d printer sheet layer/glue/score
- 3D QuickTools - Quick Press - die design
- Camtek GmbH - OptiCAM for wire EDM
- AMV - SteelWorks (a steel design, drawings and BOM tool)
- ATR Soft - CustomTools custom property management and ERP/MRP link (awesome picture)
- Geometric Technologies - DFMPro and CAMWorks
- Delcam - CAD CAM products for manufacturing and inspectio
- Z Corporation - Rapid prototype and scanning technology
- Barry-Wehmiller International Resources - an engineering consulting arm in St. Louis 

Five Questions Friday:
- Mark Gibson, Principal Interface Design Engineer at SolidWorks
- Maria Sakar, Vice President and Co-Founder

SolidWorks Organization:
- An update on the organizational changes at SolidWorks - Jeff Ray moves to DS, Bertrand Sicot assumes CEO

Let's Go Design TV
- Project 2 is launched - Multi-sport practice cage

Tech Alerts:
- SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2010 Service Pack 5 is available for download
- SolidWorks 2011 Service Pack 2 Early Visibility is available for download

 
SolidWorks World 2011:
- Live General Session coverage - Sign up 
- Not attending? Send your breakout coverage requests to me!

Welcome to 2011! Lots of prep news heading up to SolidWorks World 2011 in San Antonio, Texas! The biggest news of the month is the announcement of Jeff Ray leaving the CEO position and heading to a newly created position for Geographic Operations at Dassault Systemes.  The move will relocate Ray and his family to France, where he will work with country managers worldwide to "streamline customer experience".  Bertrand Sicot, previously SolidWorks' VP of Sales, is going to be assuming the position of SolidWorks' CEO.

I am anxious to head out next weekend to SWW11 mainly to see the faces of those I only see at this conference as well as to get more information about the future builds of SoildWorks and their other "High-altitude moisture-based" offerings that debuted last year at SWW10.  Remember to submit your request for coverage if you are not attending and sign up for the reminder for the live blogging of the General Sessions.

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD!

SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 283 - July Tech News

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July Tech News:

This podcast covers the SolidWorks tech news that broke since the middle of last month.  July is always a big news month since it is the month of the SolidWorks Beta program.  Topics covered:

SolidWorks Blog:

- SolidWorks at "SustainableBrands 2010"

- Dassault Systèmes launch of DraftSight

- DS & SolidWorks launch 3dvia Composer V6R2011 (brief list of enhancement highlights)

- SolidWorks user gets Popular Science Award

- Mike Puckett's Formula SAE Journey

- Terrafugia's FAA Ruling Milestone

- Two 5 Questions Friday with Jason Balser & Brian McElyea

Tech Alerts:

- SolidWorks 2010 SP4 released and SPR stats (89 addressed SPRs! total)

- Awareness of Design and Engineering Tools, Features and Functionality survey

- SolidWorks Enterprise PDM 2010 SP4 released

- SolidWorks 2011 Beta 1 available for download

- SolidWorks Enterprise PDM Beta 1 available for download

Other SW News and Tech Announcements:

- Digital Dimensions moved YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/ddicad

- SolidSmack: "Ask the Reader: Would you switch CAD systems for mobile options?" (interesting poll results)

- SolidWorks:HEARD: "3D Printing From CAD to Cloud?" (Shapeways SolidWorks Add-in)

- Deelip: "Spatial's CAD on the Cloud - The Real Story" (6 part posting on Cloud CAD)

- DezignStuff: "Of CAD, clouds and iPad" & "The shape of clouds to come - boxy"

- Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 beta available for TechNet and drops support for XP SP2.

Welcome to SolidWorks Beta Month!  This is the time of the year where we rollup our sleeves and get elbow deep into the next release of SolidWorks.  July is full of great news stories as well since SolidWorks pushed out service pack 4 for both SolidWorks and Enterprise PDM 2010,  V6R2011 for 3dvia Composer and launched SolidWorks 2011 Beta 1.

The discussion about mobile and cloud computing also flared up quite a bit over the past few weeks and more companies are taking a seat at the table to test out their proof of concepts.  Spatial, a DS property, has launched a web-based CAD concept at web3d.spatial.com where you can specify what kernel you want to use and have a go! (does require Internet Explorer since the plugin is ActiveX).  In today's landscape of the Internet, connection speeds and reliability are a serious factor to the success of a 3D cloud-based CAD app and everyone has an opinion to why it will fail.  It is a great discussion and there are many places to get into the conversation! ~Lou

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD!

SolidWorks:Heard! - Episode 278 - June Tech News

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June Tech News:

This podcast covers the news that broke since the middle of May related to SolidWorks, tech alerts as well as other CAD/tech news.  Topics covered:

SolidWorks Blog:

- SolidWorks Brings Sustainability Advocate Asheen Phansey On Board

- Interviews and a few "5 Questions Friday" entries

- Changes to SolidWorks' Certification Software (Enhancements)

Tech Alerts:

- A few surveys...

- Changes to the SolidWorks Portal login system

- SolidWorks 2010 SP4.0 Early Visibility ships (Release notes)

Other SW News and Tech Announcements:

- Changes to the Customer Portal links

- SolidWorks 2010 & VPN issues

- Other Tech news (Microsoft Office Live, Yammer in SharePoint, AutoCAD on the Mac, Google I/O) 

This was again another pretty busy month for tech news.  The SolidWorks Blog was active as usual thank to Matt West, surveys were flying off the handle, and tech alerts were flying off the print press.  May into June was a big month for general tech news with Google I/O, The D Conference, Apple iPhone 4 and Microsoft launching Office Online.

I also touch on a topic that has burned a few users in SolidWorks 2010 and connectivity to the SolidNetwork License (SNL) via VPN.  This topic is growing on the phones and in the forums and users want to get a fix ASAP!  Hope to get to the bottom of it after some deep testing and conversations with SolidWorks.  ~Lou

Remember to check out the SolidWorks: Heard! Blog and to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and THE HEaRD!