NOVEDGE blog

Grab this Kinemac Special! Best Value on Animation for Mac

2009-07-14T11:00:00-07:00

For this week only we're having a special on Kinemac: only $124

For this week only we're having a special on Kinemac -- half price! Kinemac runs on Macs and is a powerful and easy-to-use 3D real-time animation and presentation software. If you're in the market for a Mac animation product at an extremely attractive price, or are looking specifically for a great deal on Kinemac, this is the time to buy. At only $124 per copy you should take advantage of this opportunity that will only last one week.

Cristiano Sacchi

Another RhinoJungle Successful Contest!

2009-07-09T14:50:27-07:00

We want to thank everybody who designed banners and cast their vote

After the successful poll contest on RhinoJungle in May, we were excited to run another contest. If you are among the few who don't know yet, RhinoJungle is a free online community for Rhino 3D users and enthusiasts. The results of the poll gave us great inspiration for that new contest, since quite some of the RhinoJungle members didn't actually like the banner that was on top of RhinoJungle ;-). So a new contest was born: design a new banner!

For 2 weeks, members of the jungle could submit their designs. Six members took the time and effort, and gave it a shot by submitting several designs to us. One of the members even submitted 10 (!) different designs. After this submission period, it was time for everybody out there in the jungle to vote on their favorite banner. We found references to the voting page on Facebook and Twitter, and this resulted in a lot of votes, wow!

there was one winner: Kevin Stead from Scotland

It was great to see that a lot of different banners got votes, but there was also clearly one winner: Kevin Stead from Scotland, member of RhinoJungle since the very beginning (March 2009). His banner got by far the most votes, almost 40%, and is a great representation of RhinoJungle, with all the logos, a screen shot of Rhino and a mysterious jungle on the right hand side. Kevin will receive a copy of Ron K.C. Cheng book "Inside Rhinoceros 4" kindly offered by the author. You can see Kevin's banner on the top of every RhinoJungle page. The other banners are still visible online on the RhinoJungle contest results page.

Kevin will receive a copy of Ron K.C. Cheng book "Inside Rhinoceros 4"

We want to thank everybody who designed banners and cast their vote. You made this contest another success in the jungle, and inspires us to run contests on a regular basis! So check out the jungle (sign up if you haven't done so yet) and stay tuned for all the excited things that are happening in the jungle where all the Rhino animals live!

Mirjam Hart

modo 401 Pushes the Limits of Rendering and Animation

2009-07-07T15:00:07-07:00

modo has been improved in so many ways that is almost impossible to list everything here

On June 23 Luxology released the latest version of its 3D modeling, rendering, and animation product: modo 401. The version 4 of modo arrived about a year and a half after the release of version 3. modo has been improved in so many ways that is almost impossible to list everything here. Luxology prepared an impressive 14 page guide to the new features of modo 401 with tons of videos and amazing pictures. Among the several new and improved features: better motion blur, stereoscopic rendering, shadow catcher shader, selective radiosity type, volumetric lighting, lights linking, anisotropy mapping, and blurry refractions. The visual quality of the results of modo is very impressive and should rapidly convince everyone about the caliber of the software, as well as of the technical skills and determination of the development team (for more detailed information you can read my interview with Luxology CEO Brad Peebler). modo's rendering is so good that major CAD companies like SolidWorks have licensed the technology from Luxology to offer it to their customers.

SolidWorks licensed Luxology's rendering technology from

My recommendation is to take the time to go through the Luxology pages, learn about modo, and watch out for the upcoming trial version. As soon as the demo version of modo 401 is available we will add it to our website for all the visitors. Don't forget to take a look at Marc Hermitte review of modo written for "It's Art" online magazine and website.

Franco Folini

Adding Details with Replicators Luxology products are available from Novedge

Interview with Paul Bay, CEO of Punch! Software

2009-07-06T07:28:58-07:00

Not all CAD companies play in the same arena. While most CAD companies stay busy talking to the press, explaining strategies to financial analysts, and placing expensive ads in magazines nobody reads anymore, some CAD companies invest their time and money in talking to customers. These companies are less likely to be on a stage under a spotlight, but they are out there in the market enjoying a strong dialogue with their customers and selling licenses by the millions. Punch! Software (website) is one of these kinds of companies. They make a powerful product line that includes products such as ViaCAD, Shark, HomeDesign, and more. It's time to invite Punch! Software's CEO Paul Bay to the stage of the Novedge blog, turn on the lights, and ask him a few questions.

Paul can you tell us a bit about yourself and your company?

I have a strong background and intimate knowledge of retail, internet, SMB, commercial, corporate, and vendor markets

Sure. I am Paul Bay, the CEO of Punch! Software and I’ve been with Punch! for over three and a half years. I have a strong background in technology distribution where I spent eleven years with Ingram Micro, Inc., the world’s largest technology distributor, headquartered in Southern California. I was Senior Vice President of North America at Ingram Micro with Executive Management responsibility for purchasing, vendor relationships, business development, category management, vendor marketing as well as the components business unit. I have a strong background and intimate knowledge of retail, internet, SMB, commercial, corporate, and vendor markets and I’ve been thrilled to bring those skills to Punch! and utilize them in the role I hold within the company in order to grow and evolve as the market around us evolves and expands.

for the past 10 years, we’ve continued to dominate the North American market in home design software

Upon accepting the position with Punch! in 2006, I relocated my family from sunny Southern California to Kansas City, Missouri and have enjoyed the opportunity to explore family life in a completely different region than I grew up within Southern California. Around the months of December through mid-March I do miss the sunshine of the west coast, but we’ve learned to appreciate many things unique to Kansas City as well. I have yet to sway my allegiance to the San Diego Chargers and my family may very well be the only ones wearing navy blue jerseys each Sunday in Kansas City!
Punch! Software was formed in 1998 with the idea that 3D design software should be as fun to use as it is productive. Everyday we are focused on our mission to be the leading global provider and destination for design solutions. For the past 10 years, we’ve continued to dominate the North American market in home design software through our retail and online sales outlets and in late 2006 we decided to expand our 3D design breadth by acquiring CadSoft Solutions and were quickly recognized as the fastest growing CAD company in 2007. Through the acquisition we were able to add to the Punch! Software portfolio an incredibly strong lineup of 2D/3D CAD software for the professional architect and engineer, via our Shark CAD product line, as well as CAD products for the hobbyist, through our ViaCAD product line.

Who is the typical Punch! Software customer? Why does he or she select Shark CAD?

we have over three million Punch! Software customers

The typical Punch! Software customer is somebody who recognizes a truly powerful 2D/3D CAD solution that’s incredibly easy to use, in addition to somebody who appreciates the affordability the Shark CAD and ViaCAD products offer. We have over three million Punch! Software customers so our ability to truly bring 3D CAD design to anybody and everybody is something we believe to be highly achievable.
Our current CAD customer base has a very broad range from high tech manufacturers to creative artists; from set designers to recreational product designers; from luxury packaging designers to architects, school districts and prestigious universities. It’s quite broad, which I believe is a nod to our ease of use and powerful product capabilities, and the good news is that it just keeps growing!

The "ease-of-use" is among the most quoted quality of your products. What are the keys to making the end-user life easier while still providing high level features?

ease-of-use is a combination of the user interface, video tutorials, and software features

We believe that ease-of-use is a combination of the user interface, video tutorials, and software features that enhance the total user experience. For new users, we provide over 80 minutes of embedded video tutorials. These tutorials can serve as a learning syllabus, a reference tool, or simply as a guide as you go through your design process.
In addition to the video tutorials, our Shark CAD products provide an extensive set of software features aimed at enhancing the user experience and unveiling high level features as needed. This is accomplished through customizing tool options, smart prompting, tips and tricks pop-ups, and intelligent snapping using LogiCursor™. LogiCursor is often noted by our users as an indispensable tool for working in 3D as well as 2D. Using the tools provided within the ViaCAD and Shark CAD products, we literally can have a beginning 2D/3D design enthusiast designing within minutes!

Your products run on the Win platform as well as on the Mac. Do you receive the same feedback from the two categories of users?

we provide the ability to read native CATIA and Pro/E, which is a unique solution for Mac users

Aside from the resounding “Hallelujah” from the Mac community, we do tend to receive similar feedback from the two categories of users. Both categories of users want functionality and the ability to share data with others. Our out-of-the box functionality and ability to share data precisely using IGES, STEP, DXF/DWG and SAT is much welcomed. We also provide the ability to read native CATIA and Pro/E Wildfire parts, which is a unique solution for Mac users.
Our Mac users are thrilled to see we provide a native interface to Mac, much as our PC interface is native to Windows. Neither user community is compromised by our decision to support both platforms. However, our Mac users will find some extra translators as part of the Mac OS for reading EPS, PDF, and AI files. These file formats are great for Adobe users migrating into 3D.
With respect to our price point within the CAD software market, collectively we receive raised eyebrows, lots of comments such as “really?”, and deliberate nods of approval. The functionality combined with user experience at an attractive price point is appreciated by both categories of users.

What is the level of collaboration and synergy you have with CadSoft since the acquisition in November 2006?

there were lots of similarities between Punch! and CadSoft as we both promoted a very entrepreneurial environment

Collaboration and synergies were completely integrated shortly after the acquisition. We saw a unique opportunity when we acquired CadSoft Solutions to not only obtain a great technology, but also a seasoned veteran in Tim Olson. Tim has over 25 years of management experience in this industry and brought a wealth of knowledge within the CAD space.
There were lots of similarities between Punch! and CadSoft Solutions as we both promoted a very entrepreneurial environment. Tim and his team have become a part of the Punch! family and they continue to collaborate with sales and marketing as well as the core management team on a daily basis. We’re thankful everyday for their contribution, expertise, perspective and immense knowledge of the CAD market and industry.

The Shark product line integrates 2D and 3D in an effective way. What role do you think 2D will play in the design and manufacturing industry five years from now?

We see 2D continuing to play a relevant role especially in the presentation of 3D data through engineering drawings. Our goal is to continue to provide easy and affordable tools that automate this process providing an attractive migration path for 2D users.

Integration with other CAD system is a key feature of the Shark product line. How is Shark used in combination with the "big guys" (CATIA, Pro/E., etc.)?

[Integration with other CAD system] is a key feature of the Shark product line

You’re right Franco, it is a key feature of the Shark product line and something we’re very proud of. Tim and his team developed a precise kernel that facilitates the sharing of data with the “big guys” and we’ve seen it work to the advantage of the customer in several instances. We have many customers who have existing installations of CATIA, Pro/E, AutoCAD, Solidworks, you name it, and they’ve been able to add additional CAD licenses of Shark into the existing environment to share data seamlessly, and for a noticeably more affordable price tag.

I would like to thank Paul for taking the time to answer my questions. If you have any questions for Paul or for Novedge, please leave a comment below and we will be glad to answer.

Franco Folini

Shark CAD Video Punch! Software products are available from Novedge

Vectorworks Trial Download Now Available at Novedge

2009-07-02T11:14:57-07:00

If you always wanted to try Nemetschek Vectorworks but never found a trial demo available I have great news for you: we now have the free trial available at Novedge!

we now have the free Vectorworks trial available at Novedge!

Vectorworks is a high quality professional design product very popular with architects, landscape designers, and interior designers. If you are in any of these professions I think you will really like what Vectorworks can do for you and the trial will be well worth your while.

You can download your free Vectorworks 2009 trial, Win version or Mac version, now!

Cristiano Sacchi

Interview with Lorenzo Puleo, CEO and Founder of Kinemac

2009-07-01T10:23:00-07:00

Lorenzo Puleo is one of the many creative people who fell in love with Mac. However Lorenzo didn't stop at the user level as most Mac fans do, he went on to conceive a new product and created a company around it. That company shares the name of its main product and is called Kinemac (website).
Kinemac is an easy to use real time animation software for the Mac platform. It combines the ease-of-use typical of so many Mac applications with the power of a professional tool. Novedge is a proud reseller of Kinemac since 2008. I asked Lorenzo to share with us his story and vision. Here is the interview.

Lorenzo can you tell us a bit about yourself and your company?

my greatest dream: creating a 3D animation for the Mac users

I am originally architect migrated to the informatics in 1996. Kinemac is a company I have founded to realize my greatest dream: creating a 3D animation software for the Mac users community. And looking at the results, we succeeded.

The Mac platform is the favorite of creative people. Can you help us understand why?

Mac is not just a computer, it’s a lifestyle

Mac is not just a computer, it’s a lifestyle, a philosophy which perfectly joins math and art. Left brain and right brain think differently. Mac, introducing an intuitive approach to the schematic (but powerful) world of the math, merges them together. That, I suppose, is the secret of the success of the Mac platform in the creative area.

Video and animation are now mainstream on the Internet, an area inundated with amateurs. How much room is there for serious professionals?

to be a pro you need to study more than just being creative

I wouldn’t mix holy and profane. There is an amateurs’ world which could easily find a land on the internet. There is a professional world which daily needs professional tools and skilled artists. I think they speak different languages. I recall these lyrics from the US3 group: “Different rhythm, different people”. I think that professional works like this one from the Tronic Studio can never be put together with amateurs’ works. To be professional you need to study more than being just creative. Furthermore you need powerful tools too. Amateurs could be successful, make a lot of money and get famous too, but this doesn’t mean they are pro. Surely there are exceptions.

Who is your typical user of Kinemac? How does he or she use the program?

Kinemac is in between the consumer and the professional world

We gather users from the pro-sumer world. This means that Kinemac is in between the consumer and the professional world. While offering professional results it can be easily learnt and used by professional and non professional users. We have different profiles of users, we have beginners, single video-artists, small post-production companies, schools and universities, research labs and big companies as international TVs and post-production companies. We have conquered many big names in these last areas, but as you know well, we can’t mention any of them.

What is your strategy for raising awareness of your product and the benefits that come from using it?

Kinemac is one of the most popular 3D Real Time Animation software for MacOS X

We have spread the word of Kinemac in many ways, from exhibiting at the MacWorld SF to releasing articles, interviews, and tutorials. Lately we have granted our product in special bundles which have had a great impact on the Mac community. Today we can surely say that Kinemac is one of the most popular 3D Real Time Animation software for Mac OS X. And everybody loves it. As far as the educational world, we have successfully reached a great goal. We apply special discounts to schools and universities and in change, spontaneously, we get a lot of precious feedback which help us to improve our product in an impressive way.

The new generation browsers will implement video as a native type of data, in the the same way as images and text. What could be the impact of such an important change for video and animation producers and consumers?

Surely the demand of tools to produce video will grow largely. We expect to grow as well. And we are ready for the event. But the day the browsers will implement a standard 3D engine is still far. Let’s see what the future will bring.

What is the geographical distribution of your business and how different are the European and American markets?

we have clients all over the world

We mostly sell over the Internet, so we have clients all over the world. This is the way we look at the market: as one nation.
It could be surprising, but the clients have all the same requirements, no matter the country they live. And this sounds promising.

I would like to thank Lorenzo for taking the time to answer my questions. If you have any questions for Lorenzo or for Novedge, please leave a comment below and we will be glad to answer.

Franco Folini

Kinemac Video Tutorials
Kinemac products are available from Novedge

Who are the Rhino Users? A Poll on RhinoJungle Gives Us Some Answers

2009-06-19T12:08:22-07:00

I'd like to share with you some more results from a recent poll we did on RhinoJungle, the online Rhino 3D users community. The results will give us a better picture not only of the RhinoJungle community, but also of the average Rhino users. I'm not going to throw a bunch of numbers to you, instead I'll put it in happy colored graphs.

According to the poll, the average member of the RhinoJungle community is a male in between 26-35 years old. He is a designer and he is using Rhino 3D and AutoCAD the most. He found the community through the Novedge website, and he appreciates the videos and forum the most. Unfortunately we don't know what kind of car he drives or if he has a Golden Retriever, but we're glad to know our members a little bit better. Do you recognize yourself in the description as given above? Here you can find all the results, so you can make up a profile yourself.

By the way, we are running a new contest on RhinoJungle! The poll wasn't only intended to know our members better, but even more to get feedback about the functioning of the community. Based on that, we're having a contest where you can design a new banner to replace the one we're displaying now on the top of each page of RhinoJungle website (apparently some of our members don't like that banner too much). The lucky guy or girl will win a copy of the book 'Inside Rhinoceros' by Ron K. C. Cheng and of course will get eternal glory on the community. So check out RhinoJungle.com, sign up if you're not a member yet and get out your creative skills!

Mirjam Hart

Rhino and Autodesk Inventor Are Becoming Good Friends

2009-06-18T08:32:36-07:00

Rhino 3D is not the minor CAD system many CAD companies were used to think

The Rhino community could not be ignored anymore! Rhino 3D is not the minor CAD system many CAD companies were used to think. Over the years the community of Rhino users has become larger and more influential with several Rhino designers holding key positions inside design and manufacturing companies of all sizes. Ignoring Rhino and his users is not anymore an option, even for a large software manufacturer such as Autodesk.

Autodesk announcement recognizes the key role Rhino is playing in the mechanical, industrial, and architectural design

Indeed, just a couple of days ago Autodesk announced the release of a "beta version" (they like to call it "technology preview") for an Inventor plug-in to read the Rhino (.3dm) file format. Technically speaking this is not a major accomplishment. The Rhino file format is open and fully documented. The software to read 3dm files is provided free of charge on the openNURBS website. The Autodesk announcement recognizes the key role Rhino is playing in the mechanical, industrial, and architectural design. OpenNURBS (.3dm) is now a file format that CAD companies must be supported in order to retain existing customers or to acquire new ones. The new Inventor plug-in "technology preview" can be downloaded from the Novedge website. If you are an Inventor user you should definitely try it.

Autodesk page dedicated to the Rhino importer for Inventor says, "This technology preview gives you more flexibility when creating designs with vendor or customer data by allowing you to directly import Rhino files into Autodesk Inventor. This translator reads Rhino files(*.3dm) bringing solids, surfaces, wires, and points into Autodesk Inventor to be directly utilized while modeling. Being able to import directly from Rhino files eliminates the need to convert the Rhino data to make it usable in your projects."

the next step should be to return Rhino the favor by documenting the Inventor file format

Autodesk is making a step in the right direction by solving a real problem for his Inventor users. The next step should be to return Rhino the favor by documenting the Inventor file format or by providing an easy way to export an Inventor model as Rhino file, as suggested by Evan Yares on a comment to the Ralph Grabowski blog.

Franco Folini

Vectorworks 2009 Viewer Makes Architects' Life Easier!

2009-06-17T21:02:23-07:00

in order to view and print a Vectorworks file you don't need a Vectorworks license

People at Nemetschek, the makers of Vectorworks, have a little secret I would like to reveal to you: in order to view a Vectorworks model or drawing you neither need to own a Vectorworks license, nor to convert your files into some data exchange format. You only need to download a copy of the free Vectorworks 2009 Viewer, and have it installed on your or your clients' computers.

you can easily set up a collaboration process without having to worry about budget constraints

The Vectorworks 2009 Viewer can open any file (.mcd and .vwx) created with several versions of your favorite CAD system including 9, 10, 11, 12, 2008, and obviously the latest 2009 (with all the enhancements of the Service Pack 4). Using this free tool you can easily set up a collaboration process with your clients without having to worry about budget constraints or loss of information due to data conversion. Simply send them your Vectorworks files with a link to the Vectorworks 2009 Viewer download to let them open, explore, and print your 3D models and 2D drawings.

Now that you know this little secret you can go on the Novedge website and download a copy of the Vectorworks 2009 Viewer for your PC or Mac. And the the best part is you are not bound to keep this secret. Tell all your colleagues about it!

Franco Folini

Interview with Al Whatmough, CEO and Founder of InspirTech

2009-06-16T09:55:12-07:00

A few major trends are shaping the balance between classroom training and online/DVD self-training. The first trend is the gradual decrease of CAD system prices. It used to be normal to pay a few thousand dollars for a training class. It is now perceived as unfair to have to pay as much or even more for training as for a full CAD license. CAD systems are gradually getting easier to use and require less training. Another important trend affecting the way people use training is that CAD users love to almost instantly access training as they find a problem or an unknown feature. Online training as well DVDs are now available 24/7 to provide answers to problems as quickly as possible. One of the major players in the CAD training field is a company called InspirTech, which offers a good selection of training DVDs for SolidWorks and MasterCAM. I asked InspirTech's CEO Al Whatmough a few questions to find out more about this new and promising evolution in CAD training. Here is the interview.

Al can you tell us a bit about yourself and your company?

while teaching I found how much I enjoyed to motivate and reach each individual learner

By all means, I started my career as a machinist in a university machine shop where we made models of buildings and bridges for wind tunnel tests, as well as various lab setups for the university. While at the university, I became proficient designing models in SolidWorks and making them on CNC and rapid prototyping machines. Next, I moved on to teaching Design and Machine shop at the high school level, were I had the chance to inspire kids to use and embrace technology. While teaching I found how much I enjoyed finding ways to motivate and reach each individual learner. At that time I realized that structured training was lacking. So, I started InspirTech and began to author self-paced SolidWorks training that would guide users through the learning process.

CAD training is quickly moving from the classroom to the computer screen. What are the reasons for this shift and what is the impact on CAD end-users?

we all live very busy lives and learn at different rates- making self-paced learning more attractive

The shift is taking place for a lot of reasons, but I think the biggest reason is flexibility for the student. In a classroom environment a student is expected to be available at a certain time and learn at the same pace as the other students. The reality is, we all live very busy lives and learn at different rates- making self-paced learning more attractive. Additionally, with recorded training you can bring the experts to every student. That being said, nothing will ever completely replace the value of having a person there for motivation and coaching. So, I can see a solution where classrooms make more use of structured video based training like ours.

Do you think technical books and DVDs will disappear as the current generation of CAD users is replaced by a younger generation more comfortable with online training?

DVD’s will move to videos hosted in the clouds

Books will definitely evolve into a more digital form; DVD’s will move to videos hosted in the clouds. Although, in both cases there will always be a need for training in both video and written form. But yes, in time I do definitely think that all training content will be hosted online where it can be instantly updated behind the scenes and accessed from anywhere with an internet connection.

The separation between training and help files is getting more blurry every day. Is interactive training replacing the traditional help files or the other way around?

training and help files serve to entirely different purposes

When interactive training gets blurred with a help file, I would argue that it is not interactive training at all, but rather a “video based help file”. Training and help files serve to entirely different purposes. Help files are in place for a user to have a searchable index to find specific answers to how to use a specific tool. Interactive training, on the other hand, is in place to help users learn skills that they may not even know that they need to know. That being said, searchable training could potentially remove the need for help files all together.

Training DVDs are a static resource and like a book cannot be updated, only replaced. Do you see a future where online training becomes a sort of shared resource that hosts not only lessons prepared and updated by trainers but also end-user contributions?

when it comes to training, I think that making them shared resources will only make the learning process more confusing

Yes, by all means. Technology is taking us in the direction of a far more collaborative world where files are hosted in the clouds. So, I do see help files becoming a “shared resource” in models similar to Wikipedia. However, when it comes to training, I think that making them shared resources will only make the learning process more confusing. The purpose and necessity for training is to take the flood and wealth of knowledge and boil it down to something that a new user can understand. Now that same flood of knowledge is a limitless resource to a veteran user, but could be poison to a new user who doesn’t know where to start and in what direction to continue on.

Let’s envision a sort of ideal CAD world, where there are easy-to-use CAD systems and perfect product documentation. In such a world do we still need training products like yours?

the need for quality training will never go away

The theme for all these questions has been to clarify the difference between documentation (help files) and structured training. In a world where software is easier to use, the need for help files may be reduced. However, the need for quality training will never go away. To say there wasn’t a need for training in CAD Systems would be like saying, “Everybody knows how to pick up a pencil, so we don’t need to teach writing anymore”.

I would like to thank Al for taking the time to answer my questions. If you have any questions for Al or for Novedge, please leave a comment below and we will be glad to answer.

Franco Folini

InspirTech Sample Video InspirTech products are available from Novedge