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Thanks to Kevin Niles - I enjoyed a great day of technical presentations with the Disney Folks in Florida (love working with them!) Kevin kindly ended the day with a nice treat - he took us into Epcot! I can't help it - I'm a Disney fan through and through - I was so excited to spend some time at Epcot! Woo-Hoo!
After that - I moved on to Washington D.C. for a weekend of playing "tourist". I managed to get a sneak glimpse of the new Martin Luther King Memorial (through the fence) and it is really awe-inspiring.
The location of the Memorial is quite amazing - it creates a visual "line of leadership" from the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech; to the Jefferson Memorial, which honors the President who helped create the United States as the author of the Declaration of Independence (and includes the key phrase "all men are created equal).
That said - I also had quite the exciting time being in Washington DC during the earthquake (could have stayed in California for that!) It was pretty insane - especially since they don't really have earthquakes out there. There was the expected over-reaction (can't say I blame them!) - which culminated in a traffic nightmare for the city. I ended up walking several miles back to my hotel (traffic wasn't moving at all). That was quite an exciting day in DC I must admit!
Before leaving Washington DC I presented at the CMI Tech Tour (along with some great presenters Eddie Perlberg, John Janzen and Donnie Gladfetter).
I'm just grateful I was able to fly home before Irene hit! My thoughts are going out to all of you who have been affected by the Hurricane...Be safe...
There is going to be a big announcement tomorrow and you don't want to miss it! Join me for Design8.16 for a live-streaming FaceCast.
Are you going to be there for the big news?
The AutoCAD folks at Autodesk are trying to understand how AutoCAD users work in a connected, cloud enabled and mobile world - and they'd like your help! (yes, You!)
You just need a camera phone or digital camera and a computer to participate in the Oz Photo Hunt.
Yes Dorothy, we’re not in Kansas anymore. There are incredible new possibilities for AutoCAD and Autodesk in general. And Autodesk wants your input into what this new territory might look like!
So what do they need from you?
Take photos of the following list of items, and write a short caption describing each. These images can be both figurative and literal, and might include screenshots as well as photos that you take yourself.
YOU CAN TAKE AS MANY OR AS FEW PICTURES AS YOU LIKE, DRAWING FROM THE LIST BELOW.
1. Yourself
2. Your “main workspace(s)” (i.e. the place where most of your work is done)
3. Any other places where you do your work (1-3 pictures)
4. Something that makes your job easier
5. The thing you would most like to delegate
6. Your favorite mobile applications, websites, or software/technology (1-3 pictures)
7. How your favorite mobile applications, websites, or software/technology make you feel
8. How you see AutoCAD CURRENTLY within the context of a connected world
9. How you would like to see AutoCAD in the FUTURE, within the context of a connected world
How do you submit photos?
Add oz@autodesk.com on Facebook, and post your pictures on the wall (along with a short caption). If you prefer, you can also email them directly to oz@autodesk.com
How will this be used?
Your input will impact our strategy for AutoCAD in a connected world, and will be used only for research purposes.
What’s in it for you?
EACH photo you submit will count as ONE entry into a raffle. Prizes will include two $100 Amazon giftcards. If you live outside of the U.S., you may select an online vendor of your choice for the giftcard.
What’s the deadline?
All photos must be submitted by Friday, August 19 (so hurry!)
How do you get started?
Click on the link below to start the short survey and you'll find more detailed instructions at the end of the survey.
Take me to the AutoCAD Photo Oz Hunt!
So do you know about the good old Group command? Groups have been in AutoCAD for many years - but I find that so few people know about them. Over the years it has become increasingly more difficult to find the Group command in the AutoCAD menu system - but with AutoCAD 2012 you'll find Groups are now front and center on the Home tab of the ribbon! (Clearly they now have a much better PR agent!)
So with this High Rent real estate comes a new-found interest in this clever command. What exactly are groups? Why can I do with them?
Groups are very similar to blocks - but without all the stress.
A Group is a group of objects, that you name (just like a block). At any given time you can treat all the objects in a group as one object - or as individual objects. For example - you might want to create a group called Desk that contains a block of a desk, a block of a chair, a printer, etc. Any type of object can be included in your group.
Tip: The magical toggle to turn Groups On and Off is Shift+Control+A. Hit this combination whenever you need to turn the group on or off!
You'll start by using the GROUP command to create and name your group (even if you aren't on AutoCAD 2012). You can add members to the group down the line, or remove them - yadda yadda. You can even delete your group if you get tired of it!
Of course there is much more to Groups than meet the eye - so you might want to check out my Cadalyst Tips and Tricks video that goes into more detail (from a couple of weeks ago).
So isn't it about time you became a Group Guru too? Give them a try! You might just become a "Group Groupie!" (forgive me)
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