Lynn Allen Archives - cad nauseam

Announcement, BLADE, Blowing my own horn, BricsCAD, Bricsys, CAD Management, Customisation, Development, Interview, LISP, Maintenance, Video

Wielding BLADE on BricsCAD Unplugged

By Steve Johnson 14 December 2018, 11:03 pm 14 December 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"0

In September I was the special guest on the BricsCAD Unplugged episode BricsCAD Unplugged – Steve Johnson 5 surprises moving to BricsCAD. Next Wednesday I will return, this time to wield BLADE, the best thing to happen to CAD LISP in nearly 20 years. I’ll be introducing it and demonstrating a few things, including the new features that came with V19. These live broadcasts are run on the Bricsys Facebook page and are then quickly transferred to YouTube. This broadcast will start at UTC 15:00 (3 PM) on Wednesday, 19 December 2018. Here’s that time in a few handy time zones: …

A & B Tips, BLADE, Blowing my own horn, BricsCAD, Bricsys, Bricsys Conference, Bug, CAD Management, Cadalyst, Customisation, Development, DWG, Fun, Interoperability, Interview, LISP, Maintenance, Navel Gazing, Nostalgia, Video

Video – Steve on BricsCAD Unplugged

By Steve Johnson 13 September 2018, 12:17 pm 13 September 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"0

Following on from Lynn Allen and Robert Green’s guest appearances on the BricsCAD Unplugged webcast a couple of weeks ago, this time it was my turn. Last night (my time) I was the special guest on the episode BricsCAD Unplugged – Steve Johnson 5 surprises moving to BricsCAD. I’m introduced at 2:12 and appear at 3:30. Here’s the full video: In this week’s episode, you’ll witness: Me discussing the five biggest things that pleasantly surprised me about BricsCAD. (I have more than five, but time was limited). Don Strimbu bribing me with drinks containers. An actual printed copy of Cadalyst …

BricsCAD, Bricsys, Bricsys Conference, DWG, Fun, Video

Where on Earth is Lynn Allen going?

By Steve Johnson 30 August 2018, 9:22 pm 30 August 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"5

Well, this is a fun video for CAD geeks. The third in the BricsCAD Unplugged series of weekly webcasts, this one promotes the Bricsys 2018 conference which will be held on 23 and 24 October in London. These live broadcasts run on the Bricsys Facebook page and are then quickly transferred to YouTube. This one is interesting because of the people in it and some interesting news. It features Bricsys regulars Don Strimbu, Heidi Hewett, Vince Aman and Matt Olding, but also a couple of special guests. First on the scene is Robert Green (see 4:57) but the real surprise …

Autodesk, Autodesk University, Interview, IPoC

IPoC interview – Lynn Allen – part 3

By Steve Johnson 19 June 2018, 1:53 pm 19 June 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"0

This is the third in a series of interviews of Interesting People of CAD (IPoC). Lynn Allen is a legendary figure in the CAD world and really needs no introduction. I’m very happy that she agreed to be interviewed for this series. Here is the third and final part of Lynn’s interview. Learn about Lynn’s departure from Autodesk, people’s reactions to the news, and what Lynn thinks about Heidi Hewett going to Bricsys. Also, Miss Tiffany. Steve: So after all these years, you’re no longer with Autodesk. Was that a shock to the system? Lynn: After 24 years, it is …

Autodesk, Autodesk University, Interview, IPoC

IPoC interview – Lynn Allen – part 2

By Steve Johnson 8 June 2018, 11:32 am 23 June 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"0

This is the third in a series of interviews of Interesting People of CAD (IPoC). Lynn Allen is a legendary figure in the CAD world and really needs no introduction. I’m very happy that she agreed to be interviewed for this series. Here is the second part of Lynn’s interview, which includes discussion of travel, gender issues and a nasty poster. Steve: As Technology Evangelist for Autodesk for over 20 years, presentation was a big part of your job. You have a comedic, apparently casual approach to your presentations that is very popular. How much preparation do you have to …

Autodesk, Autodesk University, Interview, IPoC

IPoC interview – Lynn Allen – part 1

By Steve Johnson 29 May 2018, 10:47 pm 23 June 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"0

This is the third in a series of interviews of Interesting People of CAD (IPoC). Lynn Allen is a legendary figure in the CAD world and really needs no introduction. I’m very happy that she agreed to be interviewed for this series. Here is the first part of Lynn’s interview. Topics include life before Autodesk, that AU wig and user groups, especially AUGI. Steve: Can you tell me a little about your background before you started with Autodesk? Have you always been involved in teaching and training? Lynn: I started using AutoCAD with Version 1.4 at American Honda. I then …

AUGI, AutoCAD, Autodesk, Autodesk University, Interview, IPoC, Nostalgia

IPoC interview – David Kingsley – part 3

By Steve Johnson 27 April 2018, 3:20 pm 27 April 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"2

Welcome to the second in this series of interviews of Interesting People of CAD (IPoC). David Kingsley has had a long and interesting career, was present in the early days of CAD adoption, and served as an AUGI board member for years. Here is the third and final part of David’s interview. This was the most interesting part of the interview for me, but unfortunately much of the more hilarious anecdotes and other discussions were off the record so I can’t share them. I hope you enjoy what’s left! Steve: What are you most proud of achieving with AUGI? David: …

AUGI, AutoCAD, Autodesk, Autodesk University, Interview, IPoC, Nostalgia

IPoC interview – David Kingsley – part 2

By Steve Johnson 26 April 2018, 9:11 am 27 April 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"0

Welcome to the second in this series of interviews of Interesting People of CAD (IPoC). David Kingsley has had a long and interesting career, was present in the early days of CAD adoption, and served as an AUGI board member for years. Here is the second part of David’s interview which covers his involvement in AUGI, the controversy over how it was managed, and how that ended his involvement. Steve: What was your first involvement with AUGI or NAAUG? At what stage did you get involved? David: I think it was NAAUG in Philadelphia. Paul Jackson came up to me …

AUGI, AutoCAD, Autodesk, Autodesk University, Interview, IPoC, Nostalgia

IPoC interview – David Kingsley – part 1

By Steve Johnson 24 April 2018, 11:39 pm 28 April 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"1

Welcome to the second in this series of interviews of Interesting People of CAD (IPoC). David Kingsley has had a long and interesting career, was present in the early days of CAD adoption, and served as an AUGI board member for years. Here is the first part of David’s interview, which covers his career. It’s a long career, so this is a loooong post! Strap in tight for a candid discussion of solar plants, a couple of US Presidents, primeval Autodesk University, Autodesk before and after Lynn Allen, a personal opinion of the current CEO, sailing on an America’s Cup …

Announcement, Autodesk

Autodesk has lost some of its best people

By Steve Johnson 8 February 2018, 1:07 pm 9 February 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"15

If you follow certain people on social media this may not be news to you, but Autodesk has just suffered a shocking loss. People at SOLIDWORKS World were amazed to see Lynn Allen, probably the most famous person in CAD, and for decades the face of Autodesk, in attendance. Image credit: Craig Black via Facebook No, she wasn’t spying on the competition; she’s praised aspects of what Dassault is doing and has described the event as “pretty amazing”. In her own words, she’s now a free agent. Lynn, a highly professional and entertaining presenter, was undoubtedly Autodesk’s biggest drawcard. No …

Autodesk, Other Blogs, Win, Writing

Autodesk has some great documentation people

By Steve Johnson 4 November 2016, 12:08 pm 4 November 2016 itemprop="discussionURL"5

The most heavily commented post on this blog is AutoCAD 2013 – An Autodesk Help writer responds, featuring Dieter Schlaepfer‘s response to posts and comments here about AutoCAD 2013’s Help. I don’t always agree with Dieter but I respect him enormously, and not just because he was brave enough to stick his head above the parapet in a hostile environment. Dieter is a principal technical writer at Autodesk with many years’ experience and is therefore responsible for large amounts of documentation content. You’ve almost certainly read his work. I’ve been critical of AutoCAD’s Help system since it was broken in …

AutoCAD, AutoCAD 2012, Autodesk, Other Blogs, Tip

Lynn Allen’s AutoCAD 2012 tips booklet is out

By Steve Johnson 13 May 2011, 4:04 pm 13 May 2011 itemprop="discussionURL"3

Lynn Allen produces a handy tips booklet for each new release of AutoCAD, giving an easy-to-read summary of the main new features. She has made the AutoCAD 2012 online version available on her blog here.

AutoCAD 2010, Autodesk, Fun, Interview, Other Blogs, Video

A gaggle of geeks

By Steve Johnson 27 February 2009, 12:38 pm 27 February 2009 itemprop="discussionURL"6

Time to lighten things up a bit, I think. While attending the AutoCAD 2010 product launch in San Francisco on 5 February 2009, I conducted a series of micro-interviews with a collection of AutoCAD bloggers and Autodesk employees. One geek asks 14 other geeks if they are geeks; nothing too serious here. I hope Shaan enjoys my tabloid journalist editing job right at the end. YouTube link. Thanks to all the interviewees: Heidi Hewett, Autodesk blogger Lynn Allen, Autodesk blogger Melanie Perry, blogger Robin Capper, blogger Brian Benton, blogger Todd Shackelford, blogger Jon Page, Autodesk person Matt Stein, Autodesk person …

AU2006, AutoCAD, Autodesk University, Fun, Navel Gazing, Other Blogs, Pictures

Thanks for the welcome

By Steve Johnson 1 March 2008, 8:51 pm 1 March 2008 itemprop="discussionURL"0

A belated thank you to Kiwi Robin Capper for his welcome to the CAD blog world. Here’s a snap I took of Robin at Autodesk University 2006: Similarly, thanks to Lynn Allen for linking to my post about her famous Cell Phone Story. Here she is, also at AU 2006, presenting me with a signed copy of her excellent book AutoCAD: Professional Tips and Techniques which I won by skillfully (ahem) waving my arms furiously at the right moment during her presentation. Finally, thanks to Shaan Hurley for welcoming me to the blog fold. Here is one of the more …

AU2006, AutoCAD, Autodesk University, Fun, Video

Lynn Allen’s Famous Cell Phone Story

By Steve Johnson 21 February 2008, 10:17 am 8 February 2018 itemprop="discussionURL"7

Whatever the subject, Autodesk evangelist and fellow Cadalyst writer Lynn Allen always gives a very entertaining and informative presentation. If you attend one and you’re lucky, you might get to hear this now infamous story. This footage was taken at Autodesk University, Las Vegas, November 2006. Sorry the sound’s not the best, you may need to turn it up a bit. YouTube Link