The SolidWorks Blog

People @ SolidWorks World 2010: Shaun Murphy

Next in our People @ SolidWorks World 2010 series is this interview with Shaun Murphy. Shaun is product manager for our MCAD software, and will be leading a breakout session on ECAD to MCAD integration with CircuitWorks.

People @ SolidWorks World 2010: Sal Lama

Today I'm posting the first in a series of videos leading up to SolidWorks World 2010 in Anaheim CA. These are interviews with people here at SolidWorks who you might run into at the show, talking about what they do and why you might be interested in talking to them.

These aren't the usual "Chiefs" and vice presidents you might be used to seeing. Instead, these are the people who work behind the scenes, the people who make SolidWorks run on a day-to-day basis. I hope you enjoy them.

Our first video is with Sal Lama, who works in our Product Definition group. And yes, that's me behind the camera tossing out questions.

Enter to win the SolidWorks World 2010 First Timer Contest

So maybe being the Official Internet Correspondent wasn't your thing (congratulations Chris). Maybe it was because you've never been to SolidWorks World before, and you weren't sure what you would be getting into. That's OK. Because here's another chance for you to go.

Our new contest is aimed at you, the SolidWorks user who's never been to SolidWorks World before. We want you to come join us and take part in all of the fun, learning, and networking in Anaheim. And this time, I'm not even going to ask you to do anything while you're there*. But you do have to convince us to pick you as the winner.

So here's what you'll need to do. Leave a comment on this blog entry telling your best "SolidWorks first-time" story. Maybe it's something funny that happened the first time you attended a user group meeting. Maybe it's the first time things really clicked for you learning SolidWorks in college. Or maybe it was the first time you saw a demo and your jaw dropped. Get creative. Just no stories about the first time you attended SolidWorks World. Because you wouldn't be a first-timer then, now would you?

And as much as it pains me to say this, you must be 21 or older to enter, and citizens of Brazil, Quebec and China are not eligible. You can read the complete rules and regs here:

Download the SolidWorks World 2010 First-Timer Contest rules

Don't wait too long to enter--this contest ends at noon EDT on November 25, so start thinking!

* If you feel like meeting up the last day of the show and doing a quick video interview about the highlights of your experience, that would be great. But you know, only if you want to.

And the winner of the SolidWorks World 2010 Internet Correspondent Contest is...

Drum roll please.....

Chris McAndrew, for the entry he submitted on his blog. I plan to hold him to his beet-throwing promise, so as you're wandering the Anaheim Convention Center, be on the lookout for flying root vegetables.

Thanks to everyone who entered the contest. Hopefully we'll still see you at SolidWorks World, and you never know, there just may be another contest starting soon that you could enter.

SolidWorks News Roundup: win a laptop, Jon Hirschtick on YouTube and more

I have a few things to talk about today, so I figured I'd put it all into a single update than three separate ones. So here goes:

1. I got to hang out with the guys at 3DVIA last week while they shot a video with Jon Hirschtick talking about how he uses 3DVIA Mobile, and how useful it can be for other SolidWorks users. It was a lot of fun, and you can see the final video now on YouTube. Have a look.

2. The events team is giving away a Dell M6400 mobile workstation to one lucky person who registers for SolidWorks World by November 30. You can go here to read all the terms and conditions. And here's something cool--you're eligible to win even if you've already registered. So bully for you if you planned ahead.

 

3. Yesterday we announced a new program. We're donating $1 to Formula Hybrid for every download of SolidWorks SustainabilityXpress, up to $10,000. If you haven't downloaded SustainabilityXpress, go do it now. It's a great product, and you'll be supporting the next generation of innovators.

Announcing the SolidWorks World 2010 Official Internet Correspondent Contest

Are you a YouTubing, Facebooking, overall Internet-loving SolidWorks fan? Would you like to get into SolidWorks World 2010 for free? Well, here's your chance.

Starting today, you can enter to win our SolidWorks World 2010 Official Internet Correspondent contest. Just leave a comment in this entry telling us why we should pick you to cover the show. Is it because you think you know SolidWorks World better than anyone else? Do you really know how to get those left-brained developers to open up on camera? Or do you just want to show the guys back home what they're missing?

The winner will meet up with me before the show starts, and I'll give you a camcorder you can use to document the event. You'll get full press access and use of the press room, so start thinking about who you want to talk to. I'll also set you up with a blog account and YouTube access, so you can share your updates with your adoring public. And naturally, you'll be sending out tweets with the #SWW10 hashtag.

Get creative--you can post a video on YouTube and include the link, or maybe start a petition. It's up to you. The contest ends on November 13, and when we get back in the office the following Monday, we'll look through all of the responses and pick the most creative, funny, or plain-old interesting one as the winner.

You can click here to read the full terms and conditions of the contest. In a nutshell, you have to be 21 or older to enter, and citizens of Brazil, China and Quebec aren't eligible (sorry). And if you slack off on your correspondent duties you'll face the unending ridicule of your peers, and no one wants that.

So do you think you have what it takes to be the Official SolidWorks World 2010 Internet Correspondent?

Download Terms and conditions - SolidWorks World 2010 Internet Correspondent Contest

SolidWorks World 2010 Early Bird Deadline Is Today!

No long spiel today. I just want to remind everyone that you have until midnight tonight to save $200 on registration for SolidWorks World 2010.

West / Over and out

The SolidWorks World user agenda is available now!

Have you been waiting to register for SolidWorks World because you want to see what's in store? Then wait no longer--the (preliminary) user agenda is now available. Yes, all you have to do is click on this link right here and you can see what breakout and hands-on sessions will be available. I'm sure there's something in there that you can use to point to the boss and say "Look, if I go to this session I'll totally be 85.46% more productive."*

And if you have already registered (good on you), you can start planning your trip now, almost four months before the event even starts.

So why are you still reading this? Get planning!

* Productivity will vary by individual. We make no guarantees that anything will make you more productive. Except for coffee. Mmmmm....coffee....

SolidWorks World 2010 Early Bird Deadline Approaching (plus how to get in for free)

It's hard to believe that the official end to summer is next week. It's already starting to cool down here in New England, and pumpkins are already starting to show up at the roadside farm stands around Concord. I'm hoping the constant rain we had all summer comes to an end so we can spend the weekends picking apples instead of figuring out what to do inside. But I digress...

Now that we've gotten the launch of SolidWorks 2010 out of the door, the focus around here has started shifting to SolidWorks World 2010. The SolidWorks World website went live a few weeks ago, and we're only three weeks away from the first registration deadline.

If you already plan on attending, you can save $200 on the regular registration fee if you register by October 9. And if you're not sure you're attending, well, maybe this can help speed up the decision.

And as always, you can take advantage of the 3-for-2 deal, where three people can get into the event for the price of two. If you're friendly with the folks from the office, you might even think about sharing hotel rooms to save even more. Hey, it's something to think about.

There's also a way you can get into SolidWorks World for free. Yep, free. Want to know how? All you have to do is be a presenter. We're still accepting proposals for breakout and hands-on sessions. If your proposal is accepted, your admission to the event is waived. All you have to do is get yourself there and pay for a place to sleep.

Right now, we're especially interested in people who can give hands-on sessions regarding the productivity tools in SolidWorks, including data translation, design standards, hardware and 3D content, and routing, piping and harnessing. We're also looking for both breakouts and hands-on sessions involving the SolidWorks API.

SolidWorks World 2010 Registration is Now Open

I know some of you have been waiting for this day since the closing session of SolidWorks World 2009 earlier this year. So I'll keep this one short.

The new SolidWorks World 2010 website went live yesterday afternoon, and registration is now open. The usual deals apply--save $200 on an individual registration if you register before October 9, and get three registrations when you pay for two. Want to go for free? Just submit a presentation for consideration. If you get picked to present in a breakout session, your registration fee is comped.

While I'm thinking about it, we're still looking for suggestions about general session keynote speakers. I think my favorite suggestion so far is Tim Berners-Lee, but that's just me...