20+ Years of Design, Technology & More
20+ Years of Design, Technology & More
The session "The Stack Inversion is Real" addresses the evolving role of CAD managers, highlighting how AI transforms workflows. It emphasizes that traditional CAD knowledge is less critical, while decision-making responsibilities grow. The speaker invites participants to discuss crash data and reference loops, fostering a collaborative environment to improve CAD management.
On Sunday morning, I debugged acad.exe lingering in Task Manager post-shutdown, linked to an NVIDIA driver. Disabling hardware acceleration in AutoCAD/Civil 3D resolved the issue. A clean installation of the driver also fixed the problem, which I confirmed through a newly found knowledge base article on the matter.
The Autodesk University 2026 Thrive Guide by Shaan Hurley offers essential tips for attendees preparing for the event in Las Vegas from September 15-17. The guide includes venue highlights, packing suggestions, and advice on networking and session attendance. It emphasizes the importance of hydration, comfortable footwear, and enjoying the local cuisine and attractions.
Autodesk was founded in 1982 not to create AutoCAD, which emerged later from a product initially called MicroCAD, but to develop various software products. The pivotal moment came at COMDEX when the founders chose to focus solely on AutoCAD after its strong reception, leading to their success in the CAD industry.
The article discusses the differences between the Overlay and Attach methods in AutoCAD and Civil 3D. While Overlay is preferred for managing references, Civil 3D introduces complexities with data shortcuts, creating potential mixed loops that can disrupt project workflows. Users must understand file dependencies to avoid creating loops before referencing drawings.
This podcast episode explores Autodesk's unexpected origins, focusing on its evolution from a UNIVAC hacker network to a billion-dollar enterprise. Key themes include the challenges of early software development, strategic decisions that shaped AutoCAD, and the company's growth trajectory. The narrative underscores the significance of primary sources in understanding this tech history.
Most CAD managers underestimate the significance of Autodesk crash data found in Customer Error Reports (CERs). Regularly analyzing these files reveals underlying issues affecting user environments, often overlooked by support tickets. Cer data can identify patterns leading to crashes and help implement fixes, thereby reducing user frustration and improving productivity.
AutoCAD 2027, released on March 25, 2026, emphasizes AI-assisted workflows, featuring the Autodesk Assistant for enhanced user interaction with DWG files. Key updates include multi-user DWG editing, a Geometry Cleanup tool, improved layout tab switching, and significant upgrades in Civil 3D, especially in drainage tools, enhancing collaboration and efficiency.
Mike Riddle wrote a CAD program in his spare time and became one of the most important — and most contested — figures in AutoCAD’s origin story. Here is the complete account, including the parts he would tell differently than Autodesk would.
The Accidental Empire
How a band of UNIVAC hackers, a borrowed plotter, and five long-shot bets became one of the most influential software companies ever built. The oral history Autodesk never officially told. Here are the Oral History of many early Autodesk founders and those in its early history.