20+ Years of Design, Technology & More
20+ Years of Design, Technology & More
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.
A simple tip from Robin Capper can significantly improve Civil 3D and AutoCAD performance: dock the command line to the bottom of the screen. This change reduces cursor lag and instability by minimizing processing competition on the CPU and streamlining window management, potentially leading to a smoother user experience.
The offer period for unique Autodesk memorabilia, including early CAD manuals and hardware, runs from March 23 to April 5. Interested buyers must email their preferred items, offers, and intentions for use. Authentic stories carry weight in selection, as tangible items are primarily memorabilia from Autodesk's early days.
One of the simplest and most effective things you can do to maintain a stable, high-performing CAD workstation is to reboot regularly and keep your machine current with IT and hardware updates. AutoCAD, Civil 3D and other CAD applications accumulate…
Autodesk's journey from a scrappy startup to a global powerhouse reshaped industries with its pioneering design software. Now I’m
Offering some of my Autodesk and AutoCAD artifacts.
The post discusses the challenges of sending and receiving transmittals in Civil 3D and AutoCAD, highlighting common issues like missing external references and font conflicts. eTransmit simplifies this by packaging all dependencies accurately. It provides options for setup, packaging formats, and paths, ensuring recipients receive functional files. A checklist for effective usage is included.
If you have Autodesk Desktop Connector (ACC Docs – changing to Forma brand) installed – and in 2026 you almost certainly do – stop using the built-in AutoCAD and Civil 3D Reference Manager. Reference Explorer is sitting right there in…