Scott Grant is running the Edinburgh Marathon for Parkinson's UK

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Scott Grant of Excitech, LRUG, GRUG, ERUG, and anywhere else where there is a pub or beer is getting fit-ish and fundraising. He says... 

"After too many years of living the life of a couch potato, I have gotten myself fit (well fit-er) and decided to participate in the 2011 Edinburgh Marathon as part of the Parkinson’s UK team.

Aside from a long held desire to compete in a marathon, I wanted to do something worthwhile for a cause that was close to my heart.

The only choice I could make here was to support Parkinson’s UK, as this was the debilitating illness that robbed my Grandfather of any quality of life in the last 5 years he had with us before he passed away.  He was an inspiration to me and to this day, still one of the best natured people I have ever met.  His warmth was palpable, his wisdom extensive and I owe him an eternal debt for teaching me good manners and what it really means to be a gentleman.  He contributed so much to making me what I became, and it still pains me that he never really got to comprehend my success because of this condition; as I know it would have made him so proud."

Pop over to his Just Giving fund raising page, and see video of him him training. It's a great cause, my father ended up in a nursing home with Parkinsons because he needed 24/7 care that could not be provided at home, so I can understand why the cause is close to Scotts heart.

Scott, Last time I saw legs like that was Rod Hulls Emu! 

Politically Correct Christmas Wish II

Last year I wanted to send a seasonal greeting but with it being so difficult in today's world to know exactly what to say without offending someone, I came up with the Politically Correct Christmas Wish MkI.

Greeting Mk II is known to Alpha and Beta testers as Miserable Old Git or MOG for short.

Seasonal Greeting II also ticks another governmental objective as I have now recycled 95% of it from last year making minor modification and improvement to the design.

So without further ado here is Seasonal Greeting or Wish Mk II

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, nonaddictive, gender neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practised with the most enjoyable traditions of religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2011, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make our country great, not to imply that the United Kingdom (apologies to those of a republican persuasion) is necessarily greater than any other country, and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:

This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher. Disclaimer:

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message; however, a significant number of electrons were slightly inconvenienced.

I am considering opening up the product Seasonal Wish on subscription which means that you will receive fixes to typing errors as they are found and a Subscription Advantage Pack half way through the term of your subscription that will create more bugs than it fixes and provide you with nothing of real advantage at all. Thus I apologise in advance for the term advantage being used at all in the service description.

Due to the current economic climate, next years Seasonal Wish III is likely to be a refurbishment project, as governmental expenditure is currently being geared more towards refurbishment and not new build. Unfortunately BIM and Revit is not really suitable for this task regardless of how many videos and seminars by Autodesk may be produced or held, and Microsoft Word will be used for the task.
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It looks like AUGI are getting their data and old forums back!

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GOOD NEWS - Normal service will be resumed shortly.

It's looking like AUGI is getting its data and the original Forums back....here is a post from David Harrington

1. AUGI’s previous web service provider (Illiac) has assured us that the historical forum data is not lost nor are its backups. The data exists in full and will be restored.

2. Illiac has prepared a temporary forum system with the “old” forum data to go online.

3. AUGI and Illiac are working to finalize an agreement to transfer the forum data to AUGI.

4. Illiac has the temporary site ready to go live and AUGI is prepared to go live once the agreement is in place.

5. Both parties expect an agreement to be reached within 24 hours.

6. Within a few days after the agreement is in place, the temporary forum system is expected to be online and AUGI will begin developing the permanent forum site.

7. Because of the functional limits within the EE forum software, coupled with having access to the old forum data and input from members, AUGI will be reverting back to vBulletin forum software which should be operational within one month after the agreement is in place.

8. Based on input from members and functional limits of EE forum setup, AUGI will be reverting back to the “familiar” forum topic structure.

9. Once the vBulletin software is configured and populated with the required forum structure, all old forum posts will be imported and merged with EE forum posts. Then the temporary site will be deactivated.
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Time to Harvest All Those AU2010 Classes!

. Click the Squirrel to go to AU Online

It’s time once again to go into squirrel mode, and harvest all those very useful Revit classes that are to be found on Autodesk University Online! Last year I reported that the main problem was with the actual screencasts and the extremely poor quality of the sound recordings. The later Virtual sessions and repeats were a much better quality (after they fixed the poor sound quality on a few of the early sessions) but you could get into classes and it did work.

I mused that if Autodesk learn anything from AU2009, I hope it’s was to find better sound engineers and to create far more virtual sessions, for later downloading by users who want save the planet, or just can’t afford to travel to Las Vegas.

This year for many AU2010 Virtual was just awful, but at last one can log in and harvest all that good stuff that should have been available during AU2010.

Never mind all the bells and whistles, come on Autodesk just give use during AU2010 what you supply us with weeks after it, full access to the material on demand too download. 

So go too it my little Revit-Heads, and grab those:-

Handouts & Presentation material in Word, PowerPoint and adobe pdf format
Example files and Datasets
Screencasts and Podcasts and
AU Virtual sessions

If the AUGI forum experience has taught us users anything, it is don't bank on the material being there when you want it later. Harvest them now! 

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Survey reveals industry split over BIM

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Extract from bdonline article  Article by Anna Winston

A new survey launched by standards and specifications expert NBS has revealed an ‘alarming lack of awareness’ of BIM across the construction industry.

The survey of 386 construction professionals, including 155 architects,showed that 43% were either unaware of or hadn’t used Building Information Modelling (BIM).

The results come just a month after chief government construction advisor Paul Morrell revealed plans to introduce BIM into the public procurement process.

Of the respondents to the NBS survey who were aware of BIM, only 10% were currently using it for the majority of projects. However, more than 70% believed that BIM was the future of project information management and two thirds expected to use it for the majority of projects within the next five years. 

More than half of those already using BIM said it had improved profitability and 81% said it had improved productivity.

NBS said that the largest barrier to widespread adoption of BIM was the perception that introducing the process would mean expensive and drastic changes to their existing systems. Only 18% of respondents believed that BIM was a synonym for Cad drawing - a misconception often cited as a barrier to widespread adoption.

“The main risk is that the industry splits in two,” said Stephen Hamil, head of BIM at NBS. “Half the industry is clearly making steps to adopt BIM and these practices will win competitions and will have better people wanting to work for them. You’ll end up potentially with a two tier system.”

Hamil said that the survey had also revealed a surprising variety of software packages being used across the industry.
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How Cold Was It In The UK Last Week?

I was asked how cold it was here in the UK last week



That's How Cold it Was!

AUGI Phoenix Rising from the Ashes?

For those that don’t know who or what AUGI is, it stands for the Autodesk User Group International, and is officially recognized by Autodesk as representing the Autodesk user community.

AUGI assists its members by presenting programs and information that will enhance their use of Autodesk products.

AUGI delivers the voice of the user community to Autodesk, thus assisting Autodesk in product development and giving users a say in the process.

AUGI is primarily run by dedicated volunteers and funded by sponsorship investments from corporate supporters, and has recently celebrated it’s 20^th Birthday.

AUGI provides an environment for users to help users. This environment has been a well established and thought out structure of Forums that have existed for many years, where users of specific software can gain peer to peer support.




UPDATE 9:09 GMT~ Part of the original posting has been removed because I've just visited AUGI and a forum structure has been added to the Built to Last area on the new web site.

A BIG Thank You to whom ever has listened and finally provided the new forums in a similar fashion to the original.
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David Baldacchino who is the AUGI Revit Community Chair gives his views over on his blog Do you Revit …. I do and links to the history behind whats happened.

There is a lot of internal political history that I really don’t want to get into here, and quite frankly it is that, its History.

Let’s not wait to see if or when we might get the historical data and posts back. Stuff the guy holding onto the data, for gods sake don’t pay him anymore money, just arrange to have his knee caps broken.( joking! ;0)

Lots of the problems solved historically and posted about have been fixed in later versions of the software. Now AUGI have re-create the original forum structures for the products, we (AUGI Members) can re-populate it with good information as new users post their problems.

Think of the loss of post as a spring clean, or extreme computer housekeeping and let’s move forward and let the AUGI Phoenix arise from the ashes and rebuild what is after all a fantastic peer to peer resource.  

Here is to another 20 Years!

Autodesk University On-Demand is Demanding!

  >>>>>  So why do I give Autodesk a hard time?   <<<<<

I Wonder Why?

 1) I log in

 2) I find the On Demand

3) I try and download the material

 4) It tells me to log in

I log in Again back to step 1)

After a number or tries, re-tries, shutting down my computer

starting again, etc etc etc......

ARHHHHHHHHHH just make the bloody thing work Autodesk will you!.

Autodesk Unviversity 2010 ~ Virtual Washout Day 2

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OK it’s been snowing here in the UK, we have about four inches out on the footpath and I’m up bright and early 6:00, so I think I will have a look at AU 2010 Virtual to see if I can try a few On-Demand classes that I could not get into yesterday.

They all say “This session is currently not available”

What is the Autodesk definition of ON-DEMAND?

In my book it’s when you want it! And Wikipedia agrees saying “ On Demand - a telecommunication service made available when the customer requests it

Looks like another crap day in the Autodesk University Virtual world, and why are all the delegates you can see all from the far east?

Have they not heard of equal opportunities and racial equality, where are the token White, Asian and Black person in the environment?

Let’s have a politically correct virtual world !

Currently attending AU Virtual is like being in a 3^rd rate Kung Fu movie, I keep waiting them to start knocking ten bells of something (four letter starting with S and ending in T and kind of sums up the AU Virtual Experience so far) out of each other.

OK I give up, I will wait a couple of weeks then harvest all the good stuff
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Autodesk University 2010 ~ Virtual Washout

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Nice graphics when they finally arrive on your screen, but the whole Virtual Experience is a washout so far.

There are a lot of unhappy people talking to one another on Autodesk Virtual about the fact that the lesson descriptions are in Spanish and that the whole thing is buggy, and people have not been able to attend classes virtually.

Server Problems seems to be the answer!

I’m really glad I did not pay the $139 fee to upgrade, but hang on a minute, it’s part of my annual subscription, so indirectly I have paid for yet another Autodesk product that’s full of bugs!

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It's now 18:05 GMT, over 3 hours from my posting, and the classes are still not in English Then it crossed my mind, As English is the most popular language they would not make the default Spanish or Portuguse would they:-

They would!

Then 18:24 GMT this nice little notice has appeared

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Here is my answer!

21:06 GMT No On-Demand Videos, No Group Chat, I've sent a request for help and recieved an automatic Reply



Once again I'm being thanked for my patience, by the time they have fixed the the whole darn thing will be over and we will have to wait for the material to be uploaded which normally takes at least two weeks.

Obviously I'm not the only one asking for help, as my ticket number is number 2207!

I'm guessing the Public Chat has been scrapped or turned off because they were recieving so much flack lunch time here in the UK.

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Calling All UK Revit Users In and around Leeds and Bristol

I have been speaking to Chris Senior author of Revit Elemental and Glenn Jowett of Revit ST blog. They are both interested in setting up a Revit User Group in the Leeds area.

If this would interest anyone in or around the Leeds area, either comment on Glenn Jowetts RT Structure Post or send me your details to add to the UK Revit Register.

I also believe that Chris and Glenn will be setting up a Linked-In group for people to join. If enough interest can be generated, something will hopefully take shape early in the new year!

Chris and Glenn are not alone Mark Fox of Revit Fox is still tying to find enough Revit Users in and around Bristol with the aim of arranging a meeting early next year.

With LRUG, BRUG, ERUG, GRUG and now I’m guessing Leeds-RUG (having already nicked the L for London) It's looking like more and more users want to have that peer to peer support experiance.

Current UK Revit User Groups

UK Revit Register http://cadalot-uk-revit-register.blogspot.com/

UK Revit Register Linked-In Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=1968019

The idea of the UK Revit Register to enable users and companies using Autodesk Revit Architecture, Structure and MEP to find other users and companies also using Revit based products in their region so that they can collaborate with them on schemes using a common program.

It’s hoped that the register might promote some regional banding of individuals that may want to meet down the local public house or visit each others offices when they found out that they are not the only Revit user in the village.You never know, if enough people respond, perhaps Regional User Groups may form around the UK. Those that already have or about too are listed below:-

BRUG ~ Bristol Revit User Group

Looking for members in and around the Bristol Area hoping for its first meeting in 2011

Linked-In Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3469194

ERUG ~ Edinburgh Revit User Group

Sister Revit User group to the Glasgow Revit User Group. Hoping to hold its first meeting in January 2011

Linked-In Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=3567506

GRUG ~ Glasgow Revit User Group

Held three meeting in 2010, next meeting due early 2011

Linked-In Group http://www.linkedin.com/groups?mostPopular=&gid=2522770

LRUG ~ London Revit User Group ~ formed 2010

Meeting held on or about the 3^rd Wednesday, bi-monthly in Jan, Mar, May, July, Sept & Nov

Web Site http://www.lrug.org.uk

So what is Project Vasari and why waste time on it?

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There are many bloggers out there getting very excited because Autodesk have released a technology preview called Project Vasari, I'm not one of them!

What is Project Vasari?

Take a look at David Lights Revit Blog, Steve Staffords Revit OpEd, and The Revit Kid

David Light “ Absolutely loves it! I had heard through the grapevine that Autodesk where working on something special, a kind or LT version of Revit.” David also says “There are some which will not get that excited, because if you use full Revit then you already have access to this functionality so Vasari may not offer anything new.”

David has it right there, for Structural and MEP Engineers that already have Revit, the fact that Autodesk are spending valuable time money and resources cutting back the code from Revit to create a kind of Lite version that will be superior to Sketch up seem to us to be complete and utter waste.

Autodesk still has so much that does not work properly in the full version of Revit, that we pay big bucks for, and that we keep on subscription in the constant hope that they will provide or fix the basic tools that have been moaned about by users over the last few years.

Will Autodesk be giving a version of Vasari or Revit LT when finally released away free like Sketch up?

Will there then be a Vasari or Revit LT professional version, that you will have to pay for like Sketchup Professional?

Normally Autodesk buys off the competition, buying the user base then if the product is any good it replaces what they are currently selling. Cast your mind back to Generic CADD which was bought and sold as an AutoCAD Lite before they killed and then replaced it with a true cut down version of AutoCAD LiTe within a month of an upgrade.

ADT got dropped in favour of Revit, It seem to me that if they can’t buy Sketchup to get its user base and then kill it, then they are going to try and compete with it.

Why call it Vasari?

David Light has his own ideas about why the name Vasari has been used, however according to the historian Richard Goldthwaite, Vasari was one of the earliest authors to use the word "competition" (or "concorrenza") in Italian in its economic sense. He used it repeatedly, but perhaps most notably while explaining the reasons for Florentine preeminence, in the introduction to his life of Pietro Perugino.

Autodesk spend some of our money and fix the darn Basics in Revit like the Text Editor, so that it give at least the functionality that AutoCAD has enjoyed for many years .i.e. Subscript, Superscript fractions etc etc.

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As I've not been invited to Beta Test RST2012 and thus not bound by any NDA, I'm speculating that there is very little in the way of advancement on the Structures front for Revit2012 and I'm likely to be disappointed next year like I was with the SAP for RST2011 this year.

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ElfYourself Returns....It must be getting near to Christmas

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In the old days Woolworth would now be stacking the Easter Eggs!

Sorry Girl, your Dad just could not resist <Evil Grin>
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LRUG ~ Looking for Contractors using Revit

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The London Revit User Group LRUG is looking to recruit Revit Users from Construction Companies who are using Autodesk Revit of any flavour!

Currently LRUG has 26 Architectural practices, 12 Structural practices, 8 MEP practices and 6 Resellers/ Support companies, but as of last month we had 0 Contractors on the invite list. We would like to encourage more contractors to join LRUG and attend the meetings.

Please visit LRUG Registration Page for more information on how to register your interest.

UPDATE!  11th November 2010

We now have 3 contractors that have registered, and are attending the next meeting.
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Experience the Value of Revit Structure - One Day Training from Excitech

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Excitech has developed a specific one-day training course aimed at those either seeking to understand the benefits of adopting this powerful design tool and how this may aid their organisation or those looking to successfully implement this across their design teams.

The training course will cover considerations of implementation, such as installation and data exchange as well as how best to target and run subsequent training. It will also present an opportunity to experience using Revit Structure through the hands-on sessions and be guided through its use in real-world structural design scenarios.

The next course is in Excitech's London training centre on 9th December and costs just £150 per person.

Click Here for more information
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Advanced Detailing Tutorial for Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011

On Saturday, 25 September 2010 I posted RAC2011 ~ Video Tutorials ~ Getting Started  About a nice set of Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 video tutorials that I had found on YouTube ~ They have been created by Autodesk Student Expert Tu Graz, Marvi Barsha, Klaus Hyden and Philipp Muller who give Special thanks to Bjorn Wittenberg and Herbert Bickelmann. These were part 1 in a series of 3 video tutorials.

Then on Sunday, 26 September 2010, I posted about RAC2011- Professional Mass Modeling & Rendering Tutorials which is part 3 in the series of 3 videos that had already been produced in German then re-released in English.

I said that when they release the second in the series I would let you know. Guess what? They released these on the 11th October on YouTube and now all three series with their handounts, datasets and listings to Youtube have an Aurodesk Web Page

As you and I know Autodesk screw around with their web site on a regular basis and what might be there one day is gone forever on another. So below find links to the youtube videos. I suggest you harvest whilst you can, Enjoy....

Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011-

Advanced Detailing Tutorials for Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011 English Tutorial 2/3

These tutorials are dedicated to the detail planning. In the next 12 steps you will learn how to draw details and you will see how easy it is to create the construction documentation.

"Advanced Detailing" is the second set of tutorials of a series of 3 tutorials for Revit Architecture 2011. These tutorial are based on the first tutorial "Getting Started". To learn more important features of Revit 2011, Autodesk recommend you to watch the 3rd tutorial series "Professional mass modeling".

Step00/12 - Introduction (0:48)

Step01/12 - Project settings (5:11)

Step02/12 - Override graphics in view, link a Revit project, import a dwg (3:40)

Step03/12 - Bearing structure (5:23)

Step04/12 - Roof and roof joins (7:22)

Step05/12 - Renovation plan (6:21)

Step06/12 - Wall sweep and reveal, create in‐place component (5:59)

Step07/12 - Sloped insulation, multi layered wall and wall joins (5:02)

Step08/12 - Lines, create line type, callout (4:40) 
Step09/12 - Masking region, filled region, repeating detail component, detail component (5:03)                        

Step10/12 - Cut profile, tag material, element keynote (4:47)               
Step11/12 - Linework, view range, plane region (4:50)               
Step12/12 - Title block, legend component, print and export (4:22)

Here is a link to the Autodesk Web Page that has the Handouts, Tutorial file and links to all three sets of videos in English

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Another New UK Revit Blogger to Bookmark!

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Now you guys know I like Jools Holland, and that I go and see him each year in concert. Well this is not a picture of a young Jools (although I did have to look twice) Its actually Joe Stott.

 

Joe is a qualified Architect currently working in Manchester (UK) for Aedas Architects. He is an experienced and dedicated Revit evangelist who after previously using AutoCAD based products for 10 years+ will never look back. (well that's what he says in his About Me)

Why Have I got his mug shot here, well apart from being a young Jools Holland look-a-like, Joe has recently joined the ranks of UK Revit Blogger and I would like to wish him well with his blog, and let visitors to my blog know that his blog is out there.

So here is the link to his blog... http://revitscratchpad.blogspot.com/

Building Magazine ~ The use of force: Building Information Modelling

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Further to my posting London BIM Conference and the UK Government about the Paul Morrell at the need for IPD and BIM, Building Magazines Stephen Kennett gives his take on the future of BIM short extract below:-

Building information modelling may make everything better, but most firms don’t want to use it. But that might change now the government plans to make it compulsory on all public projects. Stephen Kennett reports

Not many technologies can point to a global financial meltdown as their saviour. But building information modelling just might. Earlier this month Paul Morrell, the government’s chief construction adviser and the man tasked with improving the return on taxpayers’ investment, indicated that the government intended to adopt building information modelling, or BIM, for the procurement and management of public assets. Morrell is convinced the technology could unlock new ways of working that will reduce cost and add long-term value to the development and management of public sector buildings.

Pop over to the Building Magazine web site to read on....
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Revit Detail ~ 23 Video Tutorials, Model and Rendering Guide

Peter McCarthy is an Architectural Technician based in London in the UK with a passion for detailing (including 3D detailing) and member of LRUG the London Revit User Group. He started his blog Revit Detail on Friday 1^st January 2010 stating that:-

“Over the next 12 months I plan to write and explain how to develop your architectural details and model them in Revit. I’ll run through analysis of the detail, modelling the basics, modelling the advance parts, adding the 2D detail for final touch-ups and more. This is to help all new Revit users, students learning architecture and to develop the general knowledge base in the Revit community.”

It appears his intention was “ to see if a whole project could be done in about 15 (half hour) videos so that you could download them all and watch them in a single sitting of one day at work.” However it ended up as 23 videos, which is approx 10.5 hours worth of footage.

On Saturday 16^th October 2010 Peter posted his central model for the project, 23 Videos and a nice 39 page booklet on how to Render in Revit. So he actually ended producing more in less time!

This is a very valuable Revit resource for new and existing revit users, and I would like to thank Pater for the time and effort he has put into producing these videos.

It’s really worth popping over to Revit Detail and harvesting the material that Peter has produced.

Enjoy.
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Autodesk Education Community

My last post was about the unemployed and the Autodesk Assistance Program and free software.

If you are a student you also have access to free* download of over 25 products
all with a new, extended 3-year license

Register Here .

This is the same full version software that over 9 million designers, engineers and digital artists are using at 100 percent of Fortune 100 companies in over 183 countries around the world. Experience the newest editions of 2D and 3D products, such as Autodesk® Inventor®, Autodesk® Revit®, Autodesk® 3ds

*Free products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies download of the software. The products, programs and other information contained on this page may not be available in all geographies.
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Autodesk Assistance Program for the Unemployed

Recently I’ve been asked by a number of technicians who are victims of the current economic climate due to the loss of government spending on construction etc. etc. about learning Revit to enhance their CV and improve their skill set, in order to make them more employable. So here is a re-post about the Autodesk Assistance Registration programme.

Autodesk can help you get back in the game. With the Autodesk Assistance Program you can take action today to gain a competitive advantage in your field. The program offers:

• Free* Software License: Student licenses of over 25 Autodesk® products including AutoCAD® software and other industry focused products supporting Building Information Modeling and Digital Prototyping technology. 

• Free OnlineTraining: On-demand training available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  (requires internet access)

• ClassroomTraining: Many Autodesk Authorized Value Added Resellers and Autodesk Training Centre (ATC®) partners are offering classroom training at their facilities at a discounted price for Autodesk Assistance Program members. (Offers vary by partner, please check with your local ATC or Reseller to get details)

• Certification: Certification preparation and exams available at discounted rates through Autodesk Authorized Certification Centres (Offerings will vary, please check with your local Certification Center to get details)

• Software Discounts: Commercial product discounts are available for select products exclusively for Autodesk Assistance Program members, or employers that hire them. Contact your local Autodesk Authorized Value Added Reseller for more information about this and other programs. (approval by an Autodesk Territory Manager is required)

Seize the opportunity now. Don’t just survive, thrive!

*Free products MAY NOT be used for commercial, professional or other for-profit purposes, and are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies the software.  A copy of this agreement can be found here.

To learn more about the program and included benefits, download the Autodesk . Assistance Program FAQ

For firms that must reduce their workforce, the Autodesk Assistance Program can help. The program is designed to help displaced employees in the Architecture, Engineering, Design and Manufacturing industries update their skills and improve their employability in a down economy.

Download this 1-page flyer as a handout during exit interviews, or to share with those that may benefit from the program.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, Alias Autodesk Inventor, ATC, Civil 3D, Ecotect, Inventor, Maya, Navisworks, Revit, Showcase, SketchBook, Robot, Algor, MotionBuilder, Mudbox, Softimage and 3ds Max are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document

Sign Up  Registration is free. Sign Up Now.
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ERUG is Here! - Where? - In Edinburgh

ERUG is here!

I've been hearing that an ERUG Edinburgh Revit User Group was about to spin off from the GRUG Glasgow Revit User Group for a little while.

Well now they have made it official.

A linked-in Group has been constructed and the first two committee members Michael Boyd (Structural) & Kelvin Donaldson are requesting that any other enthusiastic individuals join them to move this group forward.

London BIM Conference 2010 and the UK Government!

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Last week on Thursday 30^th September, I attended the Autodesk BIM Conference 2010 at Links Place in London.

There were speakers from Autodesk, John Lorimer Director of Manchester City Council, Architects, Structural and Civil Engineers, John Tocci, CEO, Tocci  Building Companies (from the USA) there were representatives from the Institutions and then there was Paul Morrell

Who Is Paul Morrell? I hear you ask

To give him his full title it’s Mr Paul Morrell OBE FRICS HonFRIBA, UK Chief Construction Advisor to the UK Government. He was previously senior partner of construction consultants Davis Langdon, and also former deputy chair of the Commission on Architecture in the Built Environment (CABE).

He is a very eloquent and humorous speaker who puts his point across very distinctly. The image I have used is very Hitch Hikers Guide like (An in-joke for those that attended the conference and are of a certain age or should I say vintage).

Like the Earth in the Hitch Hikers Guide, Paul Morrell could be described as “Mostly Harmless”, however his message will mean changes on the way that those not already using Revit or BIM software will have to work in the future.

He indicated that Building Information Modelling (BIM) will become a key part of the procurement process of public buildings in the future, saying:-

“I am convinced that this is the way to unlock new ways of working that will reduce cost and add long-term value to the development and management of built assets in the public sector, but the move needs to be made on a basis that is secure, that works for Government clients and those who deliver services to them, and which draws on proven means of integrating the supply chain,”

A trial team is currently testing the use of BIM in government projects and will report its findings to the Construction Clients Board in March. Paul Morell said that he hoped that the report would “mark the beginning of a commitment to a timed programme of transformation”.

Autodesk vice-president, Phil Bernstein.said: “We believe that yesterday’s recommendation to UK government construction procurers will drive industry change, just as similar decisions by the government have in the US,” and “We also believe that these clear incentives will encourage the use of BIM methodology by government and the wider construction industry. They will provide better value for construction spend while enhancing environmentally responsible building design, construction and operation.”

So there you have it boys and girls, it looks as if the UK Government are following the USA with regards to IPD and BIM.