I worked at Autodesk for 15 years, starting in 2007 when Navisworks was acquired, and finishing up as Chief Architect for the Autodesk Construction Solutions business unit.
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Autodesk
Navisworks
Computer Graphics
Autodesk Viewer SVF File Format
SVF is the native format for the Autodesk Viewer. As well as the standalone web app, the viewer is embedded in other Autodesk web apps like Construction Cloud, desktop products with components that use web technology like Fusion, and available as an SDK for third parties to integrate into their web apps.
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Blog
Autodesk
Legal Jeopardy
A few weeks ago I received a LinkedIn message from a former colleague at Autodesk. Nothing unusual about that. It’s always a pleasure to reconnect with old acquaintances and catch up with their news.
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Cloud Architecture
Autodesk
Unique Ids
They say that there are only two hard problems in Computer Science: cache invalidation and naming things. Cache invalidation is far too difficult, so let’s have a go at naming things. Specifically, how do you ensure that the name you use to identify some resource is unique?
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Cloud Architecture
Cambridge University
Navisworks
Autodesk
Choosing a Language Stack
First off, let’s get our terms straight. What do I mean by Language Stack? Is that the same as a Tech Stack, or is it more like a Software Stack? Then again, what’s the difference between a Tech Stack and a Software Stack?
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Cambridge University
Navisworks
Autodesk
A Career in Business Cards
I have a lot of business cards. Every significant change in my career was accompanied with a new set of business cards. Business cards came in sets of 500 or 1000. I used at most 50 out of any set, which means I have lots left over. I’ve used them to play games when the kids were young, to scribble notes on, and as cue cards when public speaking.
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Navisworks
Computer Graphics
Autodesk
The Navisworks Graphics Pipeline
Last time we looked at the evolution of the graphics pipeline over the last 30 years or so. Given that framework, what does the Navisworks graphics pipeline look like?
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Organizational Anti-Patterns
Autodesk
Navisworks
Organizational Anti-Patterns #6: The 800lb Gorilla
What do you give an 800-pound gorilla? Whatever it wants.
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Navisworks
Autodesk
Spreadsheets
Tools vs Solutions
James Awe is the first Software Architect I met at Autodesk. He was involved in the acquisition process for Navisworks, where I was then CTO. Some years later he shared the story of how he first became aware of Navisworks.
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Organizational Anti-Patterns
Autodesk
Organizational Anti-Patterns #3: Exceptions
There’s a VP move under way. A company wide mandate has been issued. Big changes are coming. What’s your immediate reaction? Are you excited? Ready for the challenge? Or is your first thought to wonder how you can get an exception?
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Autodesk
Navisworks
Cambridge University
You've left Autodesk ... now what?
OK, Tim. You’ve described the ethos behind The Candid Startup, you’ve explained why you left Autodesk. You think you’ll have more fun working on your own projects. So, what are those projects?
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Autodesk
The Seven Reasons why I REALLY left Autodesk
When I announced my retirement I included this explanation :
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Mac
Gear
Autodesk
Making sense of British keyboard layouts on the Mac
So, I have a MacBook. Never owned a Mac before. There are two reasons why I now have one. The reason I like to give is that it will make development for iOS and the cloud easier than a Windows machine. The real reason is that I had a lot of Autodesk applause points to spend before I retired.
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Autodesk
What's with the weird profile picture?
When did profile pictures become a thing? I don’t remember needing a profile picture for anything before I joined Autodesk in 2007. Any collaboration software you used just needed a user name and password. Maybe your real name if it was particularly “user friendly”. On my first day in what was now an Autodesk office, the facilities manager came round with a cheap digital camera taking everyone’s picture. “Don’t worry”, they said, “it’s for your badge and your profile. You can change it later”.
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Blog
Autodesk
What is The Candid Startup anyway?
The Candid Startup started as a joke. I was always amused by the people that leave Autodesk for a “Stealth Startup”. There’s something a little arrogant in thinking that your idea is so ground breaking, so revolutionary, so original that you have to keep it secret. It doesn’t say much for your abilities that you worry that anyone else that hears your idea will be able to implement it better than you can.