IntelliCAD World Meeting - Day 1.75

IntelliCAD 7

The next generation of IntelliCAD changes the focus to "new functions, instead of always trying to keep up with Autodesk," says Mr Lorenzo. "The IntelliCAD 6.x architecture forces us in a constant reactive position -- simply keeping up with database changes is overwhelming."

IntelliCAD 7 is due to ship to partners on June 1, next year -- "trying really hard to meet this goal," but the ITC will not release V7 if it is not stable enough by then. But then more waiting, as partners start working with V7 and a half year later (or so) start selling it to end user. Yikes, more waiting! (V6.6 avail Jan 1.)

Photo Proof

Deelip Menezes has a photo of he and me atop the Acropolis in Athens (photo credit: my wife). We spent last Sunday afternoon on a brief self-directed tour of downtown Athens. At his Web blog, he also comments on crazy Greek taxi drivers. 

Our taxi driver from the airport first pretended to not know our hotel "This is its name? This is its phone number? This is where it is located [name of Athens suburb]?" Then he took out his reading glasses to inspect the address further. 

Once on the freeway, he drove at 160km/hr, one-handed. (My son drove that fast once, and ended up with a criminal record. Rules differ here, apparently.) At red lights, this driver used left-turn lanes as his personal passing lane to get ahead of other cars. At one point, he and the driver of a BMW had an open-window conversation while speeding side by side on a curvy part of the highway, shouting to each other across the narrow gap between the two vehicles. Arriving at the hotel, the meter read e25 but he announced happily that the fare was e30.

On city streets, taxi drivers tend to go at 100km/hr when they have an open road, as well as when they don't have an open road. Arriving at our downtown destination, the driver decided the e15 fare was e20 -- "including the radio tax." (He had had his radio on loud, something we apparently wanted, unasked.)

We are staying in a luxurious hotel on the water. (It claims to be 5-star; I would rate it 4 stars.) The drawbacks: Internet costs $13/hour, and a roundtrip to downtown Athens is roughly $80, because the two are so far apart. Fortunately, the ITC is providing free wireless during this conference.

[Disclosure: the ITC provided me with airfare, hotel accommodation, and some meals at this event.]

Comments

[Jen]

I have an aunt who lives in Athens. Her apartment has a narrow view of the Acropolis from the balcony. She's co-owner of a school that provides on-site training to various businesses, with a primary focus on languages.

[mave]

The first taxi driver probably was correct: if they pick you up from the airport they charge an extra 5 Euros (airport charge and luggage). The second was trying to rip you off, as there is no radio tax in Greece. Hope you did not have any more crazy experiences with taxi drivers in Greece!