by Roopinder Tara
Deelip Menezes has taken the CAD industry by storm. He has scored some major coups. At this year's SolidWorks World, he sat down product manager Shaun Murphy and got him to admit that SolidWorks' backward incompatibility and inability to read/write CATIA files were "business issues." In other words, Dassault had basically conspired to deny its own customers two capabilities they were desperate for. A few days later, he scores an interview with Carl Bass, CEO of Autodesk. I was surprised he wasn't at PTC's press/analyst event this week -- but that didn't stop the event organizers from talking reverently about him.
It's just not right. The most sought after, one of the most prolific and most insightful journalists I've ever met is not a journalist at all. He lives on the opposite side of the world (Goa, India) and writes code during the day. He has never taken a journalism course. Though his English is just fine, it is probably his second language. He may not have a travel budget. He was not launched from an established print magazine, never paid by a publisher and has never had the luxury of waking up to spend the whole day writing articles. How is it that the plain Deelip.com blog (it looks like an off-the-rack template) is on the short list of must-reads for CAD insiders and Deelip himself is widely regarded by the CAD industry and those who cover it as a "thought leader."
I needed to find what made this man tick? I spent a day with Deelip, between his trip to SolidWorks World in southern California and his trip to Hawaii (he was there to see a business partner). I picked him up in the tony Marina district, where he was staying overnight courtesy of an Autodesk employee. We shot across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Marin County, had lunch in Yountville, sipped wine in Napa and had dinner at my house.
I suggested that perhaps CAD journalism was in the doldrums due to the financial problems of several publishers, leaving veteran journalists scrounging for their next meal. Deelip wasn't accepting excuses. "What about me?" he said, rhetorically. I had to concede. All Deelip did was write...part time...and keep writing. Why couldn't anybody do that? He tells me he often writes after his kids go to sleep.
Though the posts are numerous (really, does this guy ever sleep?), it wasn't the quantity. Deelip is writing gutsy stuff, often with extraordinary insight. Unfettered from advertising and consulting revenue, Deelip is unafraid of scaring off CAD vendors. Try to bullshit him and you will go down. This morning, he skewered Autodesk. He had asked why Inventor LT was only available in "select countries." First to squirm was Kevin Schneider, the person responsible for Inventor Fusion. Kevin chose to hand off to Autodesk's PR staff, who came back days later with a response from Peter Vinh, Inventor LT Product Manager. Peter carefully stated how Autodesk was rolling it out to various geographies, but never mentioned India and avoided giving any specific information, like dates. Deelip called it "neatly crafted crap."
Roopinder Tara is editor of TenLinks.com and blogs at CAD Insider.
Deelip Menezes has taken the CAD industry by storm. He has scored some major coups. At this year's SolidWorks World, he sat down product manager Shaun Murphy and got him to admit that SolidWorks' backward incompatibility and inability to read/write CATIA files were "business issues." In other words, Dassault had basically conspired to deny its own customers two capabilities they were desperate for. A few days later, he scores an interview with Carl Bass, CEO of Autodesk. I was surprised he wasn't at PTC's press/analyst event this week -- but that didn't stop the event organizers from talking reverently about him.
It's just not right. The most sought after, one of the most prolific and most insightful journalists I've ever met is not a journalist at all. He lives on the opposite side of the world (Goa, India) and writes code during the day. He has never taken a journalism course. Though his English is just fine, it is probably his second language. He may not have a travel budget. He was not launched from an established print magazine, never paid by a publisher and has never had the luxury of waking up to spend the whole day writing articles. How is it that the plain Deelip.com blog (it looks like an off-the-rack template) is on the short list of must-reads for CAD insiders and Deelip himself is widely regarded by the CAD industry and those who cover it as a "thought leader."
I needed to find what made this man tick? I spent a day with Deelip, between his trip to SolidWorks World in southern California and his trip to Hawaii (he was there to see a business partner). I picked him up in the tony Marina district, where he was staying overnight courtesy of an Autodesk employee. We shot across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Marin County, had lunch in Yountville, sipped wine in Napa and had dinner at my house.
I suggested that perhaps CAD journalism was in the doldrums due to the financial problems of several publishers, leaving veteran journalists scrounging for their next meal. Deelip wasn't accepting excuses. "What about me?" he said, rhetorically. I had to concede. All Deelip did was write...part time...and keep writing. Why couldn't anybody do that? He tells me he often writes after his kids go to sleep.
Though the posts are numerous (really, does this guy ever sleep?), it wasn't the quantity. Deelip is writing gutsy stuff, often with extraordinary insight. Unfettered from advertising and consulting revenue, Deelip is unafraid of scaring off CAD vendors. Try to bullshit him and you will go down. This morning, he skewered Autodesk. He had asked why Inventor LT was only available in "select countries." First to squirm was Kevin Schneider, the person responsible for Inventor Fusion. Kevin chose to hand off to Autodesk's PR staff, who came back days later with a response from Peter Vinh, Inventor LT Product Manager. Peter carefully stated how Autodesk was rolling it out to various geographies, but never mentioned India and avoided giving any specific information, like dates. Deelip called it "neatly crafted crap."
Roopinder Tara is editor of TenLinks.com and blogs at CAD Insider.
Here's some facts for you, Roopinder.
You're never going to read the real truth about a product such as Alibre on any blog that takes Alibre's money for advertising or from someone who develops add-in's for Alibre.
I don't cover discount CAD or CAM on my blog because I've never seen a discount CAD or CAM product actually offer any real long term value.
Jon Banquer
San Diego, CA
www.jonbanquer.wordpress.com
Posted by: Jon Banquer | Feb 13, 2010 at 11:42 AM
I have often said to editors and CAD industry commentators that there is too much 'good' said with only are passing mention - if you’re lucky - of the controversial facets.
If other writers embraced controversial subjects they would also have more following; with Deelip and Matt Lombard (to sight two) we have an opportunity to constructively 'argue' a topic through and this has to be a good thing.
Theirs are the first two blogs I read each morning and late at night because, whether I agree or not, there is often something to learn or at least interesting. RalphG’s, then Tenlinks Daily (still being blocked) for its summary format and links. Have all but stopped reading Cadalyst - even tho' I have read it since its early Canadian days, because it is so one-sided and predictable; eg., attaching five star ratings to products that don't deserve the accolade.
We all need to know the ‘other side’: Deelip and Matt often make that available Roopinder. Maybe there is something for others to learn from these guys?
Posted by: R. Paul Waddington | Feb 13, 2010 at 10:59 PM