When Dassault Systemes launched DraftSight, it made sure it had the Social.
When PTC launched Creo, it made sure it had the Social.
Other CAD vendors spend on having staff and Web resources for the Social, also.
(By "the Social" I mean the Social Web, the whole Twitter, Facebook, texting thing.) Here's the problem. The Social is mobile. Social networking relocated to the smartphone a year or so ago, because the desktop is static (locked onto the desktop, like a landline rotary telephone) and smartphones are our new notebook computers.
CAD doesn't work on phones, so CAD vendors don't need the Social.
(In any case, for CAD vendors it's not about the Social, if you hadn't guessed yet; it's for the marketing.)
PS: The inspiration for this post comes from Robert Scobal's Does RockMelt (a new social browser coming tomorrow) have the right startup philosophy?
I'm a little bit confused; are you saying that anything that has to do with Social Media needs to be able to run on a portable device?
"CAD doesn't work on phones, so CAD vendors don't need the Social."
Using that logic, shouldn't 95% of companies stop using Social Media?
Posted by: Chris Fougere | Nov 08, 2010 at 07:55 AM
Social media is moving primarily to smartphones; sure, it still is on desktop computers, but it is less useful there.
Posted by: Ralph Grabowski | Nov 08, 2010 at 08:29 AM
I disagree, by integrating social web, CAD Vendors could enable easier collaboration, including working on the same drawing at the same time, take AutoCAD WS for example. This is the tip of the iceberg as to what can be done with social venues in my opinion.
Posted by: Chris Wade | Nov 08, 2010 at 08:57 AM
Four words Ralph. Those are:
The
Missing
Entirely
Point
I'll let you ponder the correct order for them.
Al
Posted by: al Dean | Nov 09, 2010 at 06:13 AM
Ralph,
Interesting post. I, like Chris and Al above, disagree. 'The Social' can be used for marketing (but not just advertising). Second, social activities can enhance workflow and everyday work. Third, I don't think that 'social' equals 'mobile'. Instead of writing a diatribe in your comments, I re-blogged your post and offer up my thoughts here: http://social-product-development.blogspot.com/2010/11/how-does-social-extend-into-enterprise.html
Posted by: Abelniak | Nov 10, 2010 at 05:39 PM
When you say "The Social is mobile" I think you're half right and half wrong. I agree with you (mostly) if you're talking about kids in their teens and very early 20s. I disagree if you're talking about people 30 and up, which make up the majority of professional CAD users.
Posted by: Matthew West | Nov 11, 2010 at 05:50 AM
As is commonly the case, the subject at hand appears to be treated from an Engineering perspective and is focused on the tools: software and devices.
"Social" is more fundamental that what is delimited as "the Social Web, the whole Twitter, Facebook, texting thing."
From Dictionary.com, social is defined as pertaining to, devoted to, or characterized by friendly companionship or relation. The key for me is "relation".
The social context that is only natural addresses how people can be more effectively connected with the hopes that this connection may lead to innovation; thus the context of CAD vendors becoming more social.
More than marketing, engineers along with all who desire to may work together to aspire and make things better and more accessible.
Posted by: Dominique Anderson | Nov 17, 2010 at 10:43 AM
Ralf, All CAD vendors did with social was to improve the communication. What's wrong with that? Best, Oleg
Posted by: Oleg Shilovitsky | Nov 23, 2010 at 05:51 PM