Over 20 years ago I was introduced to CAD, the system was Computervision.  It had one color, green, oh and it had the ability to highlight some of the green so you could differentiate lines, arcs, splines, etc.  Try this on your screen and then you will quickly realize how wonderful it is to have color. This was a complete 3D wireframe system that cost $250,000.00 per seat with a minimum of 3 seats.  It came with a temperature controlled room and a Versatec printer.  I worked for three years on this system. 

I took a job at Boeing in 1985.  It was on the board (drafting board, hmm I am sure that many of you have never even seen one).  One day I was told that there was a PC based CAD system on two Compaq 286's, it was CADKEY.  After about 2 weeks of lunch hours I was familiar enough to do a project.  We were sending files back and forth between CADKEY and Catia 4 with ease.  Catia could do surfacing and we would get the wireframe models from Catia to work with.  By the time I left this group they had 25 seats of CADKEY and within a few months they had 45 seats and had gotten rid of 1 seat of Catia.  

I saw that CADKEY was comparable to Computervision and Catia and it could effectively replace the high end systems. I quickly became a dealer. I took a job at Square D in Lincoln, NE, working on Computervision. I showed Square D the advantages of this new PC based CAD system. They were very impressed and bought 3 systems. After the contract ended I continued to work for them, sending files back and forth using a phone modem (very very slow).  I soon realized that anyone could afford a PC based system with CADKEY approximately $7,000.00, the software then was $3,995.00, the computers systems came with a beautiful 19 inch colored monitor. I started Technical Networking Incorporated, TECH-NET, Inc. for short.  Now you look at the name and say it had something to do with computers. That was the farthest thing from my mind. 

What was apparent was that with an inexpensive CAD system and the new Personal Computers telecommuting would be thriving in a few years.  Well of course that never happened and even today we are not taking advantage of this opportunity as much as we should. But now it can be a total reality, allowing even the most insecure manager certainty that his employees are working, even when they are not sitting in front of him.

gotomeeting.com or Mikogo.com and others.

These products basically close the door on the problems of telecommuting.  It offers the ability to share your computer screen with many people.  It allows any attendee to take control of the screen or become the presenter.  With these programs you can work with multiple associates, fellow workers, supervisors, etc to make sure the work is being done in a timely manner. 

gotomypc.com

Now with broadband internet you can actually do work across the internet. You can log on to your computer from anywhere and actually work in your CAD system and any other programs.

Now what I have told you here is just a small bit of what is available on line.  If any of you have any other suggestions send them to me and I will publish them here. 

This is what I wanted Technical Networking, Inc. to become, a place where we could work together from our home offices or from work.  Working across the internet (which wasn’t even on the horizon when I when I founded TECH-NET.) to get our jobs done effectively.  This is what I consider a solution for the grid lock on the highways.  I have offered seminars and meetings at my office in the past and got very low attendance, but now we can have meetings and enjoy the camaraderie of sharing with others without getting out on the road. Now we can all meet with anyone not only locally but almost any where on the planet.

REQUIREMENTS:

I know most you already know this but I will go over it anyway.

Needless to say you should have a broadband internet hookup, which is what allows these new products to exist.  Also to attend a seminar you should have an inexpensive long distant calling program, even though many programs provide this within the program.

We sell IRONCAD/INOVATE and ZW3D and provide Engineering Services. I would like to invite you to our Webinars or to talk about an engineering project. Just send us an email to get on the mailing list. I really enjoy doing these presentations and being in contact with you. I hope you take advantage of these meetings.  It is great fun and very easy.