COFES2005 strikes again

By Rachael Dalton-Taggart

The 6th annual COFES (Congress On the Future of Engineering Software) starts next week, and seems to have firmly established itself as a landmark on the CAD calendar.

Please note that I am part of the management team, and have been for 4 years, but it originally took some time for me to become a believer of the event, which seemed at first to be powered solely on the energy and belief structure of Brad Holtz (Cyon Research). I now feel that in the last 2 years it has become an event powered on its own success – maybe filling in the areas that trade shows have failed to answer. If you look at this year’s key participants list (http://www.cofes.com/2005/participants/) you’ll see that the event has continued its growth as a major event, welcoming some of the brightest and the best in the industry.

COFES has become an interesting moment in the calendar. It has all the elements of a superb conference as well as the occasional moment from Lord of the Flies: Essentially, stick 200 or so CAD vendors, press, analysts, end-users and Cyon Research staff into an isolated location and see what happens. So far, the press tend to party while waiting for various CAD vendors to get relaxed enough to talk plainly (something that can strike fear into any PR person): CAD vendors who are normally separated by at least a sword’s length start talking; the analysts sit around and try and work out what PLM means, and the users try to find the way to CAD nirvana.

Joking aside, I had some of the best conversations last year during torrential rain when none of us could escape!

The Cyon team, who are incredible to work with, meanwhile work off the calories as they walk endlessly between locations around the Scottsdale Plaza Hotel, making sure that signs stay upright, attendees reach the intended locations, and the right food is served.

I’ll be posting photos of this superb event during and after COFES.

Comments

[racer X]

Is a Blog supposed to be a daily posting?

Just wondering since there is a huge gap between posts.... been busy?

[Rachael]

dear racer
This is not intended to be a daily blog but rather reports on events that affect us as they occur. As you may imagine, the marketing of the CAD industry does not always merit daily occurrences although we will post that much if needed. Most often the biggest complaint about marketing in the CAD industry is that it is 'boring'. I tend to agree...how many more print ads can we do with a monitor showing a 3D model? I mean, puh-lease.

I am sure you understand

[racer X]

So how is COFES?

can you at least spread some news?