What makes good Twitter?

Sep 25, 2009 | Hot Topics

Week two (week one) in the Twitterverse is a study in contradictions. There’s almost nothing of a PLMish nature to report; none of the vendors I elected to follow tweeted anything of substance while companies more experienced in interacting this way did post...

Microblogging here to stay?

Sep 24, 2009 | Hot Topics

Wow. The Wall Street Journal says that Twitter is about to close a $100 million round of new venture capital funding that will value the company at $1 billion. The real problem, of course is that Twitter has yet to generate revenue or prove that it has any sort of...

Update: MSC gets yet another offer, postpones meeting

Sep 22, 2009 | Hot Topics

MSC Software announced today that it received a new offer from the unnamed party bidding on the company of $8.30 per share. Symphony now has until September 28 to make a “responsive offer”. Under the original deal struck between MSC and Symphony, MSC may terminate...

Virtual conference: as good as being there?

Sep 21, 2009 | Hot Topics

Last week I attended my first virtual conference: Powering the Computational Ecosystem.  From a technological, gee-whiz aspect, it was very cool:  On24, an online event producer, created a virtual conference venue, complete with lobby, exhibit hall and auditorium....

Adventures in the Twitter world

Sep 18, 2009 | Hot Topics

Since I wrote earlier in the week about PLM and social media, I decided to step up to the bat and join Twitter. Signing up for the account was ridiculously easy — which is why you occasionally see a celebrity announcing “that’s not me!” You might want to take a...

Symphony ups its offer to $8.15/share for MSC

Sep 17, 2009 | Hot Topics

In a sort of non-announcement, MSC Software today announced that Symphony Technology Group has bumped its offer to $8.15 per share in cash, equalling the offer it received from an unnamed third party last week. According to the press release, “The MSC Board of...

Now THAT’s a headline!

Sep 17, 2009 | Hot Topics

Last week I wrote about crafting a press release that is brief, compelling and spurs the reader on to a desired next step. Today Dassault Systèmes issued a release that isn’t brief but is quite compelling: Entergy Nuclear Expects to Save Up to $1 Million per Day with...

ANSYS hopes CAD+CAE = better CAE

Sep 16, 2009 | Hot Topics

So you’re a CAD company without an analysis capability or a CAE vendor without strong ties to any one 3D modeling engine. How do you compete with the integrated suites offered by vendors such as Autodesk, Dassault Systèmes, PTC and Siemens? You partner. Last week,...

ESI reports Q2 flat with last year

Sep 16, 2009 | Hot Topics

ESI Group yesterday reported preliminary results for the quarter ended July 31 that echoed the business conditions seen by others in the PLM universe: companies need the innovation solutions PLM supplies, but are having a hard time signing up right now. Repeatable...

WSJ on helping displaced workers

Sep 15, 2009 | Hot Topics

The Wall Street Journal today showcases how a carpet manufacturer, legal information service and PLM vendor are helping their unemployed former customers retool and retrain for an eventual economic recovery.The best idea comes from David Carr, an interior architect...