Tag: Jon Hirschtick

Another reason to go to SolidWorks World 2011?

There is yet another contest for those of us who register to attend SolidWorks World 2011.  SolidWorks Corp is conducting a random drawing for a one-hour group blackjack lesson with Jon Hirschtick (SolidWorks Corp founder) at SolidWorks World 2011 in San Antonio, TX.  According to Vic Leventhal (another SolidWorks Corp founder), Mr. Hirschtick was part of the MIT Blackjack team and he used money earned from that effort to start SolidWorks.  Mr. Hirschtick has conducted similar sessions at past SolidWorks Worlds.  I was fortunate to join one such event at SolidWorks World 2009 in Orlando, FL.  The experience was amazing.

For more information and rules from SolidWorks about their contest, see the Contest Website.

Jon Hirschtick at SW Corp HQ

When Jon Hirschtick talks, his excitement is infectious.  Maybe reason for this is that he is excited about what he’s talking about.  At the recent visit to SolidWorks headquarters, several of us SolidWorks bloggers got to met with Jon again, but it never seems like enough time.

He talked about how he likes to keep up on what’s going on in the world.  He’s always looking for new technologies that may be worked into a new feature within the SolidWorks business model (my wording).

One particular area he talked about again was that 3D modelling isn’t owned by the 3D CAD industry.  It is owned by the Gaming industry.  The guys in the Gaming industry are the ones working with unique motion control within huge 3D worlds. This is a point he also made at SolidWorks World 2009.

He also is trying to keep updated on hardware technologies that may be used on the side of CAD but within the CAD context.   Again, he pointed to the Gaming industry and such devices as the Wii and Xbox.  Jon seemed fascinated by the fact that his son rather voice talk to him via the Xbox instead of the traditional land-line or cellphone because it is easier, its better quality and more reliable. He also mentioned that “kids” do not voice talk much on their cellphones.  They rather text.  Voice is reserved for emergencies. It is fascinating that the methods of communication used by older generations is much different than what is now being used now by the newer generations.  This process of change is likely to continue.

One prediction that he made is that cellphones will all soon be equipped with a projector that will allow human interfacing within the projected image.

SWW09: Monday, final thoughts

The experience of coming to SolidWorks World 2009 as a member of the press is certainly unique to me.  Beyond access to the Press Room, the pass pretty much allows me any opportunities while here.  The way I look at it is this, my experiences are meant to be shared with everyone.  That is to say, they are your experiences, not mine.  When I first accepted the offer to join the Press Pool at SWW09, my focus was writing for those individuals who were not able to come to this grand event.  However, I now realize that I’m also writing for everyone, including attendees (and even fellow bloggers).  My experience is really unique.  It is something that even other attendees may not even image.  How many regular Joes can say they were in a press conference with the likes of Sir Richard Branson, or joined others to sit down with Jon Hirschtick for a quick lesson in the Blackjack, or went to a Press Event, or attended the CSWP Event, or watched Richard Doyle be honored by his peers and Jeff Ray himself, or sat down with vendors for sneakpeaks of products still in development?  And this with in a 36 hour period?  So, I am here for everyone else, to expound upon my unique experience, to give a more complete picture about SWW09.  This gift granted to me from SolidWorks Corp is really a gift granted to all SolidWorks users.

Day 3 of SolidWorks World 2009 starts now.

Jon Hirschtick and the movie 21

I didn’t realize what I was hearing when I witnessed Vic Leventhal’s presentation at the Tri-Valley SolidWorks User Group (T-VSWUG) kick-off meeting.  He made a comment about Jon Hirschtick (co-founder of SolidWorks) and the movie 21 almost in passing.

I made my own little presentation at this new SWUG to support the new group at its kick-off meeting.  I have my own article about the meeting.  Gabi Jack (another Blog Squad member) happened to record Vic Leventhal’s presentation.  This single act has turned out to be at the center of recent buzz in the SolidWorks community about the new movie 21.  Vic Leventhal mentions that Jon Hirschtick was part of the MIT Blackjack team and that he used money earned from that effort to start SolidWorks.

I ask a question that has already been answered in a rather spectacular way.  “Was Jon Hirschtick, co-founder of SolidWorks, part of the former MIT Blackjack team that the movie 21 is about?”  Jason Raak at RockSolid Perspective asked this question in a recent article on his blog.  He mentioned how he studied Mrs. Jack’s video of Vic Leventhal’s speech.  He also linked to another source that made the connection in a news article.  And, he disclaimered his comments about the link between the movie and Mr. Hirschtick by saying he hadn’t heard from him about this matter.

Well, the very first comment to his article is Jon Hirschtick himself responding with an undeniable confirmation that he was indeed involved in the MIT Blackjack team!  Assuming this comment is actually from Jon Hirschtick, this is prolly the best comment that has ever been placed on any SolidWorks community blog.  If it wasn’t for that comment, I wouldn’t have even wrote this article.  I invite anyone who hasn’t seen the RockSolid Perspective article to go HERE now to check out Mr. Hirschtick’s comment.