Can you top this? Who used V5 MFG first?

I mean, What Version. I started 'Tasting" V5, around Version 10

actually programmed a part, V14.

What I am really curious about is: Were the earlier versions usable to program? Procrastination is usually rewarded, when talking about computers and software, but delaying going to a new version, means more V4, or other legacy data that needs to be "Redone"

Was V5R1 usable? if not, which version the first to be usable.

were the pioneers geniuses, or crazy ? Did we blow it by waiting?

Best Regards

Dave

I started with V5 R1 (end of '99, beginning of '00)!
I work for a Dassault VAR (and former IBM Business Partner for PLM), so had access to it.

But it was impossible to use! Was so unstable that if we wanted to do a demo, we had to memorize the steps, and don't even try to do something different, or face a crash!
Functionality was not good also (far from V4 at that point).

It had not any MFG tool. We had to rely on another tool, called "CATIA milling" or something like that. I don't even remember well. It lasted few months (they bought from another company, not even compatible with CATParts, but via step files).

But it improved on stability and functionality very fast.
R4 added Prismatic Machinning (not very good at that time), and if I recall well, SMG was added on R6 or R8.

For production design purposes we started (and recommended) from R8, and MFG I think was R10 (not sure exact releases now!).

Now I love it. It has flaws, as any soft, but overall (as PLM solution) it's by far the best.

Eduardo

Thank you Eduardo, for your reply.

I heard that V5 first vew releases, intentionaly focused on design, as you need to create the JSF, 787, etc, before you need NC programs.

Is that the way it was?

Dave

I first got my hands on V5 in 2000.

Ran my 1st program in the machine shop at El Camino College.  I was thrilled that the free IMS Post (fanuc0) worked with only a few minor edits.

I started teaching V5 in 2002.

Guess what Mark, I may have you beat. I did a CATIA V1 pilot project at Rockwell in El Segundo in 1983. I was banging on the screen with a lightpen too.

I recommended against CATIA. hehe

I was also programming with CADAM at the time.

And before that I programmed with CADD and UG at McDonnell Douglas in Torrance.

History of CAD - http://www.cadazz.com/cad-software-history.htm

Roger,

Yep, you got me beat. I started with CADAM too, in or around 1984. Before that Concept II. I remember it was $30k for a system that would be probably less than a thousand bucks today! An acoustic phone coupler was needed to timeshare. Those were the days when you made sure you got your program right the first time, otherwise each run would cost you.

Dave,

On second thought I'll pass on the earthquakes, floods, fires and droughts in CA. You guys have it all covered. See you in Seattle.

My first CAD experience was V3 but I started programming with Compac II in the early 70's. That accoustic phone thing you mentioned was a real joy Mark. We used to time share on a mainframe back in Michigan and one program I created got into a loop. Let's just say it ate up a lot of CPU time that was charged to us by the second. I think that program cost more than my yearly salary at the time    

Brag, brag, brag, you youngsters are all alike!

You guys are bringing back memories. I used Compact II in the mid 70's along with Fortran for family of parts. Late 70's learned UCC-APT along with that TSO thing. Didn't get caught in a loop but the phone didn't disconnect properly. That's where I learned, and thank God for, "funny money".

Roger - thanks for that link to the history of CAD. Long read but very informative and I learned a lot about things that I often wondered about. I worked for Computervision in the mid 80's and Pat Hanratty was somewhat of a CAD "God". Never got to meet him but it would be neat to meet some of those guys mentioned. They could almost go on the speech circuit talking to the CAD/CAM geeks (SME organizations, etc.).

As for Catia, V3/1992, V4/?, V5 R13. And yes, I've used a light pen on other systems, though.

BTW, COE will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2009.  We'll be sharing some memories at our Spring Conference in Seattle and on our website.  Anyone care to share photos and memorabilia?  Stuff should be somehow related to COE or CATIA.