Revit Forum.org Funding

There's been a thread at the RevitForum.org site lately discussing the manner in which they should fund the forum. Klaus started the forum originally in response to AUGI's own forum issues late last year. Over the last ninth months the group has grown to over 3,000 members and sees a goodly number of posts each day now. This morning I noticed the following at the main page of the site.

It's a nice (and transparent) way to show how the donation process is going. Kind of like those telethons and their "thermometer". With donations Klaus won't have to bear the cost of hosting and software updates etc himself. Bandwidth is the big unknown and lately the group has been "burning" through theirs and increasing it regularly has been dipping into his wallet. Growing pains that every organization must endure...if it actually grows!

Anyone who remembers the Revit Forums at Zoogdesign.com will likely remember when that group was considering merging with AUGI that bandwidth was always a concern for Mr. Zoog too. It was a strong contributing factor to joining AUGI.

You can help ensure that RevitForum.org is always there for you and your co-workers by donating to the cause. As several members mention there, don't think of it as a donation...more an investment in something good and useful. If you can't afford something personally, maybe your company will recognize the value and do so on your behalf?

Portland Revit User Group Meeting - Friday, June 27th

I get to attend this local user group meeting a week from Friday because the AUGI board is meeting in Portland at the Autodesk offices in Lake Oswego. I'll be sneaking out of the meeting for a little lunch time visit as a representative of the board. Here's the announcement they shared with me.

The next Portland Revit User Group meeting will be Friday, June 27th, 2008. Be sure to join us for a great presentation and some good food thanks to IMAGINiT! And this meeting will be extra special, as we will have AUGI Board member & Reviteer Steve Stafford in attendance, speaking a bit about AUGI and adding to the general discussion.

Please be sure to RSVP by end-of-day Tuesday, June 24th if you plan to attend, so we have an accurate number for lunch.

What: Portland Revit User Group

Why: To create a local community where Revit users can learn from their peers, build technical skills, exchange ideas, resolve challenges, share successes, and elevate their capabilities with the Revit suite of products.

When: 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM

Where: Multnomah County Library / 801 SW 10th Avenue / Portland / US Bank Room

Who: For Autodesk Revit Users, and those just interested in learning more about Autodesk Revit. Please pass this invitation along to any of your colleagues.

Agenda:
11:30 Lunch & Steve Stafford on AUGI
12:00 Revit 2009 New features
1:00 Q&A
1:30 Close

RSVP

If you live in this area I hope you'll be able to make it to this meeting. I look forward to meeting the PRUG members and those who will be members!

Phoenix Revit User Group

Tonight I had the opportunity to attend the Revit user group in Phoenix. It is organized by Michael MacVittie with Allen + Philp Architects/Interiors and the Phoenix AIA office is good enough to be the host location.

Eric and Rob from the SmithGroup presented a very nice discussion on their experience using Revit for their multi-discipline projects. Eric, an architect, focused on Revit Architecture while Rob, an engineer, discussed Revit MEP. They displayed a nice variety of project images and provided an overview of the way that their process has evolved since beginning to use Revit. It was a even-handed discussion of both the "highs" and the "lows" of their experience.

I'm glad that I could attend (my class let me leave a little early!) and see that a vibrant group of Revit users are meeting regularly to share their experiences. I also want to thank Mark Sever of the Sever Design Group for letting me know about the meeting and for making sure I was able to get there!

If you are in the Phoenix area, make sure you attend! If you need help reaching Michael, let me know!

Revit MEP Local User Group - Los Angeles

Passed along to me by Jay Holland a new user group focused on the MEP side of life is forming to serve the greater Los Angeles area.

This is their inaugural meeting info:
When:
Thursday – October 11th 2007, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Where:
Arup, Inc.
12777 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Suite 200
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Tel: 310-578-4182

If you live in this area please find time to lend your support by attending and if possible contributing to presentations! I wish the group success!