Autodesk FMDesktop Suite 7.0 Released Oct. 18th

Did you hear the news?

Autodesk will be making their first full release of the FMDesktop Suite since they acquired Applied Spatial Technologies at the beginning of this year.

Here are some snippets from the Press Release:

Developed by and for experienced facility managers, the Autodesk FMDesktop 7.0 suite of products, including Facility Manager, Facility Link, Facility Web and Facility Request, helps deliver the power of digital facility management through intuitive and easy-to-use features.

The scalable computer-aided facility management (CAFM) suite of products was built on Autodesk's DWF platform, and, by incorporating the latest DWF viewing technologies, provides facilities managers with a simple, accurate method to create, manage and share building operating data throughout the enterprise.

This is the first full version of FMDesktop launched by
Autodesk, who acquired the application in January 2006 as part of the acquisition of Applied Spatial Technologies.FMDesktop uses the DWF technology to link FMDesktop with Autodesk Revit Building software, Autodesk's platform built specifically for building information modeling (BIM), which extends the value of
the BIM created in Revit Building from design to building operation and maintenance.

This innovative approach allows space planners and facility managers to utilize CAD information without having to be trained on CAD software, and readily access graphical images that aid in day-to-day facilities management. Facility Managers can select and view the status of office spaces or equipment using readable drawings created in AutoCAD software or Revit Building.

Autodesk FMDesktop is compatible with many industry-
standard applications including AutoCAD, DWF, Microsoft Excel, Autodesk Architectural Desktop and Autodesk Revit Building.

Jay Bhatt, vice president, Autodesk Building Solutions.
"We will continue to deliver new discipline-specific products that enable building professionals to leverage design data throughout the building lifecycle, from design through operation."

Distribution and Availability:The product will be made
widely available in the United States on October 18, 2006 through currently authorized channel partners, and is available with Autodesk Subscription.

So, what does anyone else think about DWF being the common file format here? I sort of cringed when I first read it, with my KEEP MY DWG INTACT mentality/kneejerk reaction with other software packages that do any sort of translation. And of course, no offense at all intended toward DWF. I'm quite excited about their project freewheel, and I'm sure they're glad to be a part of FMDesktop's solution.
(check out the following post by that DWF guy, Scott Sheppard "FMDesktop Components")

But! With wanting the ability to use Revit-based or AutoCAD or ADT-based input, we all know how DWG's get when they're passed from program to program, imported, exported, saved as, saved down, etc. So the DWF method is likely the best solution all around.

I wouldn't mind hearing opinions about anything FMDesktop from some people who use / or would like to use this product suite.