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the california polytechnic university-slo
the university of oregon
the university of utah

THEME + LOGISTICS + READINGS + TEAMS + Students: calpoly | oregon | utah | all | + FTP + CHAT

Misheck Muchai
Mureithi
university of oregon

What is available:

There are actually many ways for files to get from one office to another by wire. If two offices are each equipped with a modem, a computer with terminal software, and a telephone connection, one computer/modem combination can simply call another. Once the connection is established, the terminal software can manage the file transfer. Modems cost about $150 each, and the basic terminal software comes free; always with the operating system and sometimes with the modems as well. The other item that one needs is just the computer. It's therefore relatively cheap and it works wherever phone lines are available. The problems are however, that the sending and receiving parties have to be on line at the same time, although the receiving end can be run automatically for most functions. And it only works between two parties. Each extra office has to be called separately and if the calls are long distance, costs mount quickly.

Another option would be to use private networks to connect the architect and client together. The network lines can be leased from phone companies, computer companies and other suppliers. The advantage is that users often see and exchange data with computers in remote offices, as easily as with computers down the hall. These private networks often called Wide Area Networks (WANS) can be linked to the Internet or other WANS so that others dealing with the design can have access. They are however costly to establish and maintain. One could also use connections to the Internet like America Online (AOL), ideal over the long term for collaboration at a distance.

Information obtained from article written by Steven S. Ross in the Architectural Record - September 1997 p.131-132.

Putting Files In a Network:

This can be done by putting drawing files from whole projects onto a secure Web site. This have come to be known as extranets. They comprise of one or more exclusive, project specific Web sites reached through easy to use Web browsers. They operate on the Web's infrastructure with passwords to protect confidential data. Their security makes them excellent conduits for transmitting, sharing, storing and collaborating on important project documents and for creating on-line databases and reference guides. The premise of an extranet is simple: Minimize the logistical difficulties associated with managing distributed design teams, while preserving and enhancing their key virtues. As a conductor of the design team, it is often the responsibility and opportunity for the architect to manage the content of the extranet.

Working on an extranet requires a Web browser, such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft's Internet Explorer which communicate with extranet servers. Documents stored on the servers are formatted in hypertext markup language (HTML) for transmission over the network and display on laptops or desktop PCs. Browsers can also display non-HTML documents through plug-in programs, allowing direct viewing of CAD drawings, text documents, spreadsheets and even interactive three dimensional panoramas. All team members, however, must use a common brand and version of software if they wish to display and edit project documents on-line. Another way of solving this problem is to "publish" drawings and associated files into suitable file formats - the four most common being DWG (AutoCAD binary files), DXF (Auto CAD ASCII files), SVF (SoftSource Simple Vector Format) and DWF (AutoCAD Drawing Web Format). DWF and SVF are 2D formats that are much more compact than DXF or DWG. Thus, they can move quickly on networks and they can also accept hyperlinks to each other and to other places in an architect's file system or the client's file system. If the architect or client are using different CAD packages, they may be able to communicate via DXF. Most CAD vendors include utilities that can read or write DXF.

Information from article written by Ken Sanders in the Architecture Journal - October 1997 p. 178 -179 and from article written by Steven S. Ross in the Architectural Record - September 1997 p.133-135.

Five Ways To Use An Extranet:

Document Collaboration: Extranets can provide basic document management functions, where document originals are stored on line for check-in and check-out, by design team members (as well as clients) for revisions. This approach is often simpler than copying digital originals between them.

Document Exchange: Extranets provide an effective tool for exchanging digital documents such as CAD drawings between design members. Typically, the documents are copies of design originals residing on team members' private networks and are available to other team members for frequent update.

Document Repository:
Extranets are good places to store milestone documents, so everyone on the project team has access to the same reference material. Reports, site surveys, and other key references are neither updated nor revised once they are placed on-line, but retained as shared resources.

Linked Publications:
Project documentation, written in hypertext markup language (HTML) and viewed on-line using a web browser, can be organized and cross-referenced using the same types of hyperlinks found in all World Wide Web documents. Examples include design guidelines, CAD standards and other narrative material. They can be printed out but are rarely downloaded. In some cases, these publications can be exposed to other project stakeholders who have Internet access.

On-Line Databases: Many project resources are suitable for organizing within databases, and extranet servers allow project team members to search, query, sort and update these databases using Web browsers. Examples include a team directory, meeting database, project calendar, vendor database, a descriptive index of the document repository, or construction transactions such as RFIs and submittals.

Information from article written by Ken Sanders in the Architecture Journal - October 1997 p. 180.

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