...on the other hand AutoCad IS the defacto standard in the industry so
introducing students to a tool that most of them will be REQUIRED to use
in practice is not such a bad thing. As for choice of software,
contrary to the previous response, ones ability to think critically has
**nothing** to do with whether a student learns and uses AutoCad, From-Z
or any other package.
I agree with Wayde's concern about the computer purchase requirement. I
would not have been able to afford the hardware and software on my own
when I was in undergrad. However, I know that a lot of students come to
the university with computers in tow these days. As for laptops, I have
never enjoyed using a laptop for visualization or cad. Given that one
can find respectable desktop systems for around the same price as a
laptop that would run cad software, I would stick with desktop systems.
--
Leonard Temko
College of Architecture and Urban Planning
The University of Michigan
Doctoral Program in Architecture
Wayde Tardif wrote:
>
> Joan:
>
> I imagine many schools, who go the way of *requiring* their
> students to purchase computers, find it difficult to
> actually get and maintain the broad range of socioeconomic
> diversity which should be requisite in an academic
> environment. It seems that such practices are yet another
> way that schools of design maintain the elitism of the
> design professions. There are those students who managed to
> scrape enough funding to mearly attend school - making them
> purchase a computer is out of the range of MANY people and
> is an exclusionary tactic - though it may not be seen as
> such by whomever makes these decisions. State institutions
> especially should certainly not *require* their students to
> purchase computers, rather, suggest it as a tool which they
> may find helpful.
>
> On the issue of software, if it is the desire of an
> institution to produce cad-jockeys, then by all means, have
> them use a software package like Auto-Cad, (the industry
> standard of architecture *production* in the *profession*),
> though I'm sure there is a local community college or trade
> school who teaches such things. However, if it is the desire
> of the institution to produce graduates who can think
> critically, and not just compu-draft, then a visualization
> software package like Form-Z would be a much better option.
> Remember though, it is VERY easy to be seduced into the
> realm of the toys of technology. It is important to remember
> too, however, that architecture isn't how the built
> environment is rendered, rather the results of such
> renderings. It is important to communicate one's ideas
> clearly - but getting caught into thinking that it is the
> tools by which such communications are affected is what
> constitutes architecture is dangerous and something I see
> happening in a number of schools right now.
>
> Best of luck:
>
> Wayde Tardif
> ________________________________
> wayde tardif
>
> architecture+graphic design
> ________________________________
>
> wtardif@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://wabakimi.carleton.ca/~wtardif/index.html
>
> ----------
> From: Joan McLain-Kark <jmkark@xxxxxx>
> To: DESIGN-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: laptop vs. desktop
> Date: Mon, Apr 26, 1999, 2.14 PM
>
> Does anyone have some information on how many
> architecture and design
> schools are requiring students to buy computers?
> And, how many are
> requiring laptops? Are any requiring desktops
> and if so, what impact does
> that have on the design studio?
>
> Our interior design faculty are going on a
> "retreat" for one day to discuss
> integrating technologies. We have gone from being
> primarily pencil-based
> to CAD although we still teach hand perspective
> drawing and rendering.
> Both are integrated into studios. Our university
> recently instituted a
> freshmen computer requirement. So far, we are
> requiring a PC desktop or
> laptop and AutoCAD software (for their first
> drawing class). The rest of
> the departments at the university require or
> recommend desktops with the
> exception of architecture. But we are still
> debating the merits of both
> formats. And, more than half of our students
> come in as internal or
> external transfer which is probably different than
> architecture schools.
>
> Let me know if you have any information and
> opinions on this matter.
>
> Joan McLain-Kark
> Associate Professor
> Program Coordinator, Interior Design
introducing students to a tool that most of them will be REQUIRED to use
in practice is not such a bad thing. As for choice of software,
contrary to the previous response, ones ability to think critically has
**nothing** to do with whether a student learns and uses AutoCad, From-Z
or any other package.
I agree with Wayde's concern about the computer purchase requirement. I
would not have been able to afford the hardware and software on my own
when I was in undergrad. However, I know that a lot of students come to
the university with computers in tow these days. As for laptops, I have
never enjoyed using a laptop for visualization or cad. Given that one
can find respectable desktop systems for around the same price as a
laptop that would run cad software, I would stick with desktop systems.
--
Leonard Temko
College of Architecture and Urban Planning
The University of Michigan
Doctoral Program in Architecture
Wayde Tardif wrote:
>
> Joan:
>
> I imagine many schools, who go the way of *requiring* their
> students to purchase computers, find it difficult to
> actually get and maintain the broad range of socioeconomic
> diversity which should be requisite in an academic
> environment. It seems that such practices are yet another
> way that schools of design maintain the elitism of the
> design professions. There are those students who managed to
> scrape enough funding to mearly attend school - making them
> purchase a computer is out of the range of MANY people and
> is an exclusionary tactic - though it may not be seen as
> such by whomever makes these decisions. State institutions
> especially should certainly not *require* their students to
> purchase computers, rather, suggest it as a tool which they
> may find helpful.
>
> On the issue of software, if it is the desire of an
> institution to produce cad-jockeys, then by all means, have
> them use a software package like Auto-Cad, (the industry
> standard of architecture *production* in the *profession*),
> though I'm sure there is a local community college or trade
> school who teaches such things. However, if it is the desire
> of the institution to produce graduates who can think
> critically, and not just compu-draft, then a visualization
> software package like Form-Z would be a much better option.
> Remember though, it is VERY easy to be seduced into the
> realm of the toys of technology. It is important to remember
> too, however, that architecture isn't how the built
> environment is rendered, rather the results of such
> renderings. It is important to communicate one's ideas
> clearly - but getting caught into thinking that it is the
> tools by which such communications are affected is what
> constitutes architecture is dangerous and something I see
> happening in a number of schools right now.
>
> Best of luck:
>
> Wayde Tardif
> ________________________________
> wayde tardif
>
> architecture+graphic design
> ________________________________
>
> wtardif@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://wabakimi.carleton.ca/~wtardif/index.html
>
> ----------
> From: Joan McLain-Kark <jmkark@xxxxxx>
> To: DESIGN-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: laptop vs. desktop
> Date: Mon, Apr 26, 1999, 2.14 PM
>
> Does anyone have some information on how many
> architecture and design
> schools are requiring students to buy computers?
> And, how many are
> requiring laptops? Are any requiring desktops
> and if so, what impact does
> that have on the design studio?
>
> Our interior design faculty are going on a
> "retreat" for one day to discuss
> integrating technologies. We have gone from being
> primarily pencil-based
> to CAD although we still teach hand perspective
> drawing and rendering.
> Both are integrated into studios. Our university
> recently instituted a
> freshmen computer requirement. So far, we are
> requiring a PC desktop or
> laptop and AutoCAD software (for their first
> drawing class). The rest of
> the departments at the university require or
> recommend desktops with the
> exception of architecture. But we are still
> debating the merits of both
> formats. And, more than half of our students
> come in as internal or
> external transfer which is probably different than
> architecture schools.
>
> Let me know if you have any information and
> opinions on this matter.
>
> Joan McLain-Kark
> Associate Professor
> Program Coordinator, Interior Design