Date: Wed, 10 Jan 2001
From: "Len King" <lenking@blueridge.net>
Subject: Architectural Graphic Standards Book and CD
I got my $202 copy of Arch Graphic Stds book and cd after a false start with
the book only and want to thank all those on the forum for setting me
straight on the "deal". I'm sure I would have just complained a lot and
lived with only the book had people not jumped in with what they had got.
Along the way someone who was pessimistic about this "deal" asked for the
GOOD, BAD, & UGLY so I thought I'd send my 2 cent review of the package out
for what its worth. (This is by no means a comprehensive review, merely a
spot check. Buy it and test it out, if it isn't what I think it is you can
always return it.)
At any rate, AGS is and probably always will be merely a comprehensive
reference book which decreases in working value with the experience of the
individual. When I started out I used it frequently, now I may pick it up
once or twice a year. It has been far too elementary to be a work a day
tool for me personally but the CD may change that, time will tell. If your a
single practitioner then maybe you don't need it, but if you have staff it
is still a necessary part of your reference library (if you can keep it from
'walking'). But the latest CD at this great price changes things, in my
humble opinion, and moves it from a once in a while reference to a more
useful and active technical tool that each desk probably should have (It
supposedly can network but its not clear to me how many can access it at one
time). Heres what I come up with.
THE GOOD
1. The One Time Need---You need it when you need it. At this price the
thing pays for it self if you pick it up usefully once a year or even less.
For instance, I haven't had the need to layout a tennis court in years, but
when that arose recently AGS provided what I needed in a matter of minutes
saving me who knows how much time to locate the info by other means. I'm
sure I saved the $202 in this one use. And now with the cd allowing you to
copy out to datacad you don't even have to have much time spent putting it
down. Whether your heavy on the design side or on the technical side, a
need in your weak area will rise someday and AGS could fill that spot.
2. The Great Search-- AGS cd has vastly improved the ability to find your
information not only with a conventional phrase index but with additional
search tools as well, such as: word search, a special interest section, a
building systems section, and the standard chapter contents method. The
search ability does away once in for all that flipping around through
different chapters to cover a subject and find 2/3 of the flipping to be
fruitless or too elementary. These features are so important to the CD and
functionality of AGS that it may be best to just forgo the book and buy
everyone in your staff a CD (Don't know if this is available from Amazon at
the great price though). Heres some more 2 cents on the search features.
Indexed Search--- Take flashing for example, heres a subject that is found
in pieces in several chapters, (masonry walls, moisture protection, metals,
windows, etc.). The index allows you to get to all incidents sorted out from
the various chapters and placed in one list. What a great device for an
intern wanting to learn flashing through its various forms and uses. What a
great device for an experienced person looking for that one missing
library detail or answer and not wanting to draw it from scratch. The
details are ready to go with reasonable editing. The indexed search works
like a normal index find except clicking on the closest subject brings up a
list of sub subjects or choices. This allows you to delve deeper and deeper
for your subject until you have isolated just the related topics you wish to
look at. This is presented as a list on the desktop which does not leave and
allows you to go through everything one by one or have all up for review at
once.
Word Search---This is most useful when say you are looking for something
like that particular flashing and a general index or word search brings up
130 incidents 90% not of the type you want. Using the word search brings up
that final list of ten in one fast and effective click. What a nice techy
rush it is to, smooth as cream, go in and in a couple of clicks have a good
list of flashing information in front of you.
Special Interests Section -- a lot of new looking stuff. Here you find an
easy way to find things buried in the book and harder to find such as
material properties . As I remember it you use to have to go to the chapter
where the material was likely to be found or trudge through the index
looking for the properties chart. Now you just click on this properties
section and it compiles all the charts in one list for you to pick from.
Simple as pie. (of course some of the charts are still good old AGC
simplistic such as soils( listing foundation suitability as good, ok, bad,
etc.) but these are off set by what seems to me new ones of more depth such
as for stone properties and water permeability of materials)
3. Export-- the next great thing well mentioned by others on the forum is
the various means to export info and I agree with the acclaim here. Although
room for much improvement what a joy to cut and paste into dcad that detail
missing from your or the cheap tricks library. Of course some editing is
required but no more than we do for our cheap trick details. DXF, DWG &
DGN, Clip Board only from what I could see quickly.
4.Links--links to other related information in the book and to the outside
industry are provided.
5.Moderately improved content although I have not had a chance to get in and
see if old stuff has been updated.
Special Interests has some new sections. Some looks interesting and some is
very sophomoric. Sections such as energy conservation, life cycle issues,
seismic design, and security design are included to name only a few.
Seismic looks good as a primer for those of us who do little in this area
but the section on arch programming is rather silly. There's a list of cad
layering I wish I had around when I 1st set up, there's also a section on
Terrorist design??? which raised an eyebrow. (for my next embassy job I
guess).
THE BAD
1. Needs More Export-- it now saves only to dxf,dwg, and dgn & clip board,
it cannot save to pdf or other view/web files. (in this day and age we're
picky right?)
2.No Grouping--you cannot group or bookmark information by project for easy
retrieval and exporting. This is a valuable feature that Sweets has which
AGS should include.
3.Too General, More Links-- As said, although still a wealth for interns the
lack of any easy links to "deeper" information is still it's biggest draw
back. One would hope that future editions will take the example of news web
sites where background and 'deeper' information is hyperlinked to the more
general areas to allow users of all levels to get significant value. Then
even at $650 full price I think it would be a bargain. Lets hope the
publisher goes the distance on this one.
THE UGLY
I'll take this literally and call it the aesthetics and user interface.
Here I have no major grips. It works. The new stuff is better looking than
the old (the old still has that 1940 look). And there are a couple of
superficial icons probably placed in there as filler, but considering all
the assets who cares.
SO
All in all I think anyone who's in the architectural and construction world
who doesn't take advantage of this deal is making a mistake. It is well
worth much more than the two hundred bucks.
Len King
Lake Lure, NC