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How Goes It
Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 354
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 Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 4:30 pm Post subject: |
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Alfred,
So if things have slowed on one front, get active on a different project.
Let's call it WILDTOOLS for the iPhone.
Wildtools has more than enough to get the job done.
I'm pretty sure that the palettes I use for doing most of my work, are the Wildtools palettes.
This would be a great project for you Alfred. And you would be the main man. I.E., no one to slow you down but yourself.
By the way, I have a load of ideas to come on how to do this thing.
The cup isn't half empty --- it's 90% full !!!!
Build it !!!
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Greg
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 225
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
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| Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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No you are certainly not the only one disappointed with ES over the past couple of years.
Very slow to respond to user issues. Why would ES not be interested in following the discussions on this forum to improve their product?
Website only updated sporadically and not of a calibre expected of a sophisticated application these days. Would a visit to the website inspire someone who didn't know PC/WT to pursue the app further? I don't think so.
Overly complex program upgrade process. Why can't it be a simple click of a button on the website to download an update, then entering a serial number?
I am very sorry to hear of Alfred's decision to stop work on WildTools, though it is understandable. One of the major reasons I have stuck it out with PC is the fabulous drawing tools he has created in WT. And the amazing responsiveness and creativity of Alfred in working to develop new tools which really respond to the users' needs. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with him on the few tools I have suggested.
Greg
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GaryV
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 238
Location: Walnut Creek, CA
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| Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2008 11:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I am very sorry to hear of Alfred's decision to stop work on WildTools, though it is understandable. One of the major reasons I have stuck it out with PC is the fabulous drawing tools he has created in WT. And the amazing responsiveness and creativity of Alfred in working to develop new tools which really respond to the users' needs. |
Grrrr....... 
While this outcome has always been my fear, I wholeheartedly agree with these statements. The actions by ES over the years from time to time, but especially now due to the impact of their actions, frustrates, angers and confuses me. So much so that I have rewritten this post 3 times and I rarely have a problem expressing myself yet I find myself close to "speechless".
Businessmen make decisions for good and bad reasons and I understand Alfred's decision. Lack of passion due to a frigid bride who pushes you away is easy to get. But Bill, come on - pull your head out, man. Whether we agreed with your direction on issues in the past or not is immaterial but you always did what you thought was right for the software and its users. I cannot believe you feel this is in the best interest of ES or the end user. While Alfred may be "maintaining" it going forward, without further enhancements, who knows when this too will come to a screeching halt? The impact to "your baby", all due to the lack of collaboration and cooperation is not the way you want this to end - and it is certainly not the way most of us want it to end either.
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ftribel
Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 266
Location: Paris, France
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:31 am Post subject: |
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| I agree with all that
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poolvibe
Joined: 16 Apr 2004
Posts: 349
Location: My Lair
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 8:52 am Post subject: |
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Bill, Mike and even Dave have always been helpful to me personally but I do have to say something here. They have always been pleasant to deal with on many occasions. There is one thing none of us can change. The people paying for and writing PowerCadd do not draw for a living. This is a fundamental flaw in the company. If there was a staffer that understood things from our perspective with some power, things would be different. This is why Alfred is different. He actually creates with the tools he builds. You have the fussy nature of the end user with the toolmaker all in one. Hard to come by. I am wondering how many of us could pool our resources if you know what I mean  I cannot and will not function without wildtools. Hoping they can replicate some of the necessary tools in PC tool pallatte in years to come. One can hope. I refuse to use AC.
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www.shouldbefree.net |
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GaryV
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 238
Location: Walnut Creek, CA
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 12:55 pm Post subject: |
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| They are good people and have been helpful I agree. Yet, the high level perspective sometimes is a little clouded. I agree that they do not have staffers that draw and they need that understanding. In the past they have turned to us for that and sometimes they have agreed with us and sometimes not (and us as an end user group do not always agree). However, cutting off one's nose to spite one's face just does not seem like the best thing for anyone.
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patrickm
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 346
Location: santa barbara, ca
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 1:44 pm Post subject: |
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You know, it is funny, I really know nothing about ES. My exposure to them has been limited to ordering upgrades and occasionally emailing them about perceived bugs that I stumble upon. I guess that is a good sign -- I have never contacted them about technical support in (at least) 13 years of using PowerDraw/PowerCadd.
When I first got into architecture, I loved to draft. I took pride in my ability to draft and present information, much like a craftsman would doing finish carpentry. The one thing that I got very tired of, though, was drawing details. I figured there had to be a better way than hand drafting, but seeing computers that ran AC with monitors with black screens displaying colored lines looked a lot like mechanical drafting to me and held absolutely no appeal. Fortunately, a landscape architect (with the County of LA, of all places) turned me on to PowerDraw. For me, it was an avenue of CADD drafting that had almost the appeal of hand drawing and made the creation of sheets of details much less tedious. I have never owned a PC nor AC and don't plan to.
I truly appreciate the role that PowerCADD plays in my professional life and don't know what I'd do without it. Same with WildTools. If I was forced to use AC, I think I might change professions. Honestly. As far as tools and future development go, I think I am pretty much at my limit as far as what I'd actually utilize for my day to day work (as far as I know, but feel free to surprise me), other than 3d modeling, which I wish was easier to interface with PC.
As new computers and technology are developed, I hope PC/WT continue to work on them and I'd appreciate any boosts in speed, DWG compatibility, etc. (Alfred -- I'd also appreciate some structural analysis software (i.e. FrameMac!!)  ). I hope ES has a long and prosperous future and continues to serve my needs. I can only imagine what running a small software company might be like, and I can't imagine it is a lot of fun most of the time. IF ES were ever to throw in the towel, I hope they will be bought by a large company like SketchUp was, which didn't seem to miss a beat during or after their transition.
regards,
patrick
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pbacot
Joined: 15 Apr 2004
Posts: 887
Location: Northern California
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| Posted: Sun Nov 16, 2008 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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HI Patrick,
Thanks for the POV. I think we all wish ES to live long and prosper.
Peter
(I hope you and your friends were not too adversely affected by the fires. A place that figured hugely in my life, Mount Calvary Retreat House, is gone forever, at least in it's original beloved form.)
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Peter B |
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patrickm
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 346
Location: santa barbara, ca
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patrickm
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 346
Location: santa barbara, ca
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Kent
Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 57
Location: Birmingham, AL
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| Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 5:44 pm Post subject: |
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Alfred,
I use and enjoy a great many of the tools that you have brought to my Cadd program. If you do indeed quit in the future development of Wildtools you will be greatly missed. I do not think PowerCadd would be near as useful or as productive without Wildtools.
A fan of your work.
Kent
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Alfred Scott
Joined: 15 Apr 2004
Posts: 659
Location: Richmond, VA
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 1:19 pm Post subject: |
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I've been thinking of creating an iPhone app for my Benchmark program and this past weekend spent some time watching the iPhone development videos. The first thing you learn is the importance of coming up with a simple statement of what the program is to do (Easy to use way to view and share photos for an average user) and how it's a big mistake to try to move a desktop application with all of the features to an iPhone. You have to knock the feature list down to a very few things, and you need to avoid making the user typing things, if at all possible.
So I continue to think trying to create a drawing program on the iPhone doesn't make sense.
What does make sense is to use a program like GPS Kit to record locations on the ground and then bring them into PowerCADD. Already, in a couple of days, Paolo Rossi has that working.
But you want to remember that you can't use the GPS capabilities on the iPhone indoors, and if you press the Home button on an iPhone, the current application quits.
There will surely be improvements to the accuracy of the iPhone GPS, which is presently rather poor, and also I think Paolo may be able to get the gps tracks into PowerCADD in a more direct way. With the GPS Kit, you email the tracks to yourself, and you get an email with links to their website. You can download the GPX file and then open it with Paolo's external, and maybe in time you can just click on the link in your mail program and then Paolo's external can bring it direct into PowerCADD.
Paolo and I have collaborated closely with TopoTools and his Topography Tools. He has created ways to import topo data into PowerCADD and I want to make that an exclusive thing for him, at least as far as I'm concerned. Said another way, I don't want to step on Paolo's toes when it comes to importing and exporting topo information.
Alfred
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raleighross
Joined: 12 Aug 2004
Posts: 374
Location: Raleigh, NC
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 5:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Alfred Scott wrote: | | There will surely be improvements to the accuracy of the iPhone GPS, which is presently rather poor, ... |
Is it poor on an absolute basis, relative basis or both.?One trick that was used before the current GPS system was "opened" up was to track a series of points then find a nearby point where you knew the exact location. All the other points were very accurate relative to this known which meant you could make them all accurate.
But if the iPhone GPS is not very accurate in relative movements then this would not work.
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raleighross
Joined: 12 Aug 2004
Posts: 374
Location: Raleigh, NC
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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Those iPhone Apps can make some money.
A friend of my son in his first year of college wrote "Cheers". You enter the drinks you've had and it estimates your blood alcohol level. Sells for $2.99. Been out about 10 days. He's getting over $100 a day so far.
And this is for a trivial app.
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How Goes It
Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 354
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| Posted: Mon Dec 01, 2008 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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| Alfred Scott wrote: | The first thing you learn is the importance of coming up with a simple statement of what the program is to do ... and how it's a big mistake to try to move a desktop application with all of the features to an iPhone. You have to knock the feature list down to a very few things, and you need to avoid making the user typing things, if at all possible.
So I continue to think trying to create a drawing program on the iPhone doesn't make sense. |
I've been in the process of making an abbreviated users manual of how an iPhone CAD app could work --- utilizing the basic functionality of my favorite 2D tools --- PC/WT, with some modification when necessary.
The basic screen/drawing area, would have one button in each corner, and this would leave most all of that drawing area unobstructed. I.E. the drawing area is the entire screen.
From the basic screen --- many TOOLS or MENU ITEMS could be accessed with 2 taps. Meaning -- as soon as I do my 2nd tap, the tool is selected, and I am looking at an unobstructed drawing area - ready to use the tool. A ton of other tools and menu items can be accessed with one additional tap (3 taps total). No typing to do this.
OPTIONS dialogue once a tool is selected - one tap
From the basic screen - PREFERENCES and DRAWING SETUP - just two or three taps to access any of the items you see in these dialogues.
The only part I need to experiment on, is whether or not a medium size house plan could be viewed and modified well enough via zoom and pan. If this part is workable -- then the rest seems fairly straightforward to me.
And since I don't expect anyone to type out all the specs./notes for a house on an iPhone, and since most of the alphanumeric input would be on the numeric side -- on a large keypad, well that part should be quite easy, and not something that would hold anyone up.
For those that need some extensive notes associated with a part of their drawing, and they need to input these notes out in the field -- this could be done on iPhone CAD via a voice note feature, where the voice note can be attached to any part of the drawing you want - and where the transcription is done back at the office on a full size keyboard.
Also along these lines -- you should be able to use the iPhone's camera to attach a pop-up photo (or number of photos) to whatever part of the drawing you want. Now this photo could be of a detail on paper that you marked up, or of a detail that someone handed you, or of some notes, or of a part of a building -- whatever you want.
Steve
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